Abstract:
Chamber (11, 12, 13) for bounding a plasma generation area (42) in a vacuum pressure sensor (40), wherein the chamber comprises an electrically conductive casing element (1, 1′, 1″) located radially on the outside relative to a central axis, wherein the chamber comprises electrically conductive wall elements (2, 2′, 2″) arranged substantially perpendicular to the central axis and connected to the casing element, wherein at least one of the wall elements has a first opening (3), through which the central axis extends, wherein the casing element comprises at least a first (B1) and a second region (B2), wherein the first region is located closer to the central axis than the second region. The invention further relates to a vacuum pressure sensor comprising the chamber.
Abstract:
Devices and corresponding methods are provided to operate a hot cathode ionization pressure gauge (HCIG). A transistor circuit can be configured to pass the electron emission current with low input impedance and to control cathode bias voltage. Emission current and cathode bias voltage can be controlled independently of each other, without a servo settling time. HCIGs can be calibrated with respect to leakage current.
Abstract:
An ionization gauge that measures pressure has an electron source that emits electrons, and an anode that defines an ionization space. The gauge also includes a collector electrode to collect ions formed by an impact between the electrons and a gas and to measure pressure based on the collected ions. The electron source is dynamically varied in emission current between a plurality of emission levels dependent on pressure and a second parameter other than pressure. The ionization gauge may also vary various operating parameters of the gauge components according to parameters stored in a non-volatile memory and selected by a user.
Abstract:
An ionized gas detector includes at least a pair of ion detecting electrodes that detect ions of the ionized measuring-subject gas, an electrode-voltage applying unit that applies a given voltage to the ion detecting electrodes, the electrode-voltage applying unit being configured to be capable of reversing its voltage polarity, a charge amplifier circuit having a charge capacitor that accumulates electric charges generated by voltage application by the electrode-voltage applying unit, an ion current calculating unit that calculates the value of an ion current of ions of the measuring-subject gas, based on a time-dependent change of the volume of electric charges accumulated in the charge capacitor of the charge amplifier circuit, and a concentration determining unit that determines the concentration of the measuring-subject gas, based on an ion current value calculated by the ion current calculating unit.
Abstract:
Disclosed is an ion gage using a carbon nano-tube, more specifically a pressure sensor using a field emission of the carbon nano-tube. An array of carbon nano-tubes is formed on a metallic layer. A first grid is disposed on the array of the carbon nano-tubes. A second grid is disposed on the first grid in such a manner as to be spaced apart by a certain desired distance from the first grid. A collector is disposed on the second grid in such a manner as to be spaced apart by a certain desired distance from the second grid. Electrons emitted from the carbon nano-tube are collided with gas molecules to be ionized. The ionized cation is sensed by the collector to be outputted as an electrical signal.
Abstract:
Disclosed is an ion gage using a carbon nano-tube, more specifically a pressure sensor using a field emission of the carbon nano-tube. An array of carbon nano-tubes is formed on a metallic layer. A first grid is disposed on the array of the carbon nano-tubes. A second grid is disposed on the first grid in such a manner as to be spaced apart by a certain desired distance from the first grid. A collector is disposed on the second grid in such a manner as to be spaced apart by a certain desired distance from the second grid. Electrons emitted from the carbon nano-tube are collided with gas molecules to be ionized. The ionized cation is sensed by the collector to be outputted as an electrical signal.
Abstract:
A plasma processing method using a spectroscopic processing unit which includes separating spectrally plasma radiation emitted from a vacuum process chamber into component spectra, converting the component spectra into a time series of analogue electric signals composed of different wavelength components at a predetermined period, adding together analogue signals of the different wavelength components, converting a plurality of added signals into digital quantities on a predetermined-period basis, digitally adding together the plurality of added and converted signals a plural number of times on a plural-signal basis, determining discriminatively an end point of a predetermined plasma process on the basis of a signal resulting from the digital addition step, and terminating the predetermined plasma process.
Abstract:
A plasma processing method using a spectroscopic processing unit. The method includes separating spectrally plasma radiation emitted from a vacuum process chamber into component spectra, converting the component spectra into a time series of analogue electric signals composed of different wavelength components at a predetermined period, adding together analogue signals of the different wavelength components, converting a plurality of added signals into digital quantities on a predetermined-period basis, digitally adding together the plurality of added and converted signals a plural number of times on a plural-signal basis, determining discriminatively an end point of a predetermined plasma process on the basis of a signal resulting from the digital addition, and terminating the predetermined plasma process.
Abstract:
A method for linearizing the sensitivity of a quadrupole mass spectrometric system to allow the sensor to more accurately report partial pressures of a gas in high pressure areas in which the reported data is effected by a number of loss mechanisms. According to the invention, correction factors can be applied empirically or software in a quadrupole mass analyzer system can be equipped with correcting software to expand the useful range of the mass spectrometer.
Abstract:
Regarding a gas pressure gage for measuring a gas pressure in a vacuum chamber of a semiconductor element manufacturing apparatus, or the like, the present invention has made it possible to attain a small-sized and unitary gas pressure gage and to implement a thorough measurement of gas pressure from the atmospheric pressure to a high vacuum of about 10.sup.-10 Torr, by mounting both a mechanical vibrator type pressure gage and an ionization type pressure gage on a flange provided for fitting a chamber and by providing a control circuit for making the former gage operate in a low-vacuum region and the latter in a high-vacuum region.