SciAps, Inc., a Boston-based instrumentation company specializing in handheld and portable analytical instruments, announces the release of a new proprietary laser technology that greatly advances the performance of their handheld LIBS product.
Any Element, any Compound, any Mineral – Anywhere on the Planet. The Updated Z-Series LIBZ Analyzer from SciAps
The new laser is a near-diffraction limited design that delivers 5-6 mJ pulses, at a 20 Hz rep rate, with nanosecond pulse duration. The vastly improved power densities, compared to commercially available lasers, produce hotter plasmas, therefore higher photon intensities and better quantitative analysis.
The PULSAR technology combined with the Z-series offers major advances in analytical capability. The LIBZ units feature a 3D internal stage for beam rastering in 2 dimensions, and an auto-focus.
The beam rastering combined with the high energy, high rep rate laser allows for thorough sample cleaning by firing multiple pulses to burn off surface material, prior to acquiring spectral data for quantitative analysis. This technique generally eliminates the need for any sample preparation even on scrap metal samples.
One of the major limitations of early handheld LIBS devices continues to be the inability to analyze materials without careful, consistent surface preparation. The new laser is offered in both the Z-100 and Z-500 LIBZ devices. Either device can operate in a gated or an ungated mode. The Z-500 model offers internal argon purge (Opti-purge™) technology for improved analytical performance.
The new laser technology is proprietary to SciAps. According to CEO Don Sackett, the company is now vertically integrated on key components.
“We manufacture our own spectrometers, which are smaller, higher resolution and span a wider range of wavelengths than anything we’ve found commercially. Combine our spectrometer capabilities with our exclusive technology license on the laser, and we’re in a great position to continue to rapidly advance these key components and enjoy major cost advantages. A great example is our new extended range spectrometer that spans from 185 nm to 850 nm, and for certain applications, out to 930 nm. We’ve seen tremendous interest in our ability to measure halogens, O and N with our Z-series handhelds, while also maintaining high performance in the critical 185-680 nm region of the spectrum. Several other breakthroughs will be announced in the coming weeks and months.”
Founded in 2012, SciAps is headquartered in Woburn, MA. Manufacturing and service are operated from the company’s fully ISO-certified facility in Laramie, WY. SciAps maintains worldwide sales and service alliances, with installation and training available in more than 100 countries.
For more information, please visit: www.sciaps.com or email [email protected] for more information.