From the sea bottom to the red planet with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Abstract

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) constitutes one of the most active research fields in analytical science. Among several important features, ability for adaptation to radically different scenarios constitutes its most valuable asset. For instance, technology based on LIBS has been developed for sub-sea operations and for planetary exploration, two extreme environments that require analytical solutions not available for most measurement techniques. In this talk, a discussion will be presented on the challenges represented by these analyses and the solutions envisaged using advanced LIBS approaches.