Solid Material Analysis with an Innovative Laser Ablation Laser Ionization (LALI) Mass Spectrometry Technique

Although mass spectrometry is used for accurate trace elemental analysis across a variety of applications, analyzing solid materials can be time-consuming and difficult. The most accurate elemental analyses typically require liquid sample introduction, which involves complicated acid digestion and dilution procedures. Furthermore, this process results in bulk analyses only, preventing characterization of the spatial distributions of elements.

A new technique combining Laser Ablation Laser Ionization with Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (LALI-TOF-MS) overcomes many of these challenges for high-sensitivity elemental analysis of solid materials. The first laser ablates, or removes, material directly from a solid sample. The secondary laser then ionizes neutral particles created by the ablation. Compared to ions from plasma techniques, those created from neutral particles are more representative of the sample’s constituents, which results in more reliable elemental verification and reduces sample matrix effects. The TOF mass analyzer then generates a full mass spectrum at each laser spot. The entire analytical process is performed under vacuum, which facilitates analysis of air- and moisture-sensitive materials and enables reliable quantification of low-mass atmospheric elements like carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen.

For applications requiring trace elemental analysis of solid materials, LALI-TOF-MS eliminates the need to perform acid digestion and dilution. Furthermore, the laser-based technique allows spatial analysis of elemental distributions. LALI-TOF-MS performs elemental mapping or imaging on the millimeter scale. The maps’ resolutions are determined by the ablation laser’s spot size, which is adjustable from 5-150 microns. Subsequently ablating through multiple layers of material results in high-resolution 3D depth profiles.

This presentation will discuss the LALI-TOF-MS technique in detail and provide examples of its unique capabilities.