Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for on-line control of laser cleaningof sandstone and stained glass

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was used to control the cleanin g process of polluted sandstone and medieval stained glass. A combination o f a KrF Excimer and LIES was used to clean areas of the artwork. The spectr oscopic study of the plasma emission was used to determine the elemental co mposition of the crust and the underlying material. The on-line implementat ion of the spectroscopic technique LIES to the cleaning process provides im portant information about the optimal cleaning parameters of artworks from glass and stone in order to avoid over-cleaning.