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Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
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<p>Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a type of <a href="/facts/Atomic_emission_spectroscopy/5s0wg1sX">atomic emission spectroscopy</a> which uses a highly energetic <a href="/facts/Laser/jk6PTvvT">laser</a> pulse as the excitation source. The laser is focused to form a plasma, which atomizes and excites samples. The formation of the plasma only begins when the focused laser achieves a certain threshold for optical breakdown, which generally depends on the environment and the target material. </p>