Spark-Source Mass Spectroscopy

Abstract

This paper is a review presenting a description of the instrument and method, a brief summary of the early work, and a more detailed look at the development since 1960. Studies on the properties of photographic emulsions as ion detectors and the optimum conditions for their use are reported. Various methods are reported for quantitative data treatment, which include plate calibration, photometry, and corrections. Investigations of the spark source are reviewed, covering the causes and effects of the varying energy spectra and some corrections for the relative volatility and diffusion rates. The contribution of the sample itself to the analytical error is discussed, and the results obtained with rigorous standardization are presented.