ionpumpa

An ion pump is a type of vacuum pump that uses electric and magnetic fields to move ions. This movement of ions then causes neutral gas molecules to be pumped out of a vacuum chamber. Ion pumps are typically used to achieve ultra-high vacuum levels, often in scientific research and industrial applications where extremely low pressures are required.

There are several types of ion pumps, with the diode sputter-ion pump and the triode sputter-ion pump being common examples. In a diode sputter-ion pump, an electric field accelerates ions towards a cathode made of a reactive metal, such as titanium. When the ions strike the cathode, they sputter atoms from the cathode material. These sputtered atoms then react with gas molecules entering the pump, effectively trapping them and removing them from the vacuum. Triode pumps add a third electrode to further enhance pumping speed and efficiency.

The primary advantage of ion pumps is their ability to generate and maintain very low pressures without requiring any moving parts or working fluids. This makes them highly reliable and suitable for long-term operation in sealed systems. However, ion pumps have limitations. They are not effective at pumping large volumes of gas quickly, and their pumping speed can decrease as pressure increases. Additionally, the sputtering process can contaminate the vacuum chamber with cathode material, which may be undesirable in certain applications. Despite these limitations, ion pumps remain a crucial technology for achieving and maintaining ultra-high vacuum conditions.