The self-absorption effect is one of the main bottlenecks for the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique. In this Letter, LIBS assisted by laser-stimulated absorption (LSA-LIBS) is proposed to solve this problem. The process of LSA in self-absorption reduction is discussed and confirmed. The serious self-absorption phenomena of spectral lines (K, Mn, and Al) were not observed in LSA-LIBS. The full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of K, Mn, and Al was reduced by about 58%, 25%, and 52%, respectively. The results demonstrate the capability of this approach to self-absorption reduction in the LIBS technique.

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The quantitative analysis of phosphorus in iron/steel in air atmosphere is considered a challenge for LIBS due to strong interference from the matrix.