Abstract:
Chamber (11, 12, 13) for bounding a plasma generation area (42) in a vacuum pressure sensor (40), wherein the chamber comprises an electrically conductive casing element (1, 1′, 1″) located radially on the outside relative to a central axis, wherein the chamber comprises electrically conductive wall elements (2, 2′, 2″) arranged substantially perpendicular to the central axis and connected to the casing element, wherein at least one of the wall elements has a first opening (3), through which the central axis extends, wherein the casing element comprises at least a first (B1) and a second region (B2), wherein the first region is located closer to the central axis than the second region. The invention further relates to a vacuum pressure sensor comprising the chamber.
Abstract:
In the present invention, a pressure measurement device for determining the vacuum level within the evacuated housing of a vacuum electrode device is provided that includes an electrically conductive enclosure secured to an interior surface of the housing, an electrically conductive electrode extending through an aperture in the housing, the electrode having a tip at one end positioned within the interior of the housing inside the enclosure to define a gap between the tip and the enclosure and a conductive lead at a second end disposed outside of the housing, and a voltage source connected to the conductive lead to supply a voltage potential to the tip of the electrode. A voltage difference produced between the electrode and the enclosure ionizes gas within the enclosure causing a measurable current to flow between the electrode and the enclosure which can be used to determine the vacuum level in the housing.
Abstract:
A charged particle beam instrument is offered which can easily perform an in situ observation in a gaseous atmosphere. The charged particle beam instrument (100) is used to perform an observation of a specimen (S) placed in a gaseous atmosphere and has a specimen chamber (2), a gas supply portion (6) for supplying a gas into the specimen chamber (2), a venting portion (7) for venting the specimen chamber (2), a gaseous environment adjuster (4), and a gas controller (812) for controlling the gaseous environment adjuster (4). This adjuster (4) has a gas inflow rate adjusting valve (40) for adjusting the flow rate of the gas supplied into the specimen chamber (2) and a first vacuum gauge (CG1) for measuring the pressure of the gas supplied into the specimen chamber (2). The gas controller (812) sets a target value of pressure for the gas supplied into the specimen chamber (2) based on a predetermined relational expression indicating a relationship between the reading of the first vacuum gauge (CG1) and the pressure inside the specimen chamber (2) and on a corrective coefficient for correcting the reading of the first vacuum gauge (CG1) according to the species of the gas supplied into the specimen chamber (2) and controls the gas inflow rate adjusting valve (40) such that the reading of the first vacuum gauge (CG1) reaches the target value of pressure.
Abstract:
An improved ionizable gas or vapor detector device and method are provided which are capable in preferred forms of sampling 4.times.10.sup.-3 cubic meters or more of air sec.sup.-1 and are responsive to ionizable gas fluctuations at a rate of up to 100Hz. Use of the device of the present invention has proved to provide sensitivity to UV ionizable gas or vapor of over 500 times that of prior devices, giving detection of propylene tracer gas at concentrations of 2 parts per 1,000,000,000 and thus increasing the range from the gas source at which the device may be reliably used. Use for detection of leaks of volatile UV ionizable compounds and for monitoring processes where vapors are emitted is also provided.