Time response of protection in event of vacuum failure based on Nude ionization gauge controller

Abstract

This article describes the design and application of fast-response vacuum protection sensor module, based on the Nude ionization gauge and a homemade controller named GH07X. A simulative test indicated that the controller’s response time was less than 200 μs when 1 atm air rushed into the vacuum system through a pulsed valve with 0.8 mm orifice nozzle and the emitting current of the Nude gauge was 4 mA. The experiment result showed that the response time mainly depended on the gas density as well as the electron emitting current of the Nude gauge filament. Compared with the vacuum protection sensors based on sputter ion pump and cold-cathode gauge, GH07X is faster and reliable besides, GH07X can be used as an ultrahigh-vacuum slow valve interlock controller with response time of 100 ms, which is faster than other gauge controllers. The widely used field–bus interface CAN and common serial interface RS232/RS485 are embedded in GH07X controller system.