Development of a remote laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy system for investigation of calcified tissue samples

journal article - other

English

The development of a remote laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) setup with an off-axis Newtonian collection optics, Galilean-based focusing telescope, and a 532nm flattop laser beam source is presented. The device was tested at a 6m distance on a slice of bone to simulate its possible use in the field, e.g., during archaeological excavations. It is shown that this setup is sufficiently sensitive to both major (P, Mg) and minor elements (Na, Zn, Sr). The measured quantities of Mg, Zn, and Sr correspond to the values obtained by reference laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) measurements within an approximately 20% range of uncertainty. A single point calibration was performed by use of a bone meal standard . The radial element distribution is almost invariable by use of LA-ICP-MS, whereas the LIBS measurement showed a strong dependence on the sample porosity. Based on these results, this remote LIBS setup with a relatively large (350mm) collecting mirror is capable of semiquantitative analysis at the level of units of mg kg-1.

OCIS codes: 300.6365, 280.1545

A. Hrdlička, L. Prokeš, A. Staňková, K. Novotný, A. Vitešníková, V. Kanický, V. Otruba, J. Kaiser, J. Novotný, R. Malina, K. Páleníková

2010

3. 2. 2010

0003-6935

Applied Optics

49

13

United States of America

C16

C20

5