Vacuumtechnik

Vacuumtechnik, or vacuum technology, is the engineering and science of creating and maintaining low-pressure environments in which gas molecules are significantly reduced. It encompasses the physical principles of gas flow, surface outgassing, materials selection, seal technology, vacuum equipment, instrumentation, and process control for a wide range of applications.

Vacuum levels are described by pressure and are commonly expressed in units such as pascals, millibars, and Torr. In practice, the field distinguishes rough vacuum, high vacuum, and ultra-high vacuum. Rough vacuum covers pressures near atmospheric down to about 10^−3 to 10^−1 mbar; high vacuum ranges roughly from 10^−3 to 10^−9 mbar; ultra-high vacuum lies below about 10^−9 mbar. These ranges guide the choice of pumps and measurement methods. Vacuum gauges include Pirani, cold cathode, and ionization types, each suitable for different pressure regions.

The generation of vacuum relies on pumps and collection methods. Positive-displacement pumps such as rotary vane or scroll pumps achieve rough to high vacuum and are often backed by larger backing pumps. For higher performance, turbomolecular pumps, cryopumps, diffusion pumps, and ion pumps are used, sometimes in combination. Material selection and surface treatment minimize outgassing, while seals range from elastomeric O-rings (for non-cryogenic areas) to metal seals in high- and ultra-high-vacuum systems. Bake-out, leak testing, and proper venting are standard practices to maintain desired vacuum levels.

Applications span semiconductor manufacturing, thin-film coating, electron microscopy, vacuum furnaces, degassing and distillation, mass spectrometry, and research laboratories. Vacuumtechnik remains essential for processes requiring isolated environments, precise control of contamination, and reduced thermal conduction, enabling advances across science and industry.