Bayard-Alpert hot-cathode ionization gauges are widely used for pressure measurements in the 10-3 Torr to 10-10 Torr (≈1.33 × 10-7 kPa to ≈1.33 × 10-14 kPa) pressure range. The ion current I+ in a hot-cathode ionization gauge is given by I+ = KIeP. The gauge constant is K = (I+/Ie )(1/P), where Ie is the electron current, and P the pressure. The sensitivity is given by S = KIe = I+/P. The constant K is independent of pressure below about 10-3 Torr (≈1.33 × 10-7 kPa), but it depends on the gas that is present. This table gives the sensitivity relative to nitrogen for several different gases.
Relative sensitivities for different Bayard-Alpert ionization gauges may differ by as much as ±15% as a result of differences in applied voltages, electron current, and electrode structure. The table presents the average of the measurements of 12 experimenters on Bayard-Alpert ionization gauges in various gases.
Name | Mol. form. | CAS Reg. No. | Mol. Wt. | Relative sensitivity S/S(N2) |
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Nitrogen | N2 | 7727-37-9 | 28.014 | 1.00 |
Acetylene | HC≡CH | 74-86-2 | 26.037 | 0.61 |
Allene | CH2=C=CH2 | 463-49-0 | 40.064 | 1.3 |
Argon | Ar | 7440-37-1 | 39.948 | 1.4 |
Benzene | C6H6 | 71-43-2 | 78.112 | 3.8 |
Butane | C4H10 | 106-97-8 | 58.122 | 4.3 |
Carbon dioxide | CO2 | 124-38-9 | 44.010 | 1.4 |
Carbon monoxide | CO | 630-08-0 | 28.010 | 1.0 |
Ethane | C2H6 | 74-84-0 | 30.069 | 2.6 |
Ethylene | CH2=CH2 | 74-85-1 | 28.053 | 1.3 |
Helium | He | 7440-59-7 | 4.003 | 0.18 |
Hydrogen | H2 | 1333-74-0 | 2.016 | 0.43 |
Krypton | Kr | 7439-90-9 | 83.798 | 1.9 |
Mercury | Hg | 7439-97-6 | 200.59 | 3.5 |
Methane | CH4 | 74-82-8 | 16.043 | 1.6 |
Neon | Ne | 7440-01-9 | 20.180 | 0.31 |
Oxygen | O2 | 7782-44-7 | 31.998 | 0.96 |
Propane | C3H8 | 74-98-6 | 44.096 | 3.5 |
Propene | CH3CH=CH2 | 115-07-1 | 42.080 | 1.8 |