LIBS Workshop Information
Introduction
Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is a robust chemical
analysis technique that has found application in a range of
areas where rapid, remote and semi-quantitative analysis of
chemical composition is needed. The technique in its essential
form is quite simple. Light is used to ionize a small portion
of the analyte and the spectral emission (characteristic of
the electronic energy levels) from the species in the resulting
plasma is collected to determine the chemical constituents.
Most often the light comes from a laser since high photon fluxes
can be obtained readily with this type of light source. By focusing
the light from the laser to a small spot, highly localized chemical
analysis can be performed. As a result of the simplicity of
the experimental technique, LIBS has found application in a
variety of fields including the following:
1. Environmental (air quality monitoring; soil, sediment,
and mineral analysis; waste stream analysis (plastics, sludge,
etc.))
2. Life Sciences and Cultural/Conservation (biological materials;
pharmaceutical analysis; tissue analysis; pigment analysis;
archeometallurgy; ceramic and glass analysis)
3. Materials Analysis and Industrial (precious alloys; steels
and other alloys; semiconductors; nuclear industry; superconductors).
LIBS has been demonstrated and is currently being used in
a variety of sensor/diagnostic roles in these areas. Even
with these successes, there are many applications where the
potential for LIBS as a sensor has not been explored. With
advances in instrumentation related to laser source size and
spectrometer unit performance and portability, there are emerging
roles for LIBS that could not be explored previously. For
the first time, field portable units that can be transported
by individuals are being developed and tested. Other advances
in instrumentation such as the ready availability of femtosecond
laser sources allow for more refined approaches to LIBS that
could lead to better performance of LIBS sensors. Accompanying
the thrust of LIBS technology into new areas, there are new
requirements and demands for a more complete understanding
of the laser-induced breakdown event. This type of understanding
could lead to more quantitative and sensitive LIBS sensors.
In addition, the essential process of creating a laser-induced
plasma provides opportunities for performing LIBS analysis
in conjunction with other analysis techniques. Currently,
efforts are being pursued to show the benefits of LIBS-Raman
and LIBS-LIF techniques. The ever broadening application of
LIBS and the renewed efforts in understanding the LIBS process
demand an in depth analysis of the current state of LIBS by
researchers in the area so that the future directions can
be identified that best take advantage of this technology.
Workshop Description
The U.S. Army Research Office identified the need to objectively
analyze the state of LIBS technology for military sensor applications.
This assessment required that many aspects of LIBS be considered
from basic modeling/theory to instrumentation development
and application. To address all of the identified areas sufficiently
and succinctly required input from a diverse audience that
the Workshop convened at The Johns Hopkins University on August
5 and 6, 2003 under the leadership of Dr. Andrzej Miziolek
(ARL-WMRD) and Prof. James Spicer (JHU). Approximately 51
meeting participants considered the opportunities, challenges
and directions for LIBS as a premier, robust sensing technology.
The Workshop report is currently being completed for distribution.
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