COMPARISON OF ULTRAVIOLET-LASER ABLATION AND SPARK ABLATION OF METALSAND ALLOYS FOR ANALYSIS BY AXIALLY VIEWED INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-ATOMIC EMISSION-SPECTROMETRY

An excimer UV laser system and a spark system have been used for the a blation of metals and alloys as a means of sampling for axially viewed ICP-AES. Ablation efficiency and sensitivity expressed as S/B are pre sented for different types of materials, Ablation efficiency depends o n the type of material and cannot be compensated for by using an inter nal standard. Cast iron and steel are among the materials that are the most difficult to ablate. At least for bulk analysis, spark ablation is a good compromise between investment cost and sensitivity, The pre- ablation time was found to be shorter for spark ablation than for lase r ablation, Laser ablation requires less surface preparation and may b e preferred for micro-analysis.