Application Notes: Atomic Spectroscopy

The factors that affect the long-term stability of ICP instruments are discussed and details of the performance of the Thermo Scientific iCAP 6000 Series for extended period analyses are given.

The availability of new silicon drift detectors (SDD) allows for more precise measurements in less acquisition time. SDDs are often praised for their excellent energy resolution, but it is their increased throughput that make them ideal for many industrial applications. Due to the detector's smaller capacitance, a much shorter peaking time is used in the shaping amplifier without sacrificing resolution. This dramatically increases the throughput of the system. Compared with a conventional Si-PIN detector where the peaking time is as long as 25 ms, the drift detector operates at 1.6 ms, thereby increasing throughput from 10,000 counts per second to over 100,000. This advantage can be used in two primary ways.

PerkinElmer, Inc.

Amptek, Inc.

EDAX, Inc.

SPEX CertiPrep, Inc.

Retsch, Inc.

Varian, Inc.

PANalytical B.V.

SPEX CertiPrep, Inc.

Horiba Jobin Yvon, Inc.

Amptek, Inc.

SPEX CertPrep, Inc.

Amptek, Inc.

Agilent Technologies

EDAX, Inc.

Simple, fast, and reliable on-site hydraulic oil analysis should be an integral part of any preventative maintenance program. Since the majority of machine failures are contamination related, it is important to analyze the hydraulic fluid to monitor equipment condition and identify machine wear. Significant cost savings can result from early identification of machine failure, oil quality, handling and other problems. Oil analysis can detect changes in oil quality, contamination, wear and chemical differences. Benefits of this information include prolonged equipment life, reduced equipment downtime, and reduced overall maintenance costs. In addition, plants can increase intervals between oil changes, thus reducing waste oil, maintenance, and oil purchase costs.

The RoHS/WEEE directive requires the electronics industry to certify that products comply with maximum concentration amounts of particular elements and compounds (Cr VI, Pb, Cd, Hg, Br PBB/PBDE) by July 2006. Instrumentation must be developed to perform the certification.

Ralph H. Obenauf and Nimi Kocherlakota, Spex CertiPrep, Inc.

Jordan Valley AR, Inc.

Thanos Pantazis, Amptek, Inc.

PANalytical