Evaluation of Laser Ablation in Liquid (LAL) technique as a new sampling technique for elemental and isotopic analysis using ICP-mass spectrometry

Improvements in the direct analysis of advanced materials using ICP-based measurement techniques

“…Comparison between the results obtained by slurry nebulization of LAL solutions and those obtained aer acid digestion of the same colloidal sample solutions revealed an enrichment of volatile elements (e.g., As) in the smaller particles and depletion in the larger particles. Information about the occurrence of elemental fractionation in nanoparticles smaller than 0.1 mmas observed in other LAL studies 92,97 is not reported.…”

“…92) but also frequency tripled (355 nm) 95 and quintupled (213 nm) 96 systems, as well as a titan-sapphire femtosecond laser system (wavelength 780 nm). 97 Typical ablation parameters for systems with pulse duration in the ns range are repetition rates of 1-20 Hz, with laser energies varying from 0.50 mJ to 100 mJ. Beam diameters ranged from tens of mm to some hundred mm resulting in laser uencies in the order of <10-480 J cm À2 .…”

“…Okabayashi et al investigated the capability of LAL for isotopic analysis of solid samples in detail, including elemental and isotopic fractionation effects during LAL sampling. 97 The data obtained from the analysis of two standard reference materials, NIST SRM 610 glass and the IRMM-014 high-purity Fe metal (Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, Geel, Belgium), demonstrated that aer careful optimization of laser ablation conditions, the LAL technique can be applied for isotopic analyses. For example the ratios obtained for 238 U/ 232 Th, 208 Pb/ 206 Pb, 56 Fe/ 54 Fe or 57 Fe/ 54 Fe ratios did not vary signicantly (<0.5%) from the reference values.…”

The structural and optical properties of supercontinuum emitting Si nanocrystals prepared by laser ablation in water

“…There is an advantage of using water as a solvent, since its vapor pressure is generally lower than that of most organic solvents. 23 The laser beam irradiated the target at room temperature and at ambient pressure for three and half hours, resulting in an exposure of $130 000 pulses. The container was translated during the ablation process to avoid continued irradiation of the same position of the target and to reduce crater formation.…”

Determination of Trace Elements in Sintered and Single-Crystal Silicon Carbide by Laser Ablation in Liquid Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

“…LAL-ICPMS has been reported for the analysis of glass standards and high-purity iron metal. [31][32][33] In this method, the sample is set in ultrapure water, the sample surface is laser ablated through the water, and the ablated particles are collected in the water and then analyzed by acid digestion ICPMS. The nanoparticles produced by LAL sampling decompose more readily than the particles produced by cracking of samples with a hammer.…”