Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in archeological science: a review of its application and future perspectives

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in the last decades has become a promising analytical technique for a broad variety of archeological objects with great results obtained either alone or in combination with complementary techniques. It is mainly advantageous due to no sample preparation, minimally destructive, rapid analysis and depth profiling analysis spur LIBS technique to become a significant attractive technique for the characterization and conservation of archeological samples or artworks. The present paper describes in brief the basic principles and instrumentation of LIBS, and reviews several case studies on metallic alloys, ceramic, glass, painted artworks, historical buildings and biomaterials in the most recent 7 years (2011–2017) that demonstrate the applicability and prospects of LIBS in the field of archeological science.