Spherical pinch discharges for elemental analysis

Spherical pinch discharges have been shown to be more efficient for producing fusion plasmas than linear theta or Z pinches. They are thus worthy of investigation for their utility in elemental analysis of refractory solids, where linear theta pinches can sample materials regardless of boiling point, but are inefficient in transferring energy from the discharge to the analyte. The authors report preliminary characterization of both a theta and Z pinch configuration of spherical pinches for elemental analysis. Experiments include characterization of temporal behavior, sampling of assorted refractory materials, and effect of particle size on observed emission. Conclusions as to the eventual analytical utility of pinch discharges for bulk elemental analysis of solids, based on instrumental reliability, complexity, safety, and cost are drawn