Atmospheric purge system and method for laser ablation sample processing

A system for controlling flow of gas from a laser ablation cell, comprising:

• an inductively-coupled plasma torch configured to ionize at least a portion of a gas from a laser ablation sample cell;
• a spray chamber fluidically coupled to the inductively-coupled plasma torch, the spray chamber including
• a spray chamber body,
• a transfer gas inlet coupled to the spray chamber body and configured to receive gas from the laser ablation sample cell,
• a first outlet line coupled to the spray chamber body and configured to transfer gas from the spray chamber to the inductively-coupled plasma torch, and
• a second outlet line coupled to the spray chamber body, the second gas outlet having a larger internal cross-sectional area than an internal cross-sectional area of the first outlet line;
• and
• a valve fluidically coupled to the second outlet line, the valve configured to transition between at least an open configuration configured to permit transfer gas through the second outlet line and a closed configuration configured to prevent transfer of gas through the second outlet line, wherein a difference in the respective internal cross-sectional areas of the first outlet line and the second outlet line is configured to permit transfer of a majority of the transfer gas through the second outlet line when the valve is in the open configuration to prevent extinguishing of a plasma at the inductively-coupled plasma torch.