Inštitut
Workshop on measurement characteristics and use of quadrupole mass spectrometers for vacuum applications
Motivation of the workshop
Quadrupole mass spectrometers are nowadays not only used for leak detection and residual gas analysis in vacuum but also as an instrument to provide quantitative analysis in processes and to control processes like physical and chemical vapour deposition, etch processes and other. On the other hand, quadrupole mass spectrometers are difficult to calibrate and at present there is no traceability to any national primary standard, hence the SI. It is known that the total pressure, the composition of the gas mixture, the settings of the mass spectrometer have a significant influence on its sensitivity for a special gas, its measurement uncertainty and the interpretation of a spectrum. For these reasons Euramet and the EU decided to fund the project IND12 "Vacuum metrology for production environments", in which the metrological characteristics of quadrupole mass spectrometers shall be investigated and the key parameters identified needed for a possible calibration.
This workshop is more meant as a discussion forum than a presentation of obtained results though these will be needed for the discussion. We cordially invite you to participate in this exciting field and to attend the workshop.
Conference objectives
The workshop shall be a step towards a reasonable calibration scheme of quadrupole mass spectrometers. This will be achieved by exchange of information between experts that know of the industrial applications of quadrupole mass spectrometers as well as experts who design them and experts who have investigated the metrological characteristics of them.
Main topics
Applications of quadrupole mass spectrometers
- in the vacuum industry (leak testing, outgassing rate measurement, residual gas analysis)
- in calibration laboratories
- in the coating and semiconductor industry (PVD, CVD, etching)
- for gas purification
- for surface analysis
Metrological characteristics of quadrupole mass spectrometers
- definitions and important parameters
- behaviour of components of the instrument
- dependence of sensitivity on total pressure and gas mixture
- dependence of sensitivity on settings
- long-term stability and reproducibility
- interpretation of a spectrum
- present and future developments
