Application and Quantitative Analysis of Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry

Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry (GDMS) is a kind of solid mass spectrometry using a glow discharge ion source. In recent years, it has become the industry standard method for the analysis of trace elements in metals and semiconductors, because of its simple sample preparation process, rapid, insignificant matrix effect and wide dynamic range. GDMS can be used in the profile study of depth. By optimizing the sputtering conditions and source geometry, a crater with a flat bottom can be achieved and depth resolution is good enough to profile multi-layer samples in the order of micrometers. Commercial GDMS, with direct current sources can analyse nonconductive materials with a second cathode or mixed with a conducting host. It makes the sample preparation process more complex and limits the applications of GDMS. GDMS is not stable enough to carry out highly accurate and precise isotope ratio measurements. However, it is still a rapid analysis technique for a preliminary study. The development of applications and quantitative analysis in all research fields in recent years have been summarized here. GDMS was developed as an important analysis method for high purity conduction materials. Moreover, it has some degree of application prospect for depth profiling studies, non conduction materials analysis and solid isotope composition abundance determination. Since the limitations of matrix effect and determination conditions and lack of certified reference materials, GDMS is still a quantitative and semiquantitative analysis method. Some papers on quantitative analysis were reported in oversea journals by using a work curve obtained with a series of synthetic calibration samples. The method is complex, but it can provide quantitative results.