COMPARISONS BETWEEN A GRIMM-TYPE GLOW-DISCHARGE AND A JET-ASSISTED GLOW-DISCHARGE SOURCE VIEWED AXIALLY AND LATERALLY

Comparisons have been made between three types of glow discharge with regard to analytical performance. These glow discharge types include a Grimm-type glow discharge, a jet-assisted glow discharge viewed axially to the jet-assisted plasma plume and the same discharge viewed laterally 25 mm from the sample surface where its characteristics are sufficiently different to warrant re-classification. The axially viewed, jet-assisted glow discharge provides the highest detection power, but laterally viewing allows the potential for greater dynamic range, greater freedom from spectral interferences and a detection power comparable to the Grimm-type glow discharge. This makes lateral viewing of the jet-assisted plasma plume attractive for simultaneous multi-element applications.