Overview
ISO/TS 15338:2020 - "Surface chemical analysis - Glow discharge mass spectrometry - Operating procedures" provides standardized operating procedures for glow discharge mass spectrometry (GD‑MS). This 2020 technical specification (second edition) describes the principle of GD‑MS, differences between commonly used GD‑MS systems, and practical operation guidance. It is intended to be read alongside instrument manufacturers’ manuals and replaces the 2009 edition with a broader, more generic treatment covering both static (low‑flow, cryogenically cooled) and fast‑flow, high‑power GD sources.
Key Topics
- Principle of GD‑MS: sputtering of atoms from a cathode sample into an argon plasma, ionisation in the plasma, and mass spectrometric detection (magnetic sector and time‑of‑flight types).
- Apparatus & ion sources: descriptions of low‑flow (static) and fast‑flow GD sources, sample geometries (pin and flat), cooling methods, and gas inlet arrangements.
- Routine operations: system cleaning, support gas handling (purity and flow considerations), and safe operation practices.
- Calibration: procedures for mass calibration, detector calibration, and routine performance checks.
- Data acquisition: guidance on sample preparation, procedure setup, and data collection strategies.
- Quantification methods: element integral calculation, ion beam ratios, fully quantitative and semi‑quantitative approaches, and hybrid strategies.
- Operating modes: DC, RF (for insulating materials), and pulsed modulation, with practical implications for stability and matrix effects.
- Practical instrument settings discussed include plasma potentials, current and power ranges, gas flow regimes, and source cooling - distinguishing where values differ between low‑flow and fast‑flow systems.
Applications
ISO/TS 15338:2020 is directly useful for:
- Laboratory GD‑MS operators and technicians establishing routine operating procedures.
- Analytical chemists and materials scientists performing surface chemical analysis, trace impurity analysis, and bulk composition work.
- Quality managers and R&D teams specifying measurement protocols for metals, alloys, and solid samples where GD‑MS advantages (depth profiling, low detection limits) are needed.
- Instrument manufacturers and service engineers aligning user guidance with standard practice.
Related Standards
- There are no normative references within this document. Users should consult instrument manufacturers’ manuals and other ISO surface‑analysis publications (ISO/TC 201) for complementary guidance and terminology.
Keywords: ISO/TS 15338:2020, glow discharge mass spectrometry, GD‑MS, surface chemical analysis, operating procedures, calibration, data acquisition, low‑flow source, fast‑flow source.