Stretchable coupling tube

An apparatus comprising:

• an inductively coupled plasma chamber;
• an injector configured to operably couple the inductively coupled plasma chamber to a laser ablation source;
• and
• a coupling tube configured to operably couple the laser ablation source to the injector for transferring a plurality of ablation plumes from the laser ablation source to the injector, wherein:
• the coupling tube comprises a stretchable elastomeric material, and
• the coupling tube is characterized by a first inner diameter in a range from 0.3 mm to 6.0 mm.

A method comprising:

• ablating, by a laser, a sample to form an ablation plume;
• laminarly flowing the ablation plume from the sample to an injector through a coupling tube, wherein:
• the coupling tube comprises a stretchable elastomeric material, and
• the coupling tube is characterized by a first inner diameter in a range from 0.3 mm to 6.0 mm;
• and
• analyzing the ablation plume using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer coupled to the injector.