Quantitative solid sample analysis by ArF excimer laser ablation

Reproducible and sensitive elemental analysis of solid samples is a crucial task in areas of geology (e.g. microanalysis of fluid inclusions), material sciences, industrial quality control as well as in environmental, forensic and biological studies. To date the most versatile detection method is mass-spectroscopic multi-element analysis. In order to obtain reproducible results, this requires transferring the solid sample into the gas-phase while preserving the sampleʹs stoichiometric composition. Laser Ablation in combination with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is a proven powerful technique to meet the requirements for reliable solid sample analysis. The sample is laser ablated in an air-tight cell and the aerosol is carried by an inert gas to a micro-wave induced plasma where its constituents are atomized and ionized prior to mass analysis. The 193 nm excimer laser ablation, in particular, provides athermal sample ablation with very precise lateral ablation and controlled depth profiling. The high photon energy and beam homogeneity of the 193 nm excimer laser system avoids elemental fractionation and permits clean ablation of even transmissive solid materials such as carbonates, fluorites and pure quartz.