MKS 390 Micro-Ion Gauge Performance After Exposure to High Pressures

TL;DR

This study evaluates the performance of MKS 390 Micro-Ion Gauges after exposure to high pressures, finding negligible impact on accuracy and leak integrity, thus supporting their reliability in high-pressure environments.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence that high-pressure exposure does not significantly affect the performance or leak integrity of MKS 390 Micro-Ion Gauges.

Findings

Differences in gauge readings were within manufacturer-specified uncertainty.

High pressure exposure did not compromise leak integrity.

Gauges maintained accuracy after exposure to 10,000 Torr.

Abstract

In certain applications, pressure transducers may be exposed to high pressures either deliberately or accidentally, raising concerns about their functionality afterwards. We compared the performance of two MKS Granville-Phillips 390 Micro-Ion Gauges against each other, one that had been exposed to 10,000 Torr and the other had never been exposed to pressures above 1000 Torr. Our results show that the differences in the readings between the gauges were within the range of uncertainty specified by the manufacturer indicating negligible impact due to the exposure to high pressure. Additionally, the high pressure exposure did not compromise the leak integrity of the gauge.