Application of principal component analysis for streak images: quality improvement in LIBS experiments

In this paper, a streak camera system is used for obtaining the spectral images in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Streak images are time-resolved, thus enabling tracking of the temporal development of the atomic and ionic emission lines from the plasma plume. To make our study more comprehensive, we have used a machine-learning approach to data analysis. We propose how to reduce the level of noise on streak images by applying the principal component analysis technique. The usual method of improving the signal-to-noise ratio by taking a large number of expositions in streak camera photon counting mode is often not practical.