ultrasonic nebulizer (USN)

A type of nebulizer that generates an extremely fine-droplet aerosol for introduction into the ICP mass spectrometer. The principle of aerosol generation using this approach is based on a sample being pumped onto a quartz plate of a piezoelectric transducer. Electrical energy of 1–2 MHz is coupled to the transducer, which causes it to vibrate at high frequency. These vibrations disperse the sample into a fine-droplet aerosol, which is carried in a stream of argon. With a conventional ultrasonic nebulizer, the aerosol is passed through a heating tube and a cooling chamber, where most of the sample solvent is removed as a condensate before it enters the plasma. However, commercial ultrasonic nebulizers are also available with membrane desolvation systems