A portable analyzer for determining an elemental composition of a sample, the analyzer comprising an excitation means for invoking an optical emission from a surface of the sample, wherein the excitation means comprises a laser source for generating a series of laser pulses; a detector means for observing a selectable wavelength in said optical emission and for recording a detection signal that is descriptive of at least one characteristic of said optical emission at a selected wavelength; an analysis means for determination of the elemental composition of the sample on the basis of one or more detection signals recorded by the detector means; and a control means for carrying out a spectral analysis, characterized in that the control means is arranged to carry out the spectral analysis by scanning over a predefined sequence of two or more wavelengths to record a respective detection signal at each wavelength of said sequence and operating the analysis means to determine the elemental composition of the sample on the basis of said recorded detection signals, wherein said scanning comprises selecting a wavelength of said sequence and adjusting the detector means to observe said selected wavelength, operating the excitation means to generate a respective sub-series of laser pulses for invoking the optical emission for recording the respective detection signal at said selected wavelength, and operating the detector means to record the respective detection signal at said selected wavelength on the basis of the optical emission invoked by the respective sub-series of laser pulses. an excitation means for invoking an optical emission from a surface of the sample, wherein the excitation means comprises a laser source for generating a series of laser pulses; a detector means for observing a selectable wavelength in said optical emission and for recording a detection signal that is descriptive of at least one characteristic of said optical emission at a selected wavelength; an analysis means for determination of the elemental composition of the sample on the basis of one or more detection signals recorded by the detector means; and a control means for carrying out a spectral analysis, characterized in that the control means is arranged to carry out the spectral analysis by scanning over a predefined sequence of two or more wavelengths to record a respective detection signal at each wavelength of said sequence and operating the analysis means to determine the elemental composition of the sample on the basis of said recorded detection signals, wherein said scanning comprises selecting a wavelength of said sequence and adjusting the detector means to observe said selected wavelength, operating the excitation means to generate a respective sub-series of laser pulses for invoking the optical emission for recording the respective detection signal at said selected wavelength, and operating the detector means to record the respective detection signal at said selected wavelength on the basis of the optical emission invoked by the respective sub-series of laser pulses. selecting a wavelength of said sequence and adjusting the detector means to observe said selected wavelength, operating the excitation means to generate a respective sub-series of laser pulses for invoking the optical emission for recording the respective detection signal at said selected wavelength, and operating the detector means to record the respective detection signal at said selected wavelength on the basis of the optical emission invoked by the respective sub-series of laser pulses. <EOS>