Ionization Temperatures in the Inductively Coupled Plasma Determined by Mass Spectrometry

Ionization temperatures in the inductively coupled plasma are determined with the use of the ionization fraction for iodine obtained by mass-spectral sampling. Temperatures profiled at different heights and different positions across the plasma are between 6900 and 7800 K at relatively low heights. Power increases raise the measured ionization temperature, while changes in nebulizer gas flow and the addition of an easily ionized element to the plasma have no measurable effect. Desolvation of the sample aerosol causes a decrease of about 500 K in the ionization temperature.