Quantitative analysis of aluminium alloys by low-energy, high-repetition rate laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

With the aim of reducing the dimensions of a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) apparatus for building a portable instrument, a diode-pumped Nd:YAG mini-laser at high repetition rate was tested as an excitation source for the quantitative analysis of aluminium alloy samples. Moreover, LIBS spectra acquired by using an ICCD-echelle spectrometer detection system were compared with those obtained by a traditional spectrometer coupled to a nonintensified linear array detector. Calibration curves were built and limits of detections were calculated using both detection systems for magnesium, silicon, copper, titanium, manganese, nickel and iron. The results were compared with those obtained by recently proposed LIBS systems based on the use of microchip lasers.