Abstract: Disclosed is a glow discharge spectrometry device including a glow discharge lamp and an optical emission spectrometer adapted to receive a light beam emitted by a glow discharge plasma. The optical emission spectrometer includes a dispersive optical component and an echelle grating arranged and configured in such a way as to form a two-dimensional spectrum of the light beam, the two-dimensional spectrum being dispersed in a plurality of diffraction orders, the plurality of diffraction orders extending along a first direction and each diffraction order extending spectrally according to a second direction transverse to the first direction and a pixel-array CMOS sensor arranged and configured to acquire the two-dimensional spectrum as a function of time.

Abstract: A system and a process for measuring, by glow discharge spectrometry, the elemental and/or molecular chemical composition of an organic solid sample (10). The sample (10) is positioned so as to seal a glow discharge plasma reactor (2), a gaseous mixture including at least one inert gas and gaseous oxygen is injected into the reactor (2), the concentration of gaseous oxygen being between 0.1% and 15% by weight of the gaseous mixture, an electric discharge of radiofrequency type is applied to the electrodes of the plasma reactor (2) in order to generate a glow discharge plasma, and the solid sample (10) is exposed to the plasma so as to etch an erosion crater in the solid sample (10); at least one signal representative of an ionized species of negative charge is selected and measured using a mass spectrometer (4).

Abstract: A glow discharge spectrometry system includes a glow discharge lamp suitable for receiving a solid sample (10) and forming a glow discharge etching plasma (19). The system (100) for measuring in situ the depth of the erosion crater generated by etching of the sample (10) includes an optical separator (3), optical elements (4) suitable for directing a first incident beam (21) toward a first zone (11) of the sample, the first zone being exposed to the etching plasma, and a second incident beam (22) toward a second zone (12) of the same side of the sample, the second zone being protected from the etching plasma, respectively, and an optical recombining device (3) suitable for forming an interferometric beam (30) so as to determine the depth (d) of the erosion crater.

Abstract: A glow discharge spectrometry system includes a glow discharge lamp suitable for receiving a solid sample (10) and forming a glow discharge etching plasma (19). The system (100) for measuring in situ the depth of the erosion crater generated by etching of the sample (10) includes an optical separator (3), optical elements (4) suitable for directing a first incident beam (21) toward a first zone (11) of the sample, the first zone being exposed to the etching plasma, and a second incident beam (22) toward a second zone (12) of the same side of the sample, the second zone being protected from the etching plasma, respectively, and an optical recombining device (3) suitable for forming an interferometric beam (30) so as to determine the depth (d) of the erosion crater.

Abstract: A system and a process for measuring, by glow discharge spectrometry, the elemental and/or molecular chemical composition of an organic solid sample (10). The sample (10) is positioned so as to seal a glow discharge plasma reactor (2), a gaseous mixture including at least one inert gas and gaseous oxygen is injected into the reactor (2), the concentration of gaseous oxygen being between 0.1% and 15% by weight of the gaseous mixture, an electric discharge of radiofrequency type is applied to the electrodes of the plasma reactor (2) in order to generate a glow discharge plasma, and the solid sample (10) is exposed to the plasma so as to etch an erosion crater in the solid sample (10); at least one signal representative of an ionized species of negative charge is selected and measured using a mass spectrometer (4).

Abstract: A glow discharge mass spectrometry device and method, the device including a glow discharge lamp (1), gas flow-injection elements, the glow discharge lamp being suitable for forming an ablation plasma in the presence of a plasma gas, and a mass spectrometer. The device further includes heating elements (30, 31) suitable for heating a gas flow (38) upstream of a cell (2), the gas flow-injection elements being suitable for injecting into the glow discharge cell a gas flow (38) heated to a temperature T for a duration D, and pumping elements (7, 27) being designed to pump a flow of gaseous species (17, 37) out of the cell for the duration D, so as to decontaminate the surface of the sample (4) and/or the inner walls of the glow discharge cell (2) before an ablation plasma (5) is ignited.

Abstract: A glow discharge mass spectrometry device and method, the device including a glow discharge lamp (1), gas flow-injection elements, the glow discharge lamp being suitable for forming an ablation plasma in the presence of a plasma gas, and a mass spectrometer. The device further includes heating elements (30, 31) suitable for heating a gas flow (38) upstream of a cell (2), the gas flow-injection elements being suitable for injecting into the glow discharge cell a gas flow (38) heated to a temperature T for a duration D, and pumping elements (7, 27) being designed to pump a flow of gaseous species (17, 37) out of the cell for the duration D, so as to decontaminate the surface of the sample (4) and/or the inner walls of the glow discharge cell (2) before an ablation plasma (5) is ignited.

Abstract: A glow discharge spectrometer discharge lamp includes: a lamp body having a vacuum enclosure connected to pump elements and to injector elements for injecting an inert gas into the enclosure; a hollow cylindrical first electrode of longitudinal axis X-X?; a second electrode for receiving a sample for analysis and for holding the sample facing one end of the cylindrical electrode; electric field generator including an applicator for applying to the terminals of the electrodes an electric field that is continuous, pulsed, radiofrequency, or hybrid, and suitable for generating a glow discharge plasma in the presence of the gas; coupler elements for coupling the discharge lamp to a spectrometer suitable for measuring at least one component of the plasma; and magnetic field generator elements for generating a magnetic field having field lines oriented along the axis X-X?, the magnetic field being uniform in orientation and in intensity over an area of the sample that is not less than the inside area of the hollow

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for measuring glow discharge spectrometry in pulsed mode, which includes an RF electric field generator in pulsed mode, a discharge lamp, an impedance matching device for transferring the electric power supplied by the generator to the discharge lamp and a mass spectrometer suitable for measuring at least one signal representative of an ionised plasma species. According to the invention, the device includes a measurement system suitable for measuring a signal representative of the impedance mismatch ?? between the generator and the discharge lamp, said measurement system including a fast acquisition system, synchronized with the pulses and suitable for supplying the impedance matching device with a signal representing the impedance mismatch ?? for at least one part of said pulses. The device enables continuous impedance adaptation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for measuring glow discharge spectrometry in pulsed mode, which includes an RF electric field generator in pulsed mode, a discharge lamp, an impedance matching device for transferring the electric power supplied by the generator to the discharge lamp and a mass spectrometer suitable for measuring at least one signal representative of an ionised plasma species. According to the invention, the device includes a measurement system suitable for measuring a signal representative of the impedance mismatch ?? between the generator and the discharge lamp, said measurement system including a fast acquisition system, synchronized with the pulses and suitable for supplying the impedance matching device with a signal representing the impedance mismatch ?? for at least one part of said pulses. The device enables continuous impedance adaptation.

Abstract: A glow discharge spectrometer discharge lamp includes: a lamp body having a vacuum enclosure connected to pump elements and to injector elements for injecting an inert gas into the enclosure; a hollow cylindrical first electrode of longitudinal axis X-X?; a second electrode for receiving a sample for analysis and for holding the sample facing one end of the cylindrical electrode; electric field generator including an applicator for applying to the terminals of the electrodes an electric field that is continuous, pulsed, radiofrequency, or hybrid, and suitable for generating a glow discharge plasma in the presence of the gas; coupler elements for coupling the discharge lamp to a spectrometer suitable for measuring at least one component of the plasma; and magnetic field generator elements for generating a magnetic field having field lines oriented along the axis X-X?, the magnetic field being uniform in orientation and in intensity over an area of the sample that is not less than the inside area of the hollow

Abstract: This invention relates to a device and a method for positioning a sample (8) mounted on a glow discharge spectrometer (6). A sample (8) to be analyzed is mounted on the first electrode means (5) of a glow discharge spectrometer (6) then a detachable arm (11) is mounted on a mechanic assembly comprising a cutting tool (2). This detachable arm (11) comprises a light source (14) used for illuminating said sample (8) with a light beam having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the first electrode means (5) and then the position of the light beam is located on the sample (8). The portion of the sample (8) which will be exposed effectively to the glow discharge may thus be located with accuracy.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device and a method for positioning a sample (8) mounted on a glow discharge spectrometer (6). A sample (8) to be analysed is mounted on the first electrode means (5) of a glow discharge spectrometer (6) then a detachable arm (11) is mounted on a mechanic assembly comprising a cutting tool (2). This detachable arm (11) comprises a light source (14) used for illuminating said sample (8) with a light beam having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the first electrode means (5) and then the position of the light beam is located on the sample (8). The portion of the sample (8) which will be exposed effectively to the glow discharge may thus be located with accuracy.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for real-time determination of a solid sample composition as a function of the depth within the sample. The process comprises: forming a glow discharge (16) of atoms sputtered from an exposed area (17) of the sample (13) and analysing the glow discharge by optical emission spectroscopy; measuring the distance between said exposed area (17) and a fixed reference surface (12a) and determining from the measured distance the depth of the exposed area within the sample; and correlating the determined depth of the exposed area with the glow discharge analysis. Application to material analysis.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for real-time determination of a solid sample composition as a function of the depth within the sample.