Atomic absorption spectroscopy in the 100-600 a wavelength range

Previous obstacles to observation of line absorption spectra in the vacuum uv below 600 A have been overcome by: (a) development of a containment device for metal vapors in a windowless system and with a negligible pressure of background gas; (b) use of a compact source of background continuum; and (c) exploitation of a normal incidence grating spectrograph which can be used with (b) to a wavelength below 300 A. As examples, the inner shell absorption spectra of Ar, Kr, Xe, Na, K, and Rb are reproduced. Slight modification of the techniques under (a) and (c) can be used when an electron synchrotron background continuum is substituted for (b).