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US 2009/0014644 A1Published application
In-situ ion source cleaning for partial pressure analyzers used in process monitoring
AssigneeInficon GmbH
InventorsChenglong Yang, Jeffrey P. Merrill, Louis C. Frees, Steven J. Lakeman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ion source apparatus for partial pressure analyzers and in-situ cleaning method thereof based on inducing a hollow cathode discharge (HCD) inside the ion source. The HCD is formed by applying a high negative voltage to one or more parts of the ion source, including the anode electrode, the lens focus plate and at least one other lens or other form of plate, such as a total pressure collector plate.
Claims15
An ionization apparatus comprising:
- a means for causing metal ions emitted from an ion emitter to attach to a target gas so as to produce ions of a sample gas;
- a mechanism for emitting the ions of the sample gas to a mass spectrometer having a zone in which one or both of an electric field and magnetic field are formed;
- an electrode for causing the generation of cleaning plasma provided in an ionization zone for generating the ions of the sample gas;
- and
- wherein said plasma removes deposits on components facing said ionization zone.
2 more elements
An ionization apparatus comprising:
- a means for causing metal ions emitted from an ion emitter to attach to a target gas as to produce ions of a sample gas;
- a mechanism for emitting the ions of the sample gas to a mass spectrometer having a zone in which one or both of an electric field and magnetic field are formed;
- a hollow vessel formed to have an ionization zone in which ions of the sample gas are produced, and having a wall at the ionization zone side made by an electroconductive member;
- an ion emission mechanism for emitting said metal ions;
- a discharge gas introduction mechanism for introducing a discharge gas into said ionization zone;
- an evacuation mechanism for discharging said discharge gas being introduced into said ionization zone outside of said hollow vessel;
- and
- wherein the discharge gas being introduced into said ionization zone by said discharge gas introduction mechanism while said ionization zone is evacuated by said evacuation mechanism so as to maintain it at a predetermined pressure and one of said ion emission mechanism and said hollow vessel is used as a cathode and the other is used as an anode to cause the generation of plasma in said ionization zone so as to remove a deposit on the component used as the cathode facing said ionization zone.
5 more elements
An ionization apparatus comprising:
- a means for causing metal ions emitted from an ion emitter to attach to a target gas so as to produce ions of the sample gas;
- a mechanism for emitting the ions of said sample gas to a mass spectrometer having a zone in which one or both of an electric field and magnetic field are formed;
- a plasma generation chamber having a plasma generation zone communicated with said ionization zone where the ions of said sample gas are produced, and provided with a discharge gas introduction mechanism and plasma generation mechanism;
- a plasma pull-in electrode arranged at said ionization zone;
- an evacuation mechanism for evacuating said ionization zone and plasma generation zone;
- and
- wherein said ionization zone and plasma generation zone being held at a predetermined pressure, said plasma generation zone being made to generate first plasma by said plasma generation mechanism, said first plasma being pulled into said ionization zone by the plasma pull-in electrode to cause the generation of second plasma, and thereby deposits on components facing said ionization zone being removed.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.