Characterization of an Atomospheric-Pressure Parallel-Plate Capacitively Coupled Radio-Frequency Plasma

Abstract

A new design for a radio-frequency, atmospheric-pressure, parallel-plate capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) which uses water-cooled electrodes is described. Four different sizes of quartz tubes were compared with respect to spatial emission features for support gas and analyte species. Torches studied had the following inside dimensions: a 1-mm capillary tube with round cross section, a 2 × 4 mm tube, a 4 × 4 mm tube, and a 6 × 6 mm tube. Relative emission intensities of near-infrared lines for F, Cl, Br, I, C, N, and O atomic and ionic lines excited with the use of the He-CCP are tabulated. The detection limits range from 10 to 78 pg/s.