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Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, or LIBS, is an analysis technique that involves focusing a laser pulse on a test material. The laser heats the material and accelerates the speed of the atoms. As high-speed atoms break away they emit light that can be analyzed by a spectroscope. This technique is used for analyzing rare materials because only a small amount of material is required for testing. The analysis takes place quickly because the light is emitted by the sample for only a few microseconds.
Fluorescence
Fluorescence is the process by which molecules give off light. In order for electrons in a molecule to move from a high energy level to a low energy level they must lose energy in the form of light. The fluorescence of a molecule can be affected by its polarity, temperature and viscosity. Spectroscope analysis of an object's fluorescent properties measure the wavelengths of the light emitted by the molecule. The size of the wavelengths indicate the change in energy levels of the electron and can reveal chemical properties.
Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Near-infrared spectroscopy, or NIR spectroscopy, measures light absorbed by a test material. It measures the light that exists between 780 and 2,500 nanometers in wavelength. Unlike LIBR, NIR spectroscopy is nondestructive, so the sample remains unaffected. This means little to no preparation of the sample is required. NIR spectroscopy is typically used for making quantitative measurements of organic materials. It is widely used in pharmaceutical, agricultural, polymer and clinical research studies.
Absorption
The ability of matter to absorb certain wavelengths of light while reflecting other wavelengths is what gives objects their colors. Spectroscopes can be used to analyze the ultraviolet and visible light absorbed by different types of matter. This function of a spectroscope is widely used in astronomy to ascertain the chemical composition of a star. Spectroscopes can also be used to determine the absorption of wavelengths that are invisible to the human eye.