Remote Raman and fluorescence studies of mineral samples

Abstract

In the present study, we investigated remote laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), at a distance of 4.8 m, of a variety of natural minerals and rocks, and Hawaiian Ti (Cordyline terminalis) plant leaves. These minerals included calcite cleavage, calcite onex and calcite travertine, gypsum, fluorapatite, Dover flint and chalk, chalcedony and nephelene syenite, and rubies containing rock. Pulsed laser excitation of the samples at 355 and 266 nm often resulted in strong fluorescence. The LIF bands in the violet-blue region at ∼413 and ∼437 nm were observed only in the spectrum of calcite cleavage. The green LIF bands with band maxima in the narrow range of ∼501-504 nm were observed in the spectra of all the minerals with the exception of the nephelene syenite and ruby rocks. The LIF red bands were observed in the range ∼685-711 nm in all samples. Excitation with 532 nm wavelength laser gave broad but relatively low fluorescence background in the low-frequency region of the Raman spectra of these minerals. One microsecond signal gating was effective in removing nearly all background fluorescence (with peak at ∼610 nm) from calcite cleavage Raman spectra, indicating that the fluorescence was probably from long-lifetime inorganic phosphorescence. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.