LIBS

(Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy)

Element specific quantitative analysis – provides a complete set of individual elements in the sample being studied
Relatively independent from phase and temperature of the material (solid, liquid, gaseous)
High sensitivity, LOD ~ 10-500 ppm
Fast measurement: approx. 100 measurements / sec
Real-time analyses, On-line, In-line, In Situ

Atomic Emission Spectroscopy
Focused laser pulses with intensities of 100 GW/cm create a direct transition of the material into the plasma phase > 10,000 K
Plasma emits light containing discrete element-specific atomic emission lines that contain rich signals from the elemental content of the investigated specimen

Element specific quantitative analysis – provides a complete set of individual elements in the sample being studied
Relatively independent from phase and temperature of the material (solid, liquid, gaseous)
High sensitivity, LOD ~ 10-500 ppm
Fast measurement: approx. 100 measurements / sec
Real-time analyses, On-line, In-line, In Situ
Micro-destructive - Ablation volumes ~Attoliter
Measurement from a distance possible, laser focus on material surface
Spectral range typical 200-1000 nm
No time-consuming sample preparation necessary

Adequately sampling the surface of the mineral
Complexity of the matrix effects that result in variations of the atomic emission lines from different elements
Preparing representative samples with known concentrations (using conventional analytical tools) to match natural rock samples for quantitative analysis using chemometrics
Having appropriate depth of field to avoid problems with surface roughness
Resolving the heterogeneity effect of the samples
Model maintenance