ICP-MS with ShieldTorch

[thohry]

Hi all,

I know that in ICP-MS, with the shieldtorch built in, the sensitivity is enhanced. Could anyone explain this?


Thanks.

[jerole]

The ICP source can produce secondary discharges between the plasma and the grounded first stage of the vacuum interface.

Such discharges cause numerous deleterious effects, including rapid deterioration of the sampling and skimming cones, contamination of the plasma with sampler and skimmer material, high photon noise and high ion energies with large energy spreads.

Basically, the shield torch prevents those secondary discharges.