The method now called LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) started in the 1960s and 1970s, when lasers became more available. At first, people used different names for the same technique. One early name was LIPS (Laser-Induced Plasma Spectrometry), which focused on the plasma created by the laser.
In the beginning, names like Laser-OES, LIPS, and LIBS were all used. Scientists were learning how the laser makes a plasma and how to measure the light it gives off. Because the field was new, no single name was popular yet.
By the 1980s and 1990s, the word LIBS became the most common name in science. This is because LIBS clearly shows what happens: the laser makes a breakdown (plasma), and the light from this plasma tells us what elements are there. LIBS also helped to separate this method from other laser techniques.
Even today, LIBS is mostly used by scientists and researchers. But in industry, the name Laser-OES is more common because it links this method to other well-known OES methods like spark-OES or ICP-OES. This helps people working in factories and labs understand it better.
The terms LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) and Laser-OES (Laser Optical Emission Spectroscopy) both describe basically the same method: a pulsed laser creates a small plasma on the sample surface, and the light emitted from this plasma is analyzed to identify elements. However, in industrial and applied analysis, Laser-OES is a clearer and more useful term because it fits better with the existing family of OES techniques.
In optical emission spectroscopy, several important methods are widely used in industry and labs. They are often named after the way plasma or excitation energy is generated:
Spark-OES: This method uses a high-voltage electric spark to excite atoms in a solid metal sample. The spark creates a hot plasma on the sample surface, causing the elements to emit light at characteristic wavelengths. Spark-OES is widely applied for rapid and reliable elemental analysis of metals and alloys in production lines and quality control, especially in the steel and automotive industries. It is known for good precision and the ability to analyze many elements simultaneously.
Arc-OES: Arc-OES uses an electric arc—similar to an electrical discharge—to excite atoms in powders, pressed pellets, or solid samples that are difficult to analyze by spark. The arc generates a plasma with sufficient energy to atomize and excite elements, which then emit light characteristic of their atomic structure. This method is useful in metallurgy and materials science when analyzing powders or non-metallic solids, offering an alternative where Spark-OES is less effective.
ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy): ICP-OES creates a very high-temperature plasma (around 10,000 K) by coupling radio-frequency energy into argon gas. This plasma can atomize and excite nearly all elements in liquid samples with high sensitivity. ICP-OES is highly versatile, allowing simultaneous multi-element analysis with low detection limits, making it a standard technique in environmental monitoring, chemical laboratories, and pharmaceutical quality control. Its robustness and broad elemental range have made it a gold standard for liquid sample analysis.
GD-OES (Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy): GD-OES uses a low-pressure glow discharge plasma to sputter atoms directly from the surface of a solid sample. The sputtered atoms are excited in the plasma and emit light, allowing surface-sensitive elemental analysis and depth profiling. This makes GD-OES highly valuable in coating analysis, thin film characterization, and failure analysis in materials science. Its ability to perform fast depth profiling sets it apart from other OES methods.
MIP-OES (Microwave-Induced Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy): MIP-OES uses microwave energy to generate a plasma, typically at lower power and temperature than ICP. It is well suited for detecting light elements such as phosphorus, sulfur, and halogens, as well as some metals. Although it has higher detection limits compared to ICP-OES, MIP-OES is a cost-effective alternative in applications where ultra-high sensitivity is not required. It finds use in industrial process monitoring and quality control where moderate detection limits and lower operating costs are acceptable.
Two techniques do not fully fit the OES naming scheme:
Flame Emission Spectroscopy (FES): FES excites atoms in a sample using a flame, such as a Bunsen burner. It is widely used in teaching laboratories to demonstrate elemental emission colors (e.g., sodium’s yellow, potassium’s violet). While simple and inexpensive, FES suffers from relatively poor sensitivity and can only reliably detect a few elements like sodium, potassium, and calcium. Due to these limitations, its role in modern industrial analysis is very limited, mostly replaced by more sensitive and versatile methods.
LIBS: Although LIBS is technically an optical emission spectroscopy technique, its use of a laser pulse to create plasma differentiates it from traditional methods. LIBS can analyze solids, liquids, and gases directly without sample preparation, providing rapid, multi-element detection with minimal or no contact. Despite these advantages, the term “LIBS” is mostly used in academic and research contexts, which sometimes separates it from industrial OES technologies. The term Laser-OES better highlights the connection to OES, making it more understandable and acceptable for industrial users.
The term Laser-OES fits naturally within the family of OES techniques. Most principles of spectral emission, calibration, and interference handling are the same as for Spark-OES or ICP-OES. The main difference is in the energy source: laser pulses instead of electrical sparks or radio-frequency plasmas.
Using Laser-OES improves clarity and communication in industrial environments where multiple OES methods are in use. It also supports the growing application of laser-based emission spectroscopy in areas such as raw material testing, recycling, process control, and quality assurance.
Although LIBS and Laser-OES describe the same technique, Laser-OES is the preferred term in industrial and applied analytical settings. It integrates the method clearly into the family of OES technologies, facilitating knowledge transfer and supporting its wider adoption in industry.