What are the advantages of using an Extorr over just a total pressure gauge?
Most vacuum systems are outfitted with a total pressure measurement device such as an ion gauge, Penning gauge or Pirani gauge. An Extorr on a vacuum system is able to measure pressures from atmosphere to Ultra High Vacuum with its built-in Pirani and Ion gauge. All of these gauges will indicate how much total gas remains in the vacuum system. When the required level of vacuum can not be reached, other total pressure gauges can give no further information as to why. Unlike the other gauges, Extorrs residual gas analyzer (RGA) quadrupole mass spectrometer can identify the problem in seconds. The failure to achieve the desired vacuum level may be due to an air leak, hydrocarbon contamination, excess water vapor or maybe the presence of a cleaning solvent. The RGA will identify the problem gases and thereby rapidly pinpoint the steps required to solve the problem.
