Determination of impurities in germanium tetrachloride, germanium dioxide and high-purity germanium by Zeeman-effect electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract

A procedure is reported for the determination of intermediate and final products obtained during the multi-stage process of germanium purification. Zeeman-effect electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was used and the optimum operating conditions were found to be the same for germanium tetrachloride, germanium dioxide and elemental germanium. The matrix was easily removed by evaporation, e.g., as germanium chloride, without loss of most of the impurities. Results are presented for 18 elements commonly present at trace levels. The detection limits are as low as 1 × 10¹⁴–1 × 10¹⁶ atoms cm^–3.