Although the first nanoseconds to microseconds rule the resulting process yield of laser ablation in liquid, a comprehensive view involving combination of time-resolved measurement techniques is still lacking. In this paper, fundamental aspects of laser ablation of metals in water during the production of nanoparticles are discussed. Three fast diagnostic methods have been applied simultaneously. These are Optical Emission Spectroscopy for the plasma characterization, fast shadowgraph for plasma and cavitation bubble dynamics and laser scattering for the mechanisms of delivery of the produced materials in the liquid. Moreover, in order to validate the discussion, the effect on cavitation dynamics of the ablation of bulk and wire-shaped targets has been investigated together with the relative nanoparticles production yield. Unusual arrow–bow ejection phenomena between the cavitation bubble and the wire result in suppressed material back-deposition, causing efficient ejection of ablated matter into the liquid. The presented nanosecond and microsecond-resolved analysis allows estimating the timescale and role of the basic mechanisms involved in laser ablation in liquids as well as the thermodynamic characteristics of the processes.

White marble samples from ancient quarries have been analyzed by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) both on the bulk material and surface encrustations. With the aim to achieve quantitative results by LIBS, until now not reported on marble materials, calibration standards with CaCO₃ matrices doped with certified soils were realized. Very different emission intensities and plasma parameters were observed on the standards and natural marbles. In order to compare so different spectra, a method for data analysis was developed, which takes into account variability of the ablation rate, plasma temperature and electron density. It was experimentally demonstrated that ablated volume is well correlated to the emission intensity of plasma continuum for a wide range of laser energies. LIBS signal normalization on the adjacent continuum level, together with introduction of correction factors dependent on plasma parameters, allowed the measuring of concentrations both for major and trace elements in marbles. The analytical procedure was validated by comparative SEM-EDX and ICP-OES measurements. Quantitative LIBS analyses were also performed during encrustation removal and could be applied to control laser-cleaning processes. The quantification of metal contents in the encrustations supported the occurrence of sulfates in the outer layers exposed to environmental agents via a catalytic process.