ICP-MS manual tuning

I could use some resources on manual tuning for ICP-MS systems.


I'm a relatively new user, and I'm disappointed at the seeming lack of useful information available through Masshunter Help, Agilent user manuals, or online. 

 

Specifically, I'm looking for resources pertaining to how lenses, plasma settings, and various other tune parameters  affect sensitivities/peak shapes.

 

What are the purpose of the various lenses?  How do they affect the ion beam and sensitivities?

The same question for gas flows and all of the other various tune parameters.

 

 

We currently use a 7900 system for drinking water applications (EPA).  The autotune alone is often not sufficient to meet tune criteria, making manual tweaking necessary.

 

Thank you.

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  • Hi all, 

    Thank you for the useful information provided. 

    We've found some also useful resources at Agilent University portal. Recently a new module was released about system maintenance. There is a slide that talks about Auto RF matching and how it could be related to electronics not being tuned. There is also RF matching at the tune page. Could you please explain in more details the RF matching? 

  • Hi jujuba,

     

    I'm neither a physicist nor technician but I can try to explain as best as I understood  maybe a colleague can correct me if I'm wrong.

    The RF matching can be done automatically in Hardware -> Plasma -> Auto RF matching or in the manual batch tune under plasma parameters -> RF matching. The usual values are somewhat between 1.1-1.8 V.

    It needs to be adjusted when the reflected power is too high.

    What is does to my understanding is, it changes the capacitance of a variable shut capacitor parallel to the plasma RF current. This in turn changes the frequency of the RF generator. The plasma has sort of a natural or optimum frequency under particular conditions, and matching plasma and RF generator frequency helps to couple them better, i.e. let the plasma absorb more of the RF power.

Reply
  • Hi jujuba,

     

    I'm neither a physicist nor technician but I can try to explain as best as I understood  maybe a colleague can correct me if I'm wrong.

    The RF matching can be done automatically in Hardware -> Plasma -> Auto RF matching or in the manual batch tune under plasma parameters -> RF matching. The usual values are somewhat between 1.1-1.8 V.

    It needs to be adjusted when the reflected power is too high.

    What is does to my understanding is, it changes the capacitance of a variable shut capacitor parallel to the plasma RF current. This in turn changes the frequency of the RF generator. The plasma has sort of a natural or optimum frequency under particular conditions, and matching plasma and RF generator frequency helps to couple them better, i.e. let the plasma absorb more of the RF power.

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