Laser Induced Breakdown Spectrometry (LIBS) is considered a non-destructive technique – less than 1 billionth of a gramme of material is consumed during a typical test.

Laser pulses generate a high temperature micro-plasma on the surface of the metal. Microscopic particles are exploded from the surface into the plasma where they are atomised and energised. After this excitation, light that is characteristic of the elemental composition of the metal is emitted and analyzed within the spectrometer.

The laser is very powerful but is focused to a microscopic point on the sample and causes virtually no sample heating around the test area.
The laser Diode and Analytical Optics are both heated. The system requires a short warm-up period for the laser to become operational.