LIBS is a technique that focusses a short laser pulse onto a sample which then heats and atomizes that sample. This produces a localized plasma plume. The plume emits light at wavelengths characteristic of atoms and ions present in the plasma which represent the elemental composition of the sample. Therefore, LIBS is a form of atomic emission spectroscopy.
LIBS is considered one of the most convenient and efficient analytical techniques for trace elemental analysis in gases, liquids, and solids. Due to this it is used in a wide range of applications from planet exploration to forensics.