Metastable states in sputtered sample atoms: a tutorial review in perspective of elementary plasma processes

Abstract

This tutorial review covers the terms scheme, energy levels, and populating/depopulating processes for the atomic metastable states of sputtered and analytically interesting atoms.

Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in atomic spectrometry and related techniques

“…Mushtaq provided an interesting tutorial review of elementary plasma processes focussing on metastable states in sputtered sample atoms occurring in a GD. 59 In the GD plasma, the excitation/ionisation of sputtered, analytically important atoms occurs due to collisions between ground state sputtered atoms M(g) with the plasma particles (electrons and excited atoms/ions of plasma gas). The excitation/ionisation of sputtered atoms can also occur as a result of collisions between the metastable states of sputtered atoms M(m) and plasma particles.…”

Reply to the ‘Comment on “Excitation and ionization processes of chlorine in molybdenum dichloride dioxide flakes using the glow discharge mass spectrometry technique”’ by Z. Weiss, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2022, 37, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2JA00058J

“…Very recently, a tutorial review paper on metastable states in sputtered atoms has shown that the molybdenum atom has several atomic metastable states. 7 Thus, I would also suggest to consider collisional processes en-route of Mo I (m) that can probably make a substantial contribution to the excitation of various Mo II lines in an argon discharge.…”