What type of laser is used for LIBS?

A laser source used for LIBS must have a sufficiently large energy density to ablate the sample in as short a time possible. Typically, pulsed DPSS lasers take center stage here. However, it’s been shown that pulsed fiber lasers can also be a great option. For example, you could utilize fiber lasers to measure detection limits as low as micrograms per gram (µg/g) for many common metals and alloys, including aluminum, lithium, magnesium, and beryllium. Analytical performances showed to be, in some cases, close to those obtainable with a traditional high-energy Nd:YAG laser. The beam quality of fiber lasers, in conjunction with longer pulse widths, resulted in significantly deeper and cleaner ablation craters. If you want to learn more about LIBS and ideal laser sources, check out either this blog: “OEM Fiber Lasers for Industrial Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy,” or this blog: “Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) in Biomedical Applications.” Get more information from our Lasers 101, Blogs, Whitepapers, FAQs, and Press Release pages in our Knowledge Center!