Investigation of the intensity dependence of glow discharge mass spectrometry quantification on the discharge parameters

Abstract

Measurements of the absolute intensities of discharge gas and trace elements/isotopes can help to understand the ionization mechanism and contribute to the reduction in uncertainty related to the relative sensitivity factor (RSF).

Application of 7N In as secondary cathode for the direct current‐glow discharge mass spectrometry analysis of solid, fused high‐purity quartz

“…In the range of typical GDMS discharge conditions, the sputtering yield and signal intensity increase with current and voltage 22,43 . A higher signal intensity is desirable to improve the detection limit.…”

“…The optimal discharge conditions for the secondary cathode technique may therefore lie in a regime where the quantification is sensitive to variations in the discharge conditions. 22…”

“…• Discharge conditions, characterized by current, voltage, and gas flow/pressure, influence quantification. 22,[32][33][34] This is especially relevant for the secondary cathode method as it may require nonstandard discharge conditions to achieve a stable discharge with optimal signal intensity and optimal matrix to mask signal ratio. [14][15][16][17][18] The optimal conditions can vary with sample and mask material and even with sample material when a similar mask is used.…”

“…7 More details on the Astrum, respectively the VG9000, can be found elsewhere. 7,22,31 The experiments were conducted using a flat cell with a front anode plate opening of 10 mm. During the measurement of pure conducting samples, aluminum signals typically stayed above 30 ppb though the aluminum levels in the samples were known to be lower.…”

“…In the range of typical GDMS discharge conditions, the sputtering yield and signal intensity increase with current and voltage. 22,43 A higher signal intensity is desirable to improve the detection limit. In the application of the secondary cathode technique for nonconducting samples, a higher signal intensity can be hindered by unfavorable matrix to mask ratios but most commonly the loss of discharge stability is the limiting factor for signal intensity.…”