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Influence of laser wavelength and laser energy on depth profiling of easel painting samples

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Abstract

The depth-resolved analysis by means of the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a useful tool in the investigation of multi-layered structures of paintings. The LIBS technique is considered micro-destructive, as it is associated with the formation of the ablation crater. It is important to optimize the laser pulse parameters to minimize the crater size and also to avoid some possible side effects of the laser radiation, such as the material redeposition and the light- or heat-induced pigment discoloration. In the present work, mock-up painting samples were used to investigate the influence of laser radiation characteristics on the ablation process. The first LIBS set-up contains a Nd:YAG laser at the second harmonic frequency (laser wavelength 532 nm, pulse duration ~ 10 ns) and the second set-up is comprised of a modified laser-ablation system equipped with a Nd:YAG laser at the fourth harmonic frequency (laser wavelength 266 nm, pulse duration ~ 5 ns). The influence of different laser wavelengths and different laser energies on the properties of the craters was examined. The effects caused by the laser-ablation process were described.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic under the project CEITEC 2020 [LQ1601] and by the Czech Science Foundation project [GA17-25687S]. The Student Project Grant at MU (Specific Research, Rector’s Program) [MUNI/A/1288/2017] is also highly appreciated. We would also like to thank ALMA Laboratory, AFA, for providing the samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 61137, Brno, Czech Republic

    E. Pospíšilová, K. Novotný & V. Kanický

  2. ALMA Laboratory, Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, U Akademie 4, 17022, Prague 7, Czech Republic

    E. Pospíšilová & J. Hradilová

  3. Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University (CEITEC MU), Kamenice 753/5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic

    K. Novotný & V. Kanický

  4. Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology (CEITEC BUT), Purkyňova 123, 61200, Brno, Czech Republic

    P. Pořízka & J. Kaiser

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  1. E. Pospíšilová
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  2. K. Novotný
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  3. P. Pořízka
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  4. J. Hradilová
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  5. J. Kaiser
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Correspondence to E. Pospíšilová.

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Pospíšilová, E., Novotný, K., Pořízka, P. et al. Influence of laser wavelength and laser energy on depth profiling of easel painting samples. Chem. Pap. 73, 2937–2943 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-019-00803-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-019-00803-z

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