Vacuum Gauges

Thermal Conductivity Gauge

• These gauges utilize the thermal conductivity of gases for the

purpose of pressure measurements.
• These gauges were used to measure pressure in the range for
which the mean free path was comparable to or greater than the
dimension across which the flow of heat occurred (in the free
molecular regime).
• This range can be extended to atmospheric pressure by utilizing
heat transfer by convection.
 The range is from 10-4 mbar/Torr to atmospheric pressure.
Thermocouple Gauge

 The thermocouple (or T/C) gauge is one of the more

common and cost effective gauges for vacuum pressure
measurement in the 1 torr to 1 millitorr range.
 Thermocouple gauge is sensitive to varying gas composition,
aging due to contamination or corrosion, and temperature
variations usually below torr causes unreliability in readings.
 Cont…..

Thermocouple Gauge

A thermistor is connected in series

with a measuring meter, and the
sensitivity loss with temperature is
compensated by the negative-
temperature-coefficient thermistor,
which increases the metering
circuit sensitivity with temperature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWfRuur0jrk
Pirani Gauge

The Pirani gauge is a robust thermal conductivity gauge used

for the measurement of the pressures in vacuum systems. It
was invented in 1906 by Marcello Pirani.

Principle
heat transported by gas molecules gas pressure

Range

1 atm - torr
 Construction & Working

 A glass bulb holding the assembly.

 Wheatstone bridge
 metal filament (usually platinum or
tungsten).
 electrical resistance of the wire is
proportional to its temperature.
 Gas molecules collision frequently with
Pirani Gauge
the filament results in cooling of the
filament.
 Cont…..

Construction & Working

 As the pressure of the gas molecules

decreases the number of gas molecules
inside the chamber also goes down
resulting in fewer collisions with the
filament. As a result the temperature of
the filament increases.
 From the variation of the resistance of Pirani Gauge
the wire one can predict the vacuum
surrounding the wire.
Spinning Rotor Gauge

 It is a friction or viscosity gauge

 Degree of deceleration of magnetically levitated spinning metal
sphere is proportional to density (viscosity) of rarefied gas
 A small (4-5 mm diameter) steel sphere
 Magnetically levitation
 Ball spinning at frequency of 400Hz by external
electromagnetic coils
 Ball rotation produces a synchronous AC voltage in pair of coils
 Signal is processed by high-speed digital circuitry
 Accuracy in range of 10-2 – 10-6 torr
 Ionization Gauge

• Ever since Penning's original publications in 1936 and 1937,

cold cathode gauges have been very popular for use in industrial
vacuum installations.
• They sense pressure indirectly by measuring the electrical ions
produced when the gas is bombarded with electrons. Fewer ions
will be produced by lower density gases.
• The calibration of an ion gauge is unstable and dependent on
the nature of the gases being measured, which is not always
known.
 Ionization Gauge

 An electron passing through a potential difference will acquire a

kinetic energy that is proportional to the potential difference

 If an electron strikes a gas molecule, the electron may knock out

an electron from the gas molecule leaving it positively charged

 Number of positive ions formed is dependent on number of gas

molecules per unit volume pressure
 Working Principle:

Ionization gauge measure vacuum by measuring the current produced by

ionized gas molecules. The gas molecules are ionized as a stream of
electrons collide with them.

An electron passing through a potential difference will acquire a kinetic

energy that is proportional to the potential difference. If this energy is large
and the electron collides with a gas molecule, the electron may knock out a
secondary electron from the gas molecule. Thus the gas molecule will be a
positively charged ion.

Number of positive ions (ion current) depends on electron current (no. of

electrons emitted by the cathode) and number of gas molecules. For a given
gas and a constant electron current, ion current become a direct measure of
number of gas molecules per unit volume that is pressure.
 Hot and Cold Cathode Gauges

 For a high- and ultrahigh-vacuum region, a variety of ionization

gauges are used. Ionization gauges are divided into two
categories, cold cathode and hot cathode.
 Hot Cathode Gauge
Involves a heated filament to produce ionization
Range: 10-2 to 10-10 torr
 Cold Cathode Gauge
Potential difference is a mean to produce ionization
Range: Upto 10-9 torr
 Cold Cathode Ionization Gage (Penning gauge):

Uses a high electric field (~4kV) between cathode and anode to draw
electrons out. High magnetic field (~1500 gauss) causes the electrons to
move towards the anode.
 Hot Cathode Ionization Gage:

 Thermionic emission generate

electrons
 Electrons collide with gas atoms and
generate positive ions.
 The ions are attracted to a suitably
biased electrode known as the
collector.
 current in the collector is
proportional to the rate of ionization,
which is a function of the pressure in
the system.
 measuring the collector current
gives the gas pressure. Schematic diagram of an
Ionization Gauge
 Cont…..

Hot Cathode Gauge

Ionization gauge of triode type

 Advantages

 Among the advantages of cold cathode gauges over hot cathode

gauges are the absence of a hot filament to cause thermal
decomposition of gases and the greater overall sensitivity.

 The pressure ranges of cold cathode gauges have been extended to

much lower values.
 Disadvantages

A number of disadvantages of the cold cathode gauge are well known,

particularly the tendency for calibration discontinuities, which limits the
accuracy, possible errors due to pumping action, and delay in starting
the gauge at low pressure.

Tendency for calibration discontinuities, which limits the accuracy,

possible errors due to pumping action.

Delay in starting the gauge at low pressure.

A Vacuum System