Glow discharge mass spectrometry

Abstract

Over the past twenty years or so, glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS) has become the industry standard for the analysis of trace elements in metals and semiconductors. A review of its history is followed by a picture of the present situation and a look to where the future may lie. Applications are summarised, including the ability of GDMS to offer depth-resolved data and non-conductor analysis, and the well-documented quantitative nature of the results is reviewed. The effects resulting from the physical properties of the analyte material are discussed at length. Finally, recent work such as "fast flow" sources and pulsed glow discharges is reviewed.

Detection of negative ions in glow discharge mass spectrometry for analysis of solid specimens

“…For example, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is an established technique for solution analysis [3], and secondary neutral mass spectrometry is a developing tool for quantitative surface analysis with high lateral resolution [4]. Glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS) is a powerful analytical method for the direct determination of trace elements in bulk solids down to pbb levels [5], while the newest developed prototypes, i.e., glow discharge time-offlight mass spectrometry (GD-TOFMS), are also used to offer rapid quantitative depth profiling of ultra-thin (nm) and thin (µm) coatings [6][7][8]. Progress in the development of instrumentation utilizing pulsed RF glow discharges has enabled the analysis of both electrically conducting and non-conducting materials.…”

Inorganic mass spectrometry as a tool for characterisation at the nanoscale

“…Over the past few years we have witnessed the continuous growth of techniques which combine the process of surface sampling by a focused laser beam, or by a primary ion beam, with a MS instrument [4][5][6]. Mass analysers provide multielemental capabilities with simple elemental spectra, isotopic information and low limits of detection for many elements.…”

“…The combination of GDs with MS is accepted as a powerful technique for the direct determination of trace impurities and depth profile analysis in solid samples [5]. The analysis of the sputtered material as a function of the sputtering time allows the determination of the compositional distribution of a thin film versus the distance from the original surface [46].…”

“…The atomisation and ionisation processes in GD are separated in space and time, resulting in little matrix dependence, so quantification can be possible without the absolute need for matrix-matched standards. Moreover, the coupling of GDs and MS detection offers several important capabilities, such as high depth resolution (approximately nanometre), fast sputtering rate (on the order of micrometres per minute), multielemental analysis, isotopic information, low limits of detection (in the range of micrograms per gram to nanograms per gram) and ease of use [5,14].…”

“…Rf-GDs have demonstrated depth resolution in the nanometre or even atomic-layer range [5,55], both with optical emission spectrometry (OES) and MS. For example, Hoffmann et al [56] compared GDs with SNMS for the evaluation of a multilayer system (5-nm layers of Ni and Cr) on a Si substrate. They showed that, although similar depth resolutions can be obtained by both techniques, the analysis time was much shorter with GD.…”