Inficon Gmbh

Inficon Ag

Martin Wüest

Urs Wälchli

Wolfram Knapp

Jarkko Antila

Bernhard Andreaus

Per Björkman

Hansjakob Hanselmann

Heikki Saari

Christian Berg

Felix Mullis

Dietmar Bertsch

Rolf Enderes

Stefan Kaiser

Astrid Waldner

Stanislav Duris

Oskar Untermarzoner

Klaus Dietrich

Nico Onda

Rudolf Stocker

Michael Trefzer

Antila Jarkko

Method for operating a groupof pressure sensors which are arranged in such a manner that they can measure the pressure in a common measurement volume, wherein the group of pressure sensors comprises at least a first pressure sensor' with a first pressure measurement range and a second pressure sensor″ with a second pressure measurement range, wherein the first and second pressure measurement ranges overlap in an overlap pressure measurement range, wherein the first and second pressure sensors are each based on an indirect pressure measurement principle and are configured to output a measurement signal calibrated to a reference gas, and wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) providing calibration data specific to the type of gas for the first measurement signal and for the second measurement signal, which calibration data describe a dependence of the first and second measurement signals on the effective pressure and on a list of types of gas, respectively; b) recording a first and a second measured value of the first and second measurement signals, respectively; c) determining a resultant type of gas which best matches the combination of the recorded first measured value and the recorded second measured value, taking into account the first and second calibration data. In one variant, a resultant pressure which is independent of the type of gas is additionally determined. The invention is also directed to an apparatus for earring out the method and to a computer program product.

Method for operating a group of pressure sensors

Chamber () for bounding a plasma generation area () in a vacuum pressure sensor (), wherein the chamber comprises an electrically conductive casing element (″) located radially on the outside relative to a central axis, wherein the chamber comprises electrically conductive wall elements (″) 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 (), through which the central axis extends, wherein the casing element comprises at least a first (B) and a second region (B), 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.

Chamber for an ionization vacuum gauge

The invention relates to an ionization vacuum measuring cell () comprising an evacuable housing () with a measurement connection for a vacuum to be measured at an end portion; a measurement chamber () in the housing (), said measurement chamber being fluidically connected to the measurement connection, wherein the measurement chamber () is designed as a replaceable component; and a first and a second electrode () in the measurement chamber (), said electrodes being substantially coaxial to an axis and being arranged at a distance from each other. The measuring cell further comprises an electrically insulating and vacuum-tight feedthrough () for an electric supply to the second electrode () and a magnetization assembly which is designed to generate a magnetic field in the ionization chamber. According to the invention, the measurement chamber (), in particular at least one of the electrodes (), comprises a magnetic material.

Ionization vacuum measuring cell

A pressure step is applied to the interior of a compartment. A sensor which measures the pressure within compartment, in response of the prevailing pressure level, and the transient step response oscillation frequency is used to identify the gas or gas mixture present in the compartment.

Method and process for determining gas content using transient pressure analysis

Vacuum pressure of a gas in a compartment () is measured. The vacuum pressure is established by a pump arrangement () with a pulsating pumping effect (g(t)). The shape of the resulting pulsation of the pressure (p(t)) in compartment () is exploited () as an indication of the operation status of the pump arrangement ().

Method of and apparatus for measuring vacuum pressure

An ionization vacuum measuring cell comprises an anode () and a cathode () in a measuring chamber (). The measuring chamber () is arranged in a housing () which has a vacuum-tight feedthrough () for a connection rod () of the cathode () towards the outside. The measuring chamber () holds the rod () in a feedthrough () which is electrically insulating only. The measuring chamber () in the housing () can be exchanged by a releasable plug connection ().

Arrangement with capacitive pressure-measuring cell has a diaphragm for measuring vacuum pressure and a printed circuit board acting as a temperature sensor and another electronic component designed as a microchip that contains a digital signal processor with a temperature-to-digital converter and a capacitance-to-digital converter using a time measuring method. The converters determine temperature and capacitance of the cell in comparison to a reference resistor for temperature arranged on the printed circuit board and reference capacitor for capacitance for the pressure to be measured dependent on deformation of the diaphragm. A temperature-corrected pressure signal derived from the two measured signals uses correlation, the measured signals having been determined in advance from a calibration process, and the temperature-corrected pressure signal is provided as a pressure signal at the signal output for further processing. In this manner there is quick pressure measurement with high measuring accuracy.

Method and device for measuring a vacuum pressure using a measuring cell arrangement

A cathode configuration for emission of electrons has a reaction zone connected to an entrance opening for the supply of neutral particles. The opening communicates with the cathode configuration for the ionization of the neutral particles and an ion extraction system communicates with the reaction zone. Ions from the extraction system are sent to a detection system and a mechanism for the evacuation of the mass spectrometer arrangement. The cathode configuration includes a field emission cathode with an emitter surface, wherein at a short distance from this emitter surface, an extraction grid is disposed for the extraction of electrons, which grid substantially covers the emitter surface. The emitter surface encompasses herein at least partially a hollow volume such that a tubular structure is formed.

Mass spectrometer

A vacuum pressure measuring device with an electron source has a reaction zone for forming ions by impact ionization, wherein the electron source communicates with the reaction zone via a passage for the electrons. The electron source is surrounded by an insulating housing with a vacuum chamber, and a partition part is designed as a membrane carrier, carrying a nanomembrane at least in one section, the membrane separating the vacuum chamber from the outer region in a gastight manner and being at least partially designed to be electron-permeable. The vacuum chamber has a cathode for the emission of electrons. In the region of and/or on the nanomembrane, an anode arrangement is provided such that electrons are conducted against the nanomembrane and at least partially through it. The nanomembrane abuts the vacuum chamber of the vacuum pressure measuring device.

Electron source for a vacuum pressure measuring device

Method for producing a vacuum measuring cell having a pressure transducer diaphragm with housing plates sealed on opposite sides to form reference and measuring vacuum chambers. An opening in one plate communicates with the measuring vacuum chamber and has a sealed connection for joining to medium to be measured. The diaphragm and plates are aluminum oxide ceramic and at least one of the seals is aluminum with a thickness of 0.5 &#x3bc;m to 30 &#x3bc;m. The ceramic parts are pressed together at increased temperature of 600&#xb0; C. to 680&#xb0; C. in a process gas atmosphere including a reducing gas, during a time of 30 to 90 minutes, and subsequently a tempering step is carried out in a second process gas atmosphere including oxygen, tempering taking place at a temperature of 450&#xb0; C. to 575&#xb0; C. such that the metallic aluminum is oxidized into aluminum oxide.

Method for producing a vacuum measuring cell of the membrane type

A vacuum measuring cell with a membrane between two planar housing parts has a first housing part forming a reference vacuum volume and the second housing part forming a measuring vacuum volume with a connection for the medium to be measured and a mechanism for measuring the membrane deflection. The membrane surface exposed to the medium to be measured is a structured surface.

Vacuum measuring cell with membrane

A pressure measuring cell has a first housing body and a membrane arranged proximate the housing body, both of ceramic. The membrane has a peripheral edge joined to the first housing body to create a reference pressure chamber. A second housing body made of ceramic material is opposite the membrane and is joined to the peripheral edge of the membrane, the second housing body together with the membrane forming a measurement pressure chamber. The second housing body has a port for connecting the pressure measuring cell to a medium to be measured. The first housing body, the second housing body and the membrane are tightly connected along the peripheral edge of the membrane in a central area of the first housing body a hole is formed, reaching through the first housing body and at least in the central region of the membrane and opposite the hole a surface of the membrane is formed as a first optically reflective area. An optical fiber is arranged and tightly fixed within the hole for feeding light onto the surface of the membrane. The end of the fiber reaches at least the surface of the first housing body and is formed as a second reflective optical area linking the surface so that between the fiber end and the reflection area an optical cavity is present which forms a measuring section for determining the level of deflection of the membrane and which is part of a Fabry-Perot Interferometer.

Optical interferometric pressure sensor

A manufacturing method for a vacuum measuring cell provides first and second AlOceramic or sapphire housing bodies on opposite sides of an AlOceramic or sapphire membrane sealed to the bodies at its opposite peripheral edges. A reference vacuum chamber and a measuring vacuum chamber are on opposite sides of the membrane. An optical transparent window is provided in the first housing body and an optically reflective material is provided on a central region of the membrane. A lens is above the optical transparent window for optically linking to the optically reflective material on the membrane and an optical fiber outside the reference vacuum chamber and at a distance from the optical transparent window feeds light through the lens and window and in and out onto the optically reflective material on the membrane so that the level of membrane deflection is detected by a Fabry-Perot Interferometer.

Optical interferometric pressure sensor manufacturing method

A shield arrangement for a vacuum measuring cell has a tubular shield housing encompassing a shield and an exit port for connection to a vacuum measuring cell and a connection opening for the object space to be measured. The shield is between the two openings and is implemented as a screw shield with spiral convolutions, its thread flange in the outer diameter being in contact on the inner wall of the shield housing such that a gas throughflow between the outer diameter of the thread flange and the inner wall is inhibited and is substantially forced into the spiral thread flight, and the exit port is on one side of the tubular section and the connection opening is on the other, opposite side and the screw shield is implemented such that in the axial line of vision the shield arrangement between the two openings is optically tight.

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Malans, Switzerland

Martin Wüest