Abstract: A glow discharge source for the elemental analysis of solid samples of material by means of optical glow discharge spectroscopy (GD-OES) or glow discharge mass spectroscopy (GD-MS) or secondary neutral particle mass spectroscopy (SNMS), a glow discharge being produced by means of a connected electrical voltage source on the sample of material between the latter and an anode and evaluated spectrometrically, wherein a current transformer component for detecting the current flowing between the glow discharge and the voltage source is disposed at or in the anode or connected electrically with the anode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a glow discharge source for elemental analysis on solid material samples, which can be operated with a direct voltage, a pulsed direct voltage, or a HF voltage. The aim of the invention is to produce a glow discharge source for elemental analysis on solid material samples, whereby a glow discharge is generated between the material sample (4) and an anode (1), by means of a connected electrical voltage source (6), such that the blind current is minimised and the current flowing through the cooling water is not included in the measurement. Said aim is achieved, whereby a current transformer element (9), for recording the current flowing between the glow discharge (7) and the voltage source (6) is arranged in or on the anode (1), or the components electrically connected to the anode. The glow discharge source may be used for optical glow discharge spectroscopy (GD-OES), glow discharge mass spectroscopy (GD-MS), or secondary neutral mass spectroscopy (SNMS).