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In spark spectrometry, the emission source consists of a sparking stand and a spark generator.

The sample to be analyzed, hard faced with an abrasive, is held on the support plate by an attachment device, and shuts off the sparking chamber known as Petrey's chamber. In this chamber, a tungsten electrode faces the sample.

The unidirectional spark forms between this electrode, acting as the cathode, and the sample, acting as the anode. The adjustable gap between the electrode and the sample is known as the 'entrode'.

The chamber is swept with argon. Argon is chosen because of its high ionizability and chemical inertia. The argon flow also drives out of the chamber the aerosol of metal particles left by the discharge.

The stand must be rugged and easy to use. Cleaning should be easy and maintenance requirements limited to curtail downtime. Argon consumption must be as low as possible to cut operating costs.

Author: Jean Charles Lefebvre, Jobin-Yvon Emission

First published on the web: 15 November 1999.

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