Standards Development

Scope

This document specifies a direct-current glow discharge mass spectrometry (DC GD-MS) method for determining trace metallic impurities in commercial high-purity yttrium oxide (Y2O3) with a declared purity of 3N, 99.9 %, or higher.

The method is applicable to compacted or sintered Y2O3 specimens measured using a conductive backing, conductive coating or secondary-cathode arrangement suitable for maintaining a stable DC glow discharge.

This document is applicable to the determination of non-rare-earth and rare-earth impurity elements for which isotope selection, calibration, interference control and uncertainty evaluation can be established. The typical working range is approximately 0.01 mg/kg to 100 mg/kg, depending on the element, the instrument configuration, the background level and the validated calibration range.

This document does not specify product specifications, acceptance limits for commercial Y2O3, or the manufacturing, certification or full characterization of reference materials.

NOTE RF GD-MS and other analytical techniques are outside the normative scope of this document. They may be considered separately where equivalence has been demonstrated.

Purpose

High-purity YO is used in advanced industrial fields such as semiconductors, specialty ceramics and optics, where product performance can be affected by trace metallic impurities at sub-mg·kg¹ to mg·kg¹ levels. A harmonized matrix-specific bulk analytical method is therefore needed to support reliable quality control and comparable results among laboratories.

GD-MS enables direct solid analysis with broad elemental coverage and high sensitivity. Compared with solution-based methods, the direct solid route can reduce contamination risks associated with dissolution and sample transfer, which is important for high-purity oxide matrices