LAICPMS

Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is an analytical technique that combines laser ablation with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to measure trace elements and isotopes in solid materials. A pulsed laser removes a small amount of material from the sample surface, generating an aerosol that is carried by an inert gas into the ICP, where atoms are ionized. The resulting ions are guided into a mass spectrometer, which separates them by mass-to-charge ratio for detection.

Instrumentation typically includes a laser ablation system (often UV, such as 193 or 213 nm, with adjustable spot sizes from tens to hundreds of micrometers), an ablation cell and carrier gas delivery, the ICP torch, and a mass spectrometer (quadrupole, time-of-flight, or sector-field analyzers). The system permits both elemental and isotopic analysis and can be configured for qualitative, semi-quantitative, or quantitative measurements, sometimes with imaging capabilities by rastering the laser across a surface.

Quantification relies on calibration with matrix-matched standards and, when possible, internal standardization using a major element. Matrix effects and ablation yield can influence accuracy, so external SRMs and robust quality control are essential. Absolute quantification may be challenging for some matrices, making LA-ICP-MS particularly powerful for relative comparisons or isotopic studies.

Applications span geology (minerals, glasses, and inclusions), archaeology and art conservation (pigment identification and provenance), environmental science (soils and sediments), and materials science (thin films and coatings). The technique provides rapid, high-sensitivity analysis with spatially resolved information, at the cost of requiring careful calibration and consideration of matrix effects and potential sample damage.