semicon circuit disc of silicon wafer in blue light

Glow Discharge MS

Discover why Astrum Swift is the GD-MS of choice for high purity metals, alloys, advanced materials and semiconductor applications

Astrum Swift GD-MS Instrument
Astrum Swift GD-MS Instrument

Overview

Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry

GD-MS is an industrial high precision, solid-state analytical technique optimised for trace elemental analysis of advanced materials. It excels in applications ranging from high purity metals and semiconductors to superalloys analysis. 

View Astrum Swift

Application Areas

Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry (GD-MS) is a powerful direct solid state elemental analysis technique that combines a glow discharge ion source with a magnetic sector mass spectrometer. This technique can quantify ultra-trace contaminants of virtually any element. It is ideal for analysing a range of materials, including high purity metals, superalloys, semiconductors and dielectrics.

Superalloys
Rapid multi-element analysis supports high-throughput quality control, ensuring compositional consistency in safety-critical components.
Semiconductor
Ultimate detection limits enable the characterisation of ultra-high-purity materials at the 6N and 7N level, providing confidence in material qualification and process control.
Metals
Exceptional sensitivity enables ultra-trace impurity detection in high-purity metals, supporting reliability, yield and performance in demanding manufacturing applications.
Dielectrics
Direct solid analysis of non-conducting materials with ultra-trace impurity detection in advanced dielectric materials used in high-performance electronic devices.
electric car being charged

Featured Publication

Depth-Resolved Lithium Isotope Fractionation as a Diagnostic of Interphase Evolution and Degradation in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Explore how advanced elemental analysis is helping researchers tackle challenges in next-generation energy materials. This featured ACS Energy Letters publication highlights the importance of obtaining accurate trace and bulk composition data to better understand material performance and support the development of high-performance battery technologies. 
Read the Publication

Related Products

For GD-MS Nu offers the Astrum Swift. If your application is in metals and materials but you require something slightly different our sister company SPECTRO offers arc/spark OES technology.

Related Articles

As part of my PhD research in Isotope Physics at a leading Austrian university, I have been investigating new methods for the ultra-trace analysis of Tc-99. The continuous and responsive support from the Nu Instruments team and their shared expertise, together with the excellent efficiency of the Nu TIMS system, has made this research enjoyable and successful. "
Stephanie Adler
A leading Austrian university
I really appreciate the access to, and responsiveness of, the technical and service specialists at Nu to quickly address any problems we run into during instrument operation. I also appreciate their willingness to engage in application support at a high level and to develop hardware and software to continuously improve the technology. "
Brian Jackson
Dartmouth College
We are very happy with our Nu Sapphire CRC-MC-ICP-MS. The dual-path design has allowed us to nimbly switch between applications with vs. without CRC methods. The software has enabled method development with novel sample introduction systems. Now just two years post-installation, we routinely perform isotopic measurements of several different elements from a wide variety of sample matrices. "
Michael Kipp
Duke University
I was impressed by the technical expertise, responsiveness and professionalism of the Nu Instruments Service team. Every question was answered promptly and the guidance was always clear and practical. Owning a high-end HR-MC-ICPMS is a major investment, and having such reliable technical support gives great confidence. Thank you to the entire Service team. "
Mauro Capone
ENEA - INMRI (Italy)
Our experience with Nu Instruments and the Vitesse ICP-TOF-MS has been extremely positive. As early adopters applying this technology to biological imaging, we inevitably encountered challenges associated with developing new methodologies and pushing the boundaries of an emerging field. Throughout this journey, Nu Instruments has been a genuine partner rather than simply an equipment supplier. Over several years, their applications and engineering teams have provided consistent, responsive, and knowledgeable support. What has stood out most is their commitment to solving scientific challenges and advancing applications, rather than focusing solely on the instrument itself. Their willingness to engage with complex problems, listen to user feedback, and work collaboratively on solutions has been invaluable. We look forward to continuing this partnership as the field develops further. "
Alex Morrell
London Metallomics Facility, King's College London
Working with Nu instruments has been a consistently positive experience, from our initial exchange of ideas and possibilities all the way through the successful implementation in our analytical laboratories. Troubleshooting and communication has always been straightforward and low-barrier, creating a collegial and enjoyable working relationship that we truly appreciate. "
Julia Monika Dressler
MEET Battery Research Center
I have worked with various Nu Instruments/Ametek ICP-MS instruments (NuPlasma I, Nu Plasma II, Attom) over the past 23 years, and they have been a real pleasure to work with. They are extremely reliable, versatile, and user friendly. Users are instructed on how to conduct regularly scheduled preventative maintenance. The personnel in the client support/service department is truly amazing, and are extremely efficient and knowledgeable in helping to resolve the infrequent instrument issues remotely with the shortest downtime possible.. "
Antonio Simonetti
University of Notre Dame
I've worked on the Astrum for 7 years now. It's a very robust instrument, very rarely breaks down and requires very little in the way of consumables. The service department at Nu are fantastic. Whenever we have any issues we can often have an engineer logged in remotely within the hour and I think the longest we've ever had to wait for an emergency site visit was 48 hours. They also took on board our feedback when developing the Nu CODAQ software so that it better suits our business needs. We couldn't ask for more. "
Beth Rushworth
Ross & Catherall
The Nu Instruments Astrum GDMS and accompanying CoDaq software are a pleasure to use. The design and functionality of this tool are robust yet simple. Having 29 years of GDMS experience, I rarely need to call for help, but when I do, Adam and James and the service team are eager to help. Terrific experience with the Astrum and Nu Instruments! "
Eric Harris
Tosoh SMD
Man adjusts part of mass spec instrument

Support, Service & Spares

Everything you need to keep up and running. Find responsive support, a range of service packages and details of spares and consumables.