Secondary discharge in fast flow Grimm-type microsecond pulsed glow discharge source for mass spectrometry

Abstract

A fast flow glow discharge source for mass spectrometry is studied in both DC and microsecond pulsed mode. A special experimental system was created to measure the dynamics of ions extracted from the discharge in pulsed mode. The combination of this system and a computer model of the pulsed discharge was used to investigate processes of sample sputtering, ionization and transportation. It is shown that most of the detected ions are generated in a secondary discharge behind the sampler orifice.