Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy system and method, and detection system and method therefor
AssigneeNational Research Council of Canada
InventorsPaul Bouchard, Mohamad Sabsabi, Christian Padioleau, Rene Heon, Peter John Hardman
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Abstract
Described are various embodiments of a system, method and device for laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). In some embodiments, the LIBS system comprises a silicon photomultiplier (Si PM) operated in a time-gated photon counting mode. Some such embodiments allow for the provision of a portable LIBS device. Also provided are embodiments for the measurement of constituent carbon, gold and/or other precious metal group elements in a target sample.
Claims25
A laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system to detect a constituent element of interest within a sample, wherein the LIBS system is operable to produce a plasma from the sample that emits light representative of the constituent element of interest, the system comprising a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) operable to detect the light emitted from the plasma, and output a signal representative thereof in detecting the constituent element of interest, wherein said SiPM is operable in a time-gated mode so as to constrain detection thereby to a predefined temporal window predefined relative to each probing laser pulse so as to isolate emitted light corresponding to the element of interest.
A method for detecting a constituent element of interest within a sample, the method comprising:
- irradiating the sample using repetitive laser pulses to create a plasma that emits light representative of the sample's one or more constituent elements;
- directing at least a spectral portion of said emitted light that is within a predefined wavelength interval corresponding with the constituent element of interest toward a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM);
- detecting, via said SiPM, said spectral portion of said emitted light within said predefined wavelength interval;
- and outputting a signal representative of said spectral portion and thereby indicative of a presence of the constituent element of interest within said sample, wherein said detecting comprises constraining detection of said spectral portion to a predefined temporal window predefined relative to each of said laser pulses to isolate emitted light corresponding to the element of interest.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.