Mapping of different structures on large area of granite sample using laser-ablation based analytical techniques, an exploratory study

Laser-ablation based analytical techniques represent a simple way for fast chemical analysis of different materials. In this work, an exploratory study of multi-element (Ca, Al, Fe, Mn) mappings of a granite sample surface was performed by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and subsequently by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis. The operating parameters (e.g. pulse energy, ablation-crater size) were optimized for both techniques in order to achieve the appropriate conditions for two-dimensional high-resolution compositional mappings of mineral microstructures in large sample areas. The sample was scanned with 100 × 100 individual sample points to map an area of 20 × 20 mm2. The normalized signals were used for construct of contour plots which were colored according local distribution of the selected elements. The results of two laser-based methods were compared and found to be similar.