AVS 46th International Symposium
    Vacuum Technology Division Tuesday Sessions
       Session VT-TuM

Paper VT-TuM1
Recommended Practice for Calibrating Vacuum Gauges of the Thermal Conductivity Type

Tuesday, October 26, 1999, 8:20 am, Room 610

Session: Total and Partial Pressure Gauging
Presenter: A.P. Miiller, National Institute for Standards and Technology
Authors: A.P. Miiller, National Institute for Standards and Technology
R.E. Ellefson, Leybold Inficon Inc.
Correspondent: Click to Email
Thermal conductivity gauges (TCGs) are used extensively in the pressure range of the order of 10@super -1@ Pa (10@super -3@ Torr) to atmosphere. This presentation summarizes the content of a recently completed Recommended Practice for calibration of thermal conductivity gauges. The recommended calibration hardware references capacitance diaphragm gauges as the transfer standard for a practical calibration gauge. The vacuum system and gas handling methods are also presented. The calibration methods recommended are similar to those used by manufacturers for factory calibrations of their TCGs. The expected accuracy of a TCG is in the range of 5 % to 20 % of reading. This recommended practice provides users with a method for their calibration as well as good practices for the use of these gauges in vacuum applications.