Analysis of geological samples by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy at low atmospheric pressures

Abstract

Several future space missions to planets, moons and asteroids in the solar system consider landers equip-ped with a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument. This technique provides an in-situ elemental analysis of all major and many trace elements on surfaces of the solar system bodies by identification of particular atomic transitions in emission spectra of laser-induced plasmas. Excitation and evolution of the plasma depends strongly on the environmental pressure. Therefore, the capability of LIBS is studied for each individual space mission. We focus on LIBS at ultra-high vacuum for explora-tion of solar system bodies with thin atmospheres and demonstrate its usefulness at a pressure >1 mPa and with a laser excitation energy >1 mJ.