This book will serve as an introduction to the potential of the laser in atomic spectroscopy. The book focuses primarily on the use of lasers in analytical atomic spectroscopy with optical detection, and also includes a chapter describing the use of lasers in inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The main section of the book provides detailed descriptions of the four major areas of laser application in analytical atomic spectroscopy, each discussed by an expert in the field: laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry (LEAFS); laser ablation for sample introduction, particularly in inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and ICP-MS; laser induced breakdown (emission) spectrometry (LIBS); and laser-enhanced ionization (LEI) spectrometry. Laser atomic spectroscopy is becoming a better known and accepted tool for microanalysis, and is just entering commercial use. In another 4-5 years, using lasers for atomic spectroscopy will be much more mainstream. No book to date concentrates specifically on lasers in atomic spectroscopy.
