Fast quantitative elemental mapping of highly inhomogeneous materials by micro-Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part B: Atomic spectroscopy Vol. 146; pp. 9 - 15
• Main Authors: Pagnotta, S., Lezzerini, M., Campanella, B., Gallello, G., Grifoni, E., Legnaioli, S., Lorenzetti, G., Poggialini, F., Raneri, S., Safi, A., Palleschi, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 01-08-2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Analytical methods; Biological materials; Biological properties; Biological samples; Building materials; Calibration; Calibration-Free LIBS; Clustering; Construction materials; Dimensional analysis; Elemental mapping; Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy; Lasers; LIBS; Mapping; Mass spectrometry; Mortars; Mortars (material); Prototypes; Self organizing maps; Spectroscopy; Spectrum analysis; Mortars; Self-Organizing Maps; Elemental mapping; Calibration-Free LIBS; LIBS
• ISSN: 0584-8547; 1873-3565
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sab.2018.04.018

In this work, a fast method for obtaining a quantitative elemental mapping of highly inhomogeneous samples by μ-LIBS maps is proposed. The method, transportable and cheap, allows the analysis of large maps through the use of a Self-Organizing Map clustering method coupled to Calibration-Free LIBS for quantification of cluster prototypes. The method proposed has been verified on heterogeneous materials such historical lime mortars but it can be easily applied to a larger class of inhomogeneous materials for very different applications (modern building materials, biological samples, industrial materials, etc.).
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•Fast method for quantitative elemental mapping of highly inhomogeneous samples by μ-LIBS maps.•Analysis of elementary maps using a Self-Organizing Map clustering method coupled to Calibration-Free LIBS for quantification.•Method for a larger class of inhomogeneous materials.