Correction of the spectral lines of a laser plasma for measurement of the depth profile of layered materials in an ablation crater

An algorithm for the correction of the atomic lines in the spectrum of a laser plasma was developed for determination of the depth profile of the elemental composition of layered materials in an ablation crater. The application of this algorithm made it possible to eliminate the profile smoothing effect as a consequence of a change in the line intensity as the crater becomes deeper. The correction of the profile is illustrated by an example of measurement of the thickness of a diffusion layer of zinc-plated sheet steel before and after its heating at 452°C.