Benefits of Laser Ablation for ICP-MS

Let us now take a closer look at the strengths and weaknesses of the different laser designs with respect to application requirements. 

Today there are a number of commercial laser ablation systems on the market designed specifically for ICP-MS, including 266-nm and 213-nm NdiYAG and 193-nm ArF excimer lasers. They all have varying output energy, power density, and beam profiles, and even though each one has different ablation characteristics, they 

Ability to analyze virtually any kind of solid material, including rocks, minerals, metals, ceramics, polymers, plastics, plant material, and biological specimens. 

Ability to analyze a wide variety of powders by pelletizing with a binding agent. No requirement for sample to be electrically conductive. 

Labor-intensive sample preparation steps are eliminated, especially for samples such as plastics and ceramics that are extremely difficult to get into solution. 

Contamination is minimized because there are no digestion/dilution steps. Reduced polyatomic spectral interferences compared to solution nebulization. 

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