LIBS Sensitivity Enhancement by Microwave Plasma Spectroscopy

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is a simple, rapid, real-time analytical technique based on the analysis of spectral emission from laser-induced micro plasmas. The Army is interested in deploying this technique in both a field portable instrument and on vehicular platforms (truck or plane) for remote sensing. Here we propose to enhance the sensitivity of LIBS by growing the LIBS micro plasma with microwaves. The resulting plasma will be larger and last significantly longer. The sensitivity should be enhanced by more than a factor of 1000. This plasma enhancement technique can be applied to both the configurations of field portable instruments and vehicular platforms. Phase I will demonstrate the enhancement technique in the laboratory and Phase II will produce a field portable instrument with enhanced sensitivity and a field test of the application for vehicular platforms.