Ion pump with monitoring system
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsTiziano Isoardi, Paolo Manassero, Luca Bonmassar, Sara Drovandi, Marco Marzot, Paolo Vassallo
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Abstract
An ion pump, preferably a vacuum pump operating at ultra-high vacuum, comprises an electron trap, preferably a Penning cell, configured to generate an electron plasma. The ion pump further comprises a monitoring system configured to measure a parameter of or relating to the electron plasma. Based on the measurement of the parameter, the monitoring system determines whether the ion pump is in an ON state or an OFF state. In the ON state the electron plasma is generated. In the OFF state no electron plasma is generated.
Claims15
An ion pump, preferably a vacuum pump operating at ultra-high vacuum, comprising:
- an electron trap, preferably a Penning cell, configured to generate an electron plasma, and
- a monitoring system configured to measure a parameter of or relating to the electron plasma, and, based on the measurement of the parameter, determine whether the ion pump is in an ON state or an OFF state, wherein in the ON state the electron plasma is generated, and in the OFF state no electron plasma is generated.
A method for operating an ion pump, preferably a vacuum pump operating at ultra-high vacuum, comprising an electron trap, preferably a Penning cell, configured to generate an electron plasma, the method comprises:
- measuring a parameter of or relating to the electron plasma, and
- determining, based on the measurement of the parameter, whether the ion pump is in an ON state or an OFF state, wherein in the ON state the electron plasma is generated, and in the OFF state no electron plasma is generated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.