LIBS

A study shows that microwave-enhanced laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (MWE-LIBS) can effectively analyze zirconium metals and oxides in nuclear fuel debris. The study found that microwaves lower the excitation temperature and increase ionization of zirconium, resulting in consistent enhancements in zirconium emissions with a higher signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio across all sample types.

Researchers have proposed a two-step Aug2Tran model that uses transfer learning to build a robust real-time classification model for identifying scrap metal using an augmented training dataset consisting of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) measurement of standard reference material (SRMs) samples.

New research compares light capturing approaches in LIBS for multichannel spectrometers, highlighting the challenges of shot-to-shot variations in plasma morphology and their effect on calibration-free LIBS.

Scientists have demonstrated LIBS stratigraphy to identify the chemical composition and pigments of small fragments from two oil paintings by Bellini and Brughi, with the results providing important information for conservation and restoration purposes.

A new one-point calibration laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) method was used to quantify mercury in soil in the presence of matrix effects.

Combining laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with spectral imaging techniques and photogrammetry offers a new way to create three-dimensional (3D) imaging models.

This study demonstrates the potential of microwave-enhanced LIBS for zirconium ion emission analysis in nuclear debris decommissioning.

Evaluating different spectral collection strategies for identifying Dalbergia species using handheld LIBS is a significant advancement in the field of wood identification.

A recent study describes the development of a neural network data analysis method to rapidly characterize gallium concentration in plutonium matrices using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).

Although milk is considered among the most complete and nutrition-rich natural foods, the concentration of vitamins and minerals in milk can vary depending on a variety of circumstances. Stelios Couris of the University of Patras and the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (Patras, Greece) has been studying the inorganic elemental composition of a variety of milk samples using LIBS and spoke to Spectroscopy about this research.

The use of ICP-MS is constantly expanding into an ever-wider variety of applications. We assess the current landscape and where the technique is going in the future.

An artificial neural network was combined with LIBS to provide a rapid and accurate coal-rock recognition method for unmanned coal mining.

In the past 20 years, spectrometers have shrunk dramatically in size, and this shrinking has been achieved with only modest performance reductions in sampling versatility, spectral range, spectral resolution, and signal-to-noise.

Portable X-ray fluorescence was used to analyze the archaeological remains of an Underground Railroad station to gain a clearer understanding of the construction phases it underwent during the 19th century.

The physics and chemistry of the phenomenon have been well known for many years, and this knowledge can tell us how self-absorption can be not only “corrected,” but also tuned to our advantage in analytical applications of LIBS.

Noureddine Melikechi of the Department of Physics and Applied Physics at the University of Massachusetts (Lowell, MA) saw an urgent need for the development of an untargeted and unbiased method to distinguish Gulf War illness (GWI) patients from non-GWI patients; he and his associates utilized laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in their efforts to meet that need.

Mohamed Abdel-Harith of Cairo University and his team explored using BRELIBS for the elemental analysis of the synagogue’s glass shards. Their findings reveal the potential of BRELIBS in conducting elemental analysis on transparent materials. Spectroscopy recently spoke to Abdel-Harith about this work.

Meat fraud has emerged as a growing concern globally. The adulteration, substitution, or mislabeling of meat products has resulted in negative economic effects, such as unfair competition in the global marketplace, as well as ethical concerns, because consumers want to know what is in the meat they are consuming. Ismail H. Boyaci of Hacettepe University and his team have explored using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for protein-based analysis and the identification of meat species. Spectroscopy recently spoke to Boyaci about this work.

The fast data acquisition and minimal sample preparation of handheld LIBS devices make them very useful for geochemical mapping, resource prospecting, sample selection, and hazard identification.

Emmanuel Lalla of York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, as well as his co-authors, recently presented an in-depth characterization of a set of samples collected during a 28-day Mars analog mission conducted by the Austrian Space Forum in the Dhofar region of Oman. Lalla spoke to Spectroscopy about this research, as well as how various methods of spectroscopic analysis can complement each other in analysis.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is an ideal method for elemental analysis of geological samples, and has been used by NASA on the Mars rovers. This article details the methodology and the most successful calibration and quantification methods to date.

We investigate the effect of an applied electric field on the laser-induced titanium plasma for laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for the purpose of assessing electron density with respect to laser energy.

Great interest has recently aroused in the study of the dysregulation of chemical elements within tissues. Information about the distribution of elements in biological tissues can contribute to a more complete medical diagnosis, and can guide therapeutic procedures for many pathologies.

The unique strengths of LIBS-sample preparation optional, stand-off detection, portability, speed, and sensitive light element detection-point to future directions and potential for LIBS as a tool for soil measurements in precision agriculture.

LIBS-based imaging has a broad range of applications. Here, we demonstrate those capabilities with examples from paleoclimate research and toxicology studies.

Spectroscopy can be difficult to carry out outside a controlled laboratory environment. Imagine, then, the hurdles that would accompany performing spectroscopy in the extreme conditions of deep space or the ocean floor. Mike Angel, a professor of chemistry at the University of South Carolina, has taken on those challenges, working on new types of instruments for remote and in- situ laser spectroscopy, with a focus on deep-ocean, planetary, and homeland security applications of deep ultraviolet Raman, and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy to develop the tools necessary to work within these extreme environments.

LIBS has transitioned from a method found only in research laboratories, to a technique in wide use in commercial settings. Several leading LIBS experts share their views on how the technique has developed and where it is heading.

The SuperCam remote sensing instrument suite under development for NASA’s Mars 2020 rover performs laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), remote Raman spectroscopy, visible and infrared (VISIR) reflectance spectroscopy, acoustic sensing, and high resolution color imaging. The instrument builds on the successful architecture of the ChemCam instrument which provides LIBS and panchromatic images on the Curiosity rover, adding the remote Raman spectroscopy by frequency doubling the laser and using a gated intensified detector to obtain Raman signals at distances to 12 m. To the visible reflectance spectroscopy used by ChemCam, an AOTF-based infrared spectrometer is added to cover the 1.3-2.6 µm range that contains important mineral signatures. A CMOS detector provides color (Bayer filter) images at a pixel resolution of 19 µrad and an optical resolution of 30 µrad. Sounds are recorded via a Knowles Electret microphone, which is the same one that was unsuccessfully attempted on two earlier missions. The acoustic signals of the LIBS plasmas will provide information on the hardness of the targets, while other sounds (wind, rover sounds) will also be recorded. The laser, telescope, IR spectrometer, and camera reside on the rover’s mast and are provided by CNES, while the LIBS, Raman, and VIS spectrometers and data processing unit are built by LANL and reside in the rover body. A calibration target assembly provided by U. Valladolid, Spain, resides on the back of the rover. The overall mass of the instrument suite is 10.7 kg.