Technique for Microspark Emission Spectroscopy

Abstract

The analyst is frequently confronted with the problem of analyzing a microscopic local area in a heterogeneous sample. A rapid, inexpensive technique has been developed to analyze a spot as small as 50 μ in diameter with an emission spectrograph. The only accessories required are a microscope, some transparent tape, and a sharp needle. The tape is placed on the sample surface and a hole is punctured at the spot to be analyzed while viewing the sample through the microscope. The sample is then excited with a very short spark in the spectrograph. Using a very fast film it has been possible to make qualitative analyses for both major and minor constituents of a spot as small as 50 μ in diameter on a conducting sample.