Fast and non-contact chemical analysis - LIBS

LIBS, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, is a method for quick and non-contact analysis of the chemical composition of a material, without time-consuming sample preparation. The method is also often referred to as non-destructive since such an extremely small amount of the material is needed for the analysis.

The method relies on the fact that a material that is heated to extremely high temperatures emits light that is specific to the atoms included in the material. In LIBS, a high-energy laser pulse is focused on a sample. The material then becomes so hot that the material decomposes into excited ions and atoms, into a plasma. By analyzing the light of the plasma, the characteristic atomic emission lines can be identified, giving information of the elements in the material. 

Today, LIBS is used commercially in many applications. Handheld systems are available and the technology is widely used for quality control, sorting, identification and analysis.

RISE develops LIBS equipment and analysis methods into customized solutions in e.g. metal recycling or production, together with the Swedish metals research institute Swerim.

Contact us to discuss what LIBS can do for your application!