MY MEMORY OF SPECTROSCOPY IN THE USA - AN EXCITING ERA OF ATOMIC-EMISSION, ATOMIC-ABSORPTION AND ATOMIC FLUORESCENCE

In order to pay tribute in the special issue of Spectrochimica Acta Pa rt B for Professor J.D. WINEFORDNER, this author looked back at the mo st exciting era of spectrochemical analysis, which started in 1955, du ring which atomic absorption, atomic emission as well as atomic fluore scence made remarkable development. Coincidentally this author made a stay in the U.S.A, as a Fulbright Exchange Scholar from Japan. My reco llections start from the cathode layer excitation of Dr L. W. STROCK, Zn enzymes of Dr B. L. VALLEE, and continue to the so-called ''single atom'' detection by atomic fluorescence of Prof. WINEFORDNER.