Compact apparatus for laser induced breakdown spectroscopy and method therefor

A method of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy comprising:

• directing a laser beam to a target plane on a sample, the target plane located on a proximal surface of the sample;
• manipulating the laser beam to substantially maximize threshold fluency at the target plane;
• generating ablation and plasma emission from the sample at the target plane;
• redirecting the laser beam to a first radially removed target plane, the first radially removed target plane radially displaced from the target plane;
• manipulating the laser beam to substantially maximize threshold fluency at the first radially removed target plane thereby creating a resultant redirected laser beam such that the focusing plane of the resultant redirected laser beam is substantially coincident with the first radially removed target plane;
• and
• generating ablation and plasma emission from the sample at the first radially removed target plane target plane.

An apparatus for laser induced breakdown spectroscopy of a sample comprising:

• a laser source generating a laser beam, the laser beam directed to the sample;
• optical means for manipulating the laser beam to substantially maximize laser fluency at a target surface of the sample, the laser beam generating ablation and plasma emission from the sample at the target surface;
• an emission spectrometer having a detector for detecting a plasma plume from the plasma emission;
• and
• wherein the optical means are selected from the group consisting of a three-axis electronically tunable lens and a single-axis electronically tunable lens and wherein the optical means further comprises a photodiode adapted to generate a photodiode output.