Separation of sputtering and excitation * Linear calibration curves with wide dynamic range * Minimized self-absorption and material re-deposition * Excitation of almost exclusively atom lines * Fewer and narrower emission lines reduce interference * Freedom from metallurgical history * Fewer standards required for calibration * Low argon gas consumption * Automatic cleaning between samples 

Uniform Sputtering:  Other methods may preferentially attack the sample surface and do not always provide a representative sample to analyze. With glow discharge, sample material is uniformly sputtered from the surface. The nonthermal nature of the sampling process makes this an excellent technique for difficult applications.