Irish folklore reminds us not to chase for gold at the end of the rainbow. Hard work, focus, and dedication are the keys to success. Read our latest Spectroscopy App Note: Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) of Gold and Fool’s Gold (Pyrite). LIBS tests elemental composition with high-resolution spectrometers, an Nd:YAG laser, and sampling optics. It is said that fairies hide their gold at the end of a rainbow with a leprechaun assigned to guard it. Each pot has a gold coin for each year that the leprechaun has lived and if you catch the leprechaun, he has to give you the pot of gold.
What happens if you ever encounter a leprechaun?
Be wary. Leprechauns are known for their trickery and games. They cannot be entirely trusted. If you come across one offering a pot of gold, it is imperative to test it and confirm whether it is fools gold (Pyrite) or gold (Au).
How would you test Fools gold (Pyrite) and gold (Au)?
Using multiple high-resolution spectrometers, an Nd-YAG laser, fibers, and sampling optics, you can test pots of gold using LIBS techniques.
LIBS systems require a small piece of solid/powder sample (a few cm in diameter) to be inserted into a chamber. A laser is fired (spot size ~sharp pencil tip) which creates a bright plasma emission – this plume of light is sent to a series of spectrometers via fiber optic cables. The software does the rest by converting the plasma emission into fine, high-resolution lines. Using a customizable database built-in the software, you can look at each spectral line and compare it to 3 known wavelengths for each element, allowing for qualitative identification.
What happens if you can’t catch a leprechaun and test a pot of gold?
Irish Folklore reminds us not to chase for gold at the end of the rainbow. Hard work, focus, and dedication are the keys to success and with a little ingenuity, you can create your own pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
StellarNet prides itself in forming little precision rainbows inside tiny boxes called spectrometers every day. What do you get from this high-precision rainbow box? Gold! Unlike leprechauns, StellarNet delivers actual gold. We are talking about superior performance and full working solutions to carry out experiments, innovate, and solve today’s pressing problems through scientific research and discovery.
