Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy: an efficient analytical technique for qualitative and quantitative analysis [Invited]

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a powerful and versatile analytical technique widely employed for rapid elemental analysis across a variety of sample types. Its major advantage lies in enabling direct analysis of solids, liquids, and gases with minimal sample preparation, making it suitable for both laboratory investigations and in situ field applications. This review begins by presenting an introduction to LIBS, tracing its historical development, and describing the standard experimental setup along with the various instrumental geometries utilized in research. It further provides a detailed discussion of laser-induced plasma formation and the key parameters essential for its characterization. This study also provides a detailed analysis of how variations in laser parameters affect plasma characteristics. Established quantitative approaches, including calibration-free LIBS (CF-LIBS) and calibration curve LIBS (CC-LIBS), are also reviewed to highlight their roles in achieving accurate compositional analysis.