Characterization of a charge injection device detector for atomic emission spectroscopy.

Abstract

A Charge Injection Device (CID) detector has been evaluated as a detector for simultaneous multielement atomic emission spectroscopy. The CID was incorporated into a special liquid nitrogen cooled, computer controlled camera system. Electro-optical characterization of the CID and camera system included determination of readout noise, quantum efficiency, spatial crosstalk, temporal hysteresis, spatial response uniformity, and linear dynamic range. The CID was used as a spectroscopic detector for an echelle grating spectrometer equipped with a direct current plasma emission source. The spectrometer was a standard commercial instrument modified to provide a reduced image format more suitable for use with the CID detector. The optical characteristics of this spectrometer, including wavelength coverage, and optical aberrations are described. The spectroscopic system was evaluated with respect to detection limits, linear dynamic range, and accuracy in both single element and simultaneous multielement modes. Detection limits compared well to literature values reported for photomultiplier tube detector based systems under similar conditions. CID detection limits were superior in the near infrared and visible wavelength region, comparable in the middle UV, and higher in the far UV. The detection limits were determined to be limited by background radiation shot noise. Several elements of a certified standard reference material were simultaneously determined in order to assess the accuracy of the spectroscopic system. The results were highly accurate, even when operating near or below the 3σ limits of detection. Spectral interferences for elements were avoided by using several analytical lines for each element. The results of these investigations indicate that the CID is a superior multichannel detector for analytical atomic emission spectrometry. The capability to simultaneously monitor a wide, continuous spectral range with high spatial resolution, high dynamic range, low readout noise, and insignificant signal crosstalk is now possible. Many analytical benefits of this approach, such as the potential capability to perform rapid qualitative and semiquantitative analysis and the ability to select the optimum spectral lines for highly accurate quantitative analysis are now readily achievable.