Recent developments in technology have suggested a promising ATOMIC EMISSION DETECTORS future for plasma spectroscopy. New optical technologies, suchResearch in spectroscopic detectors continues to improve as volume phase technology and unconventional optical measurements in plasma spectroscopy. Current 'state of the systems, when coupled with new generations of optical art' detection is performed using charge transfer devices detectors promise to provide powerful tools for plasma (CTDs). When run in the scientific mode, these devices achieve diagnostics or spectrochemical analysis. Next generation very low read noise and almost non-existent dark current.1-3 charge injection devices will provide both complete random When CTDs are coupled with e ´chelle spectrometers, a powerful access of individual detector sites and 'collective readout,' a system for measuring atomic emission is created, as illustrated new readout mode. Collective readout will promise faster in Table 1. This system has many desirable properties such as readout and improved signal to noise ratios. A new generation high resolution, high sensitivity and a wide dynamic range. of pre-amp per pixel array detectors with proper addressing Furthermore, CTDs achieve simultaneous multichannel detecarchitecture will allow random pixel readout and extreme tion of signal and background. Improvements in the near resistance to blooming. These technological advances will yield future should occur through the modification of current array new capabilities for not only current and future plasma detector technology and readout and in the development of sources, but also vintage sources such as the microwavenovel detector arrays. induced plasma, the direct current plasma, direct current arc Unfortunately, improvements in conventional CCD technoland the direct current spark. Developments in software data ogy are required to accommodate the wide range of intensities processing techniques including neural networks and other found in atomic spectroscopy. When the full well potential of chemometric techniques will allow present and future a pixel is reached, charge can spill over into nearby pixels in spectroscopists to extract useful diagnostic and chemical a process called blooming. In atomic emission, where strong information from the almost overwhelming abundance of and weak lines occur in close spatial proximity, blooming from analytical data generated by the present and future generations strong analyte or background (Ar) lines will typically cause of array detectors.interference and decrease the sensitivity and dynamic range of the device. While the CCD can be made antiblooming, quanti-Keywords: Spectroscopic instrumentation; plasma fication of the collected charge is not possible for strong lines spectroscopy; volume phase technology; charge injection in which the full well has been surpassed.4,5 Hence, during a devices; array detectors; charge transfer devices multicomponent analysis, multiple measurements can be required at a variety of different integration ti...