Critical evaluation of gated CCD detectors for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis

In this work, we have carried out a critical evaluation of spectrometer/gated detector systems for the spectrochemical analysis of metal alloys by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). We have evaluated two systems: an intensified CCD array detector (ICCD) coupled to a spectrometer, and an integrated linear-array gated CCD/spectrometer system. Both systems were first tested in the same experimental conditions, and then studied separately in optimized operating conditions using the same laser-produced plasma on aluminum or copper samples, in air at atmospheric pressure. Generally, the results indicated that the ICCD detector affords significant advantages in terms of spectral and temporal resolution, dynamic range and sensitivity. In particular, the limit of detection of copper, magnesium, beryllium and manganese in aluminum alloys and silver, nickel and iron in copper alloys obtained with the spectrometer/ICCD system was better by at least one order of magnitude than that obtained with the low-cost spectrometer/gated CCD system.