Abstract
Spatial(radial and height) distributions of excited argon species are measured for an inductively coupled plasma under five operating conditions: 1) no carrier gas, 2) carrier gas without aerosol, 3) carrier gas with desolvated aerosol, 4) carrier gas with aerosol, 5) carrier gas with aerosol and excess lithium. A complete RF power mapping of argon excited states is obtained. The excited states of argon for a typical analytical torch rapidly diffuse towards the center in the higher region of the plasma. The presence of excess lithium makes no significant change in the excited states of argon. The increase in the RF power increases the intensity of argon excited states uniformly across the radial coordinate.