Ionization vacuum gauge using a cold micropoint cathode
AssigneeCommissariat a l'Energie Atomique
InventorsRobert Baptist, Christophe Py
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Abstract
Ionization vacuum gauge comprising, like Bayard Alpert gauges, in a chamber (1) containing an extremely low pressure atmosphere, whose ultra-vacuum degree it is desired to be measured, an electron source cathode (2), a grid (3) for collecting these electrons and surrounding a collector (4) of ions resulting from the impact of the electrons on the gas molecules of the extremely low pressure atmosphere, wherein the electron source is a cold micropoint cathode.
Claims8
Ionization vacuum gauge comprising, in a chamber containing an extremely low pressure atmosphere for which it is desired to measure the ultra-vacuum degree, an electron source cathode;
- one anode grid for collecting electrons from the cathode;
- and a collector for collecting ions resulting from the impact of the electrons on the gas molecules of the low pressure atmosphere, the collector being at the center of the chamber and the anode grid being around the collector, wherein the source of electrons is a cold micropoint cathode having cathodic electrodes, micropoints, and an extraction grid and disposed in view of the collector so as to emit electrons through the anode grid toward the ion collector, the collected electrons and ions creating currents which can be processed to measure the vacuum degree.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.