An overview of some influential factors in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Abstract

This paper presents the process of plasma formation during laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) along with analysis of emission from double pulse LIBS to better understand the processes and the factors involved in enhancement of plasma emission. In this analysis plasma emission has been considered directly proportional to the square of plasma density, its volume, and the fraction of absorption of second laser pulse in the plasma plume produced by the first laser through inverse Bremsstrahlung absorption process. The electron ion collision frequency, which is dependent on the density and temperature of the plasma, has been found playing important role in the enhancement of emission as well as in the saturation of emission during LIBS. The effect of material ablation, delay between lasers, plasma confinement and shielding effect has also been discussed.