Performance Study of the Orbitron Ionization Gauge

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Abstract
Recent work has provided better understanding of orbitron gauge performance and has led to substantial improvements. Coupling between the filament and the central field is a major factor controlling linearity, sensitivity, and oscillations. Positive ion emission from the filament, excess energy electrons reaching the ion collector and x-ray photocurrent are factors which can cause errors at low pressure. The present design is very simple with little structure inside the gauge to perturb pressure measurements. Gauge sensitivity has been increased by a factor of four, so only a 1-μA electron current is now required to produce the same ion current obtained from an 8-mA emission in the Bayard-Alpert gauge. Total power input to the gauge is less than 100 mW. The ion current is approximately linear with pressure from 10−11−10−5 Torr. The linear region can be extended to 10−2 Torr by operation in a non-orbiting mode.

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