Patent ID: 6762836
Filing Date: 2004-07-13
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for performing Laser Plasma Spectroscopy (LPS) on a foreign substance or deposit found on a surface of a machine part or object, comprising the steps of:a) collecting tight emitted from a plasma generated by focusing a predetermined amount of laser output light energy onto a surface of a machine part or object; b) directing at least a portion of light collected in step (a) to an optical filter that only passes one predetermined narrow wavelength band containing elemental atomic emission wavelengths that are characteristic of one or more elemental components of a characteristic material comprising said machine part or object; c) detecting an amount of light passed by said filter; and d) preventing further laser output light energy from impinging on the machine part or object when light in step (c) is detected; wherein an identification of one or more elemental constituents of the foreign substance or deposit found on a surface of a machine part or object is obtained through LPS without incurring further ablation to the characteristic material of the machine part or object that lies beneath the foreign substance or deposit.