Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

A laser induced breakdown spectroscopy system, comprising:

• a laser module having a laser source, the laser source having an yttrium garnet aluminum:
• erbium gain element and a passive Q-switch, the gain element having at least partially mirrored coatings at each of two ends of the gain element;
• a sample chamber;
• a spectrometer arranged to capture spectral data from the sample chamber;
• a high-voltage, high-frequency voltage source attached to a set of electrodes in the sample chamber, the voltage source arranged to apply a voltage in the range of 6 to 15 Kilovolts having a frequency in the range of 100 Kilohertz to 4 Megahertz to the sample during capture;
• and
• a controller in communication with the spectrometer, the voltage source and the laser module to trigger the voltage source and the spectrometer during laser excitation of the sample.

A method of operating a laser induced breakdown spectroscopy system, comprising:

• applying a high-voltage, high-frequency voltage in the range of 6 to 16 kilovolts operating at a frequency in the range of 100 kilohertz to 4 Megahertz to a set of electrodes arranged around a sample;
• striking the sample with a laser during a time interval in which the voltage is being applied to the electrodes;
• sampling spectral data from the sample after the sample is struck with the laser;
• and
• removing the voltage after the spectral data has been sampled.