Vacuum gauge using peltier tip

Abstract

A thermal conduction vacuum gauge using a Peltier tip is provided. The vacuum gauge for measuring the pressure in a vacuum chamber includes: a signal generator that drives an electric current; an ammeter connected to the signal generator for measuring the current; a bridge circuit consisting of junctions of thermocouple wires, which is connected to the ammeter, wherein one junction of the dissimilar metallic wires is made in the form of a Peltier tip inserted into the vacuum chamber; and a lock-in amplifier connected to the two symmetrical points of the bridge circuit for detecting a voltage signal due to the temperature oscillation at the Peltier tip and thus measuring the pressure in the vacuum chamber. The thermal conduction vacuum gauge using a Peltier tip has a simple structure, and is of micron size, and operates at high sensitivity over a wide range of pressure, thereby enabling the measurements of a pressure at higher resolution than existing thermal conduction gauges while facilitating local pressure measurements.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.