ISRO says the Pragyan rover’s Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy conducted the first-ever in-situ measurements on the elements that make up the lunar surface near the south pole.

The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument onboard the Chandrayaan-3’s rover has made the first-ever in-situ measurements on the elemental composition of the lunar surface near the south pole.

“These in-situ measurements confirm the presence of Sulphur (S) in the region unambiguously, something that was not feasible by the instruments onboard the orbiters,” ISRO said. “Search for Hydrogen (H) is underway,”

The LIBS is a scientific technique that analyses the composition of materials by exposing them to intense laser pulses.

A high-energy laser pulse is focussed onto the surface of a material, such as a rock or soil, and generates an extremely hot and localised plasma.

The collected plasma light is spectrally resolved and detected by charge coupled devices.

Since each element emits a characteristic set of wavelengths of light when in a plasma state, the elemental composition of the material can be determined in this way.

Preliminary analyses, graphically represented, have unveiled the presence of Aluminum (Al), Sulphur (S), Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr), and Titanium (Ti) on the lunar surface

Further measurements have revealed the presence of manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), and oxygen (O). Thorough investigation regarding the presence of Hydrogen is underway.

The LIBS Payload was developed at ISRO laboratory for Electro-optics in Bengaluru.

"Laser" stands for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation." It is a device that emits a focused and coherent beam of light through a process called stimulated emission.

Lasers have a wide range of applications in various fields due to their ability to produce a concentrated and intense beam of light with specific properties.

Spectroscopy is a scientific technique that involves the study of the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation (such as light) as a function of the wavelength or frequency of the radiation.

It is used to analyze and characterize a wide range of materials based on the way they absorb, emit, or scatter light.

Spectroscopy provides valuable information about the composition, structure, and properties of substances.

There are several types of spectroscopy techniques, each focusing on different aspects of the interaction between matter and light.

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is a powerful analytical technique that combines laser technology and spectroscopy to analyze the elemental composition of materials.

It involves focusing a high-energy laser pulse onto a sample, which creates a micro-plasma on the sample's surface.

This plasma emits light as it rapidly cools, and the emitted light is then analyzed to determine the elemental composition of the sample.

Working of LIBS

1. Laser Pulse: A focused high-energy laser pulse is directed onto the surface of the sample. The intense energy of the laser causes the sample material to rapidly vaporize and ionize, forming a small plasma.
2. Plasma Formation: The laser pulse creates a high-temperature plasma that contains ions, electrons, and excited atoms. This plasma can reach temperatures of tens of thousands of degrees Celsius.
3. Emission of Light: As the plasma rapidly cools and returns to its neutral state, it emits light in the form of a characteristic emission spectrum. Each element present in the sample emits light at specific wavelengths corresponding to its atomic transitions.
4. Spectral Analysis: The emitted light is collected and analyzed using a spectrometer. The resulting spectrum reveals the characteristic emission lines of the elements present in the sample.
5. Elemental Identification: By comparing the emitted spectrum to known spectra of elements, the elemental composition of the sample can be determined. The intensity of the emission lines corresponds to the concentration of each element.

LIBS offers several advantages:

• Rapid Analysis: LIBS is relatively fast, often providing results in seconds to minutes, making it suitable for real-time analysis.
• Minimal Sample Preparation: In many cases, LIBS requires little to no sample preparation, reducing the time and effort needed for analysis.
• Non-destructive: While the laser pulse may cause some ablation of the sample surface, the overall damage is minimal, allowing for non-destructive analysis.
• Versatility: LIBS can analyze a wide range of materials, including solids, liquids, gases, and even materials in challenging environments.

Applications of LIBS span various fields, including environmental analysis, geology, archaeology, materials science, and industrial quality control. It is particularly valuable when rapid analysis of a material's elemental composition is required. However, like any technique, it also has limitations, such as the need for careful calibration and the potential for matrix effects that can affect accuracy.

Overall, LIBS is a valuable tool for elemental analysis and provides insights into the composition of diverse materials.

Discuss the working and significance of Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy. What is its relevance to Chandrayan-3 mission?