LIBS system with compact fiber spectrometer, head mounted spectra display and hand held eye-safe erbium glass laser gun

LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) systems are capable of real-time chemical analysis with little or no sample preparation. A Q-switched laser is configured such that laser induced plasma is produced on targeted material. Chemical element line spectra are created, collected and analyzed by a fiber spectrometer. Line spectra emission data is instantly viewed on a head mounted display. “Eye-safe” Class I erbium glass lasers provide for in-situ LIBS applications without the need for eye-protection goggles. This is due to the fact that Megawatt peak power Q-switched lasers operating in the narrow spectral window between 1.5um and 1.6um are approximately 8000 times more “eye-safe” than other laser devices operating in the UV, visible and near infrared. In this work we construct and demonstrate a LIBS system that includes a hand held eye-safe laser gun. The laser gun is fitted with a micro-integrating sphere in-situ target interface and is designed to facilitate chemical analysis in remote locations. The laser power supply, battery pack, computer controller and spectrophotometer components are packaged into a utility belt. A head mounted display is employed for “hands free” viewing of the emitted line spectra. The system demonstrates that instant qualitative and semi-quantitative chemical analyses may be performed in remote locations utilizing lightweight commercially available system components ergonomically fitted to the operator.