Laser-Excited Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry

Abstract

It is quite appropriate that lasers should be utilized for atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). Both share similar times of origin and development. During the 1960s, the laser was developed as a light source and AFS as a spectrometric technique. In 1971, with the advent of commercially available tunable dye lasers, laser-excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry (LEAFS) had its beginning as an analytical method (1, 2). Researchers had been looking for a high-intensity excitation source, and tunable dye lasers were found to provide high spectral irradiance at atomic transitions. LEAFS has been develped to be the method of choice for single-element trace analysis where low detection limits and large linear dynamic ranges are desired, and where spectral interferences arising from concomitant sample species need to be eliminated for accurate results. LEAFS features also make it a strong candidate as a sequential multielement analysis technique. LEAFS can make important contributions in the areas of forensic, clinical—biological, and environmental analysis, as well as in areas such as combustion diagnostics. A considerable amount of applications research is expected within the next few years.KeywordsSlit WidthSpectral InterferenceLinear Dynamic RangeSpectral IrradianceAtomic Fluorescence SpectrometryThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.