Ion pump how does it work

Ion Pump. PST Series. PST Series Controller. This website use cookies to obtain and use access data to understand the convenience and usage of customers. If you agree to use cookies, click "I Accept". What is an Ion Pump? Advantage Disadvantage Peaks ultra-high and extreme-high vacuum. Ion getter pumps , also called sputter ion pumps or simply ion pumps, are highly effective, quiet, and require little maintenance, making this technology an attractive choice for various ultra-high vacuum UHV applications.

Ion pumps make use of a large magnetic field within an isolated chamber and use high voltages to pull electrons into the assembly. They rely on the sputtering of getter materials located inside a series of cells and through the implantation, or burial, of the ions produced. During operation, the gas molecules pumped by chemisorption and physisorption become permanently bound and are no longer able to contribute to the chamber's pressure.

CV ion pumps provide the highest possible speed for reactive gases, as well as superior vacuum and electrical stability. However, this ion getter pump type does not allow for long-term stability for pumping noble gases. CV pumps use a cathode material created from titanium, which reacts with getter-able gases that can be pumped through chemisorption — for example, N2, O2, H2, CO, CO2 water vapor, and light hydrocarbons.

Non-reactive noble gases are pumped mainly through ion implantation, which is why CV pumps operate at a significantly reduced speed when handling noble gases. DI or noble diode ion pumps perform at a slightly slower speed than CV ion pumps. However, the DI pump does allow for stable noble gas pumping at only slightly reduced speeds. DI pumps use cathode material created from higher-priced tantalum, an extremely hard, high atomic mass material. The electrons are bound into tight spiral paths by a permanent magnet of 0.

The ions created then bombard the titanium cathode plate. The bombardment causes the sputtering of Titanium atoms from the cathode lattice. This results in deposits on surrounding surfaces of sputtered film. This film produces pumping via gettering i. There are three types of ion getter pump elements: the conventional diode CV , the differential ion DI or noble diode , and triode. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages, as listed below:.

It does not, however, provide long-term stability for the pumping of noble gases. That said, it does use higher priced materials. On the down side, ultra-high vacuum UHV pumping speed is reduced, electrical instability is common, and the manufacturing costs are higher. The main difference between conventional, differential and triode pumps is the cathode material used. The titanium cathode will react with getterable gases which can be pumped by chemisorption e.

Tantalum is an extremely hard, high atomic mass material.