Atomaire emissiespectroscopie: overzicht

Atomic emission spectroscopy, or AES, allows multi-elemental analysis in a sample, where all analytes can be excited simultaneously by electric discharge, flame, or plasma.

In AES, excited-state atoms relax to give characteristic emissions, and the emission intensity is directly proportional to the excited-state population.

Significant populations of excited-state atoms are achieved by employing high-temperature argon plasma.

Argon plasma–a hot, electrically conducting gaseous mixture of argon ions and electrons–is generated by ionizing a flowing stream of argon. The plasma is sustained indefinitely by a power supply that maintains an optimal temperature for further ionization. 

A radio-frequency-based plasma source called inductively coupled plasma, or ICP, can reach temperatures up to 10,000 K. It is a widely used excitation source in AES, commonly referred to as ICP–AES or ICP–OES.

Other plasma sources include microwave-induced plasma, direct current plasma, microplasmas, and laser-induced plasma.