Polarization-resolved laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Opt Lett. 2009 Feb 15;34(4):494-6. doi: 10.1364/ol.34.000494.

Abstract

It is shown that plasma polarization measurements can be used to enhance the sensitivity of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The polarization of the plasma emission is used to suppress the continuum with only slight attenuation of the discrete atomic and ionic spectra. The method is demonstrated for LIBS detection of copper and carbon samples ablated by pairs of femtosecond laser pulses.