Spark source mass combined

The role of Spark Source Mass Spectrography (SSMS) as a high sensitivity trace element analytical method is discussed. The unparalleled combination of sensitivity and complete element coverage makes SSMS especially suitable for the analysis of liquid and solid materials involved in semiconductor processing. Sample requirements are discussed. The application of SSMS to semiconductor materials, process reagents, dopants, and metals, is Illustrated. Advantages and disadvantages of the technique as well as sensitivity and accuracy are discussed. 

Spectral methods (spark source mass spectrometry SSMS, secondary ion mass spectrometry SIMS, inductively coupled argon plasma for emission spectroscopy ICAP-ES) which avoid separation steps are increasingly applied for multi-element analysis. Hot extraction is used for 0, N, H determinations. Oxygen is also determined by activation analysis, nitrogen after adaptation of classical methods (micro-Kjeldahl). Combination and comparison of different, independent methods are desirable, but hampered by the often limited availability of samples of actinides. 

The glow discharge ion source is simple yet versatile, providing information for emission and mass spectrometric methods.92 A glow discharge ion source combined with a mass spectrometer has supplanted the spark ion source over many decades as the predominant ionization technique of mass spectrometry for determining trace and ultratrace element concentrations in various types of... 

Preferred methods in trace determination of the elements include atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), optical emission spectrometry (OES) with any of a wide variety of excitation sources [e.g., sparks, arcs, high-frequency or microwave plasmas (inductively coupled plasma, ICP microwave induced plasma, MIP capacitively coupled micro-wave plasma, CMP), glow discharges (GD). hollow cathodes, or laser vaporization (laser ablation)], as well as mass spectrometry (again in combination with the various excitation sources listed), together with several types of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis [51]. 

In spark ablation, a spark at constant density is obtained in a matter of seconds, and thus, particularly in the case of small spark chambers, prebum times are accordingly low. In plasma emission as well as in plasma mass spectrometry a linear dynamic range of more than four orders of magnitude can be obtained and RSDs are a few percent in the case of absolute measurements. However, as shown by the results in Table 6, they can easily fall to below 1%, when using an internal standard element (Fe in the case of steel samples). The matrix effects from the sampling source are low, as will be shown in combination with ICP-OES (see Refs. [242, 248]). They are lower than in arc ablation, as here differences stemming from the thermal volatility of the elements and their compounds play a lesser role. The... 

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