Continuum source atomic absorption spectrometry and detector technology: A historical perspective

The close relationship between the development of Continuum Source AAS (CS AAS) as a technique for element analysis and the availability of suitable detectors is reviewed, beginning with the photoplate and culminating in state of the art Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs). The review is organized to follow the historical sequence of development but emphasizes in particular the appropriateness of detector technologies to the development for simultaneous and sequential CS AAS techniques. The essential role of certain aspects of detector performance is elucidated and it is shown that since only solid-state CCD detectors have become available can competitive CS AAS instrumentation be realized.