Patent ID: 7289206

Claim:
A detection system for use during irradiation of an interaction region of a structure with laser light, the structure comprising embedded material, the detection system comprising: an optical system adapted to drill a hole having a depth in a portion of the structure by irradiating the interaction region with the laser light, thereby exposing a portion of the embedded material; a collimating lens positioned to receive light emitted from the interaction region during drilling; an optical fiber optically coupled to the collimating lens to receive light from the collimating lens; and a spectrometer optically coupled to the optical fiber to receive light from the optical fiber, the spectrometer adapted for analysis of the light for indications of the embedded material within the interaction region, the spectrometer comprising: an input slit adapted to receive light from the optical fiber, the input slit having a width selected to provide sufficient light transmittance and sufficient resolution; an optical grating adapted to receive light from the input slit and to separate the light into a spectrum of wavelengths; a collection lens adapted to receive a selected range of wavelengths of the separated light from the optical grating; and a light sensor adapted to receive the selected range of wavelengths and to generate a signal corresponding to an intensity of the received light, wherein the detection system is responsive to the signal by avoiding damage to the irradiated embedded material.