Cold cathode ionization vacuum gauge
AssigneeMKS Instruments, Inc.
InventorsGerardo A. Brucker, Timothy C. Swinney, Brandon J. Kelly
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cold cathode ionization vacuum gauge includes an extended anode electrode and a cathode electrode surrounding the anode electrode along its length and forming a discharge space between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The vacuum gauge further includes an electrically conductive guard ring electrode interposed between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode about a base of the anode electrode to collect leakage electrical current, and a discharge starter device disposed over and electrically connected with the guard ring electrode, the starter device having a plurality of tips directed toward the anode and forming a gap between the tips and the anode.
Claims27
A cold cathode ionization vacuum gauge comprising:
- an extended anode electrode;
- a cathode electrode surrounding the anode electrode along its length and forming a discharge space between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode;
- an electrically conductive guard ring electrode interposed between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode about a base of the anode electrode to collect leakage electrical current;
- and
- a discharge starter device disposed over and electrically connected with the guard ring electrode, the starter device having a plurality of tips directed toward the anode and forming a gap between the tips and the anode.
A cold cathode ionization vacuum gauge comprising:
- an extended anode electrode post;
- a cathode electrode surrounding the anode electrode along its length and forming a discharge space between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode;
- and
- a removable anode sleeve comprising a thin walled tube on the anode post that provides an electrical connection to the anode post and shields the anode post surface from contaminants.
A cold cathode ionization vacuum gauge comprising:
- an extended anode electrode;
- a cathode electrode surrounding the anode electrode along its length and forming a discharge space between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, the cathode electrode having an opening to receive gas from a monitored chamber;
- and
- a baffle across the opening of the cathode to limit flow of sputtered material to the chamber.
A method of performing maintenance of a cold cathode ionization vacuum gauge having an anode post and a cathode, the method comprising:
- removing and replacing an anode sleeve comprising a thin walled tube on the anode post that provides an electrical connection to the anode post and shields the anode post surface from contaminants.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.