Photodiode Array Measurement System for Implementing Abel Inversions on Emission from an Inductively Coupled Plasma

Abstract

The acquisition of detailed spatial emission data from a spectrochemical source such as an inductively coupled plasma requires a very large number of measurements if complete information is to be obtained. A photodiode array-based measurement system has been developed for the measurement of complete spatial emission profiles of analyte lines in an inductively coupled plasma. A complete map of analyte emission throughout the plasma is acquired via the measurement of a series of horizontal emission profiles. Such horizontal emission profiles provide only lateral intensity information. These lateral intensities are converted to radial intensities by Abel inversion. The photodiode array provides an almost ideal sensor for acquisition of lateral intensity data exactly in a format for input to an Abel inversion program. The complete hardward-software system is described, and results are presented for the inductively coupled plasma.