Leica Microsystems, Morrisville, N.C., offers an additional function to optical analysis for determination of cleanliness in materials: laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), a chemical analysis tool based on laser technology. It enables operators to combine visual and qualitative chemical inspection in a single work step, and reduces the amount of time needed to determine microstructure composition.
Technical cleanliness is a quality feature and has a significant impact on the function and durability of a product. This can be guaranteed through the reliable identification of hard, abrasive, and conductive particles.
LIBS delivers reliable results in a matter of seconds, and is based on the established standard process of optical analysis. Filters are scanned automatically and particle sizes, quantities, and geometries are measured. Then, for example, different particle classes can be analyzed automatically with LIBS, or if required, particles can be relocalized individually and analyzed. It is possible to switch between optical and chemical mode at any time. This means that LIBS can be easily integrated into the cleanliness process.
REM/EDX systems often place higher demands on the environment, samples, or the user, such as radiation protection, planar samples, or expert knowledge. However, the LIBS system can be integrated easily in the laboratory. Thanks to its intuitive user interface and its high degree of automation, operators are able to carry out analyses quickly and reliably.
