AVS 61st International Symposium & Exhibition
    Vacuum Technology Monday Sessions
       Session VT-MoM

Paper VT-MoM6
The Stability of Spinning Rotor Gauges as Transfer Standards

Monday, November 10, 2014, 10:00 am, Room 303

Session: Vacuum Measurement, Calibration, and Primary Standards
Presenter: James Fedchak, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Correspondent: Click to Email

The spinning rotor gauge (SRG) has long been used as a transfer standard for high vacuum calibrations and in national and international intercomparisons of high-vacuum standards. It is typically used over a pressure range of 1 × 10-4 Pa to 1.0 Pa (10-6 Torr to 10 mTorr) and tends to be favored by metrology and calibration laboratories because of its reputation as being a very stable standard. Here we will review the stability data for SRGs used in international key comparisons. Different rotor materials and various transfer techniques have been employed in these comparisons. These will be discussed in context of the best practices and techniques that have produced the best rotor stability. Various factors which may affect rotor stability will also be discussed, and data taken at NIST as well as that found in the literature will be presented. The goal of this study is to establish the best practices for the use of a spinning rotor gauge as a transfer standard, as well as establishing the best stability that can be reasonable achieved.