A new sputtering chamber, as Atomsource, for atomic absorption measurements was designed and built to have maximum ground state atoms in view and minimum emission. The high velocity gas jets not only change the visual and electrical characteristics of the discharge, but also increase the amount of material atomized, as is apparent from the craters that are produced in the sample where the jets strike the surface. The use of gas jets in a sputtering cell makes this a direct sampling method practical for atomic absorption spectrometry. The factors influencing absorption sensitivity and reproducibility have been investigated for the newly developed atomizer.