State of the art of glow discharge lamp spectrometry. Plenary lecture

Abstract

The development of glow discharge sources for atomic spectroscopy is traced. The electrical characteristics of the analytically relevant sources, sample volatilisation and the predominant excitation and ionisation processes are discussed. The possibilities of using the Grimm-type glow discharge lamp with a flat cathode for the spectral emission analysis of compact metallic samples, for non-conducting powders, after mixing with metal powder and making into pellets and for in-depth profiling are described. New types of lamps and the features of glow discharges with hollow cathodes are evaluated. The use of glow discharges as atom reservoirs for atomic absorption and fluorescence spectrometry and recent advances in glow discharge mass spectrometry are also covered.