ELEMENT ANALYSIS BY DIODE-LASER SPECTROSCOPY

The application of semiconductor diode lasers in analytical atomic spe ctroscopy combines the advantages of laser spectroscopy, including hig h selectivity and low detection limits, with the technical benefits of diode lasers, which include rapid wavelength tunability, small size, low power consumption and reliability. Rapid tunability is important f or background correction of spectroscopic signals and the reduction of noise, while the small size allows simultaneous operation of many las ers in a compact instrument for multielement analysis. In particular, laser atomic absorption spectroscopy, laser induced fluorescence, lase r ionization spectroscopy and Doppler-free spectroscopy with diode las ers are reviewed.