A cold cathode ionization gauge includes multiple cathodes providing different spacings between the cathodes and an anode. The multiple cathodes allow for pressure measurements over wider ranges of pressure. A first cathode with a larger spacing may provide current based on Townsend discharge; whereas, a second cathode having a smaller spacing may provide current based on both Townsend discharge at higher pressures and on Paschen's Law discharge at still higher pressures. A feature on the second cathode may support Paschen's Law discharge. Large resistances between the cathodes and a return to power supply enable control of output profiles to extend the pressure ranges with accurate responses and avoid output minima. Pressure measurements may be made based on currents from respective cathodes dependent on the outputs of the cathodes through the wide pressure range of measurement. The multiple cathodes may also provide measurements that avoid the discontinuities found in current outputs of the respective cathodes.

Provided are: a vacuum gauge that, with a simple configuration, can accurately diagnose the degree of contamination of the vacuum gauge; and a contamination diagnosis method that, with a simple process, can accurately diagnose the degree of contamination of a vacuum gauge. Provided is a cold cathode ionization vacuum gauge that has a normal operation mode and a contamination diagnosis mode, the cold cathode ionization vacuum gauge comprising: an anode 1 and a cathode 3 that are for measuring vacuum pressure in the normal operation mode; an anode 7 and the cathode 3 that are for measuring the vacuum pressure in the contamination diagnosis mode; and a controller 10 that compares the size of a current measured between the anode 7 and the cathode 3 and the size of a current measured between the anode 1 and the cathode 3.

Provided are: a vacuum gauge that, with a simple configuration, can accurately diagnose the degree of contamination of the vacuum gauge; and a contamination diagnosis method that, with a simple process, can accurately diagnose the degree of contamination of a vacuum gauge. Provided is a cold cathode ionization vacuum gauge that has a normal operation mode and a contamination diagnosis mode, the cold cathode ionization vacuum gauge comprising: an anode 1 and a cathode 3 that are for measuring vacuum pressure in the normal operation mode; an anode 7 and the cathode 3 that are for measuring the vacuum pressure in the contamination diagnosis mode; and a controller 10 that compares the size of a current measured between the anode 7 and the cathode 3 and the size of a current measured between the anode 1 and the cathode 3.

A gauge having a housing formed of a polymer material and one or more electrical feedthrough pins disposed in the housing. The electrical feedthrough pins can be oriented substantially perpendicular to each other and have complex shapes.

A gauge having a housing formed of a polymer material and one or more electrical feedthrough pins disposed in the housing. The electrical feedthrough pins can be oriented substantially perpendicular to each other and have complex shapes.

The invention relates to an ionization vacuum measuring cell (10) comprising an evacuable housing (12) with a measurement connection for a vacuum to be measured at an end portion; a measurement chamber (14) in the housing (12), said measurement chamber being fluidically connected to the measurement connection, wherein the measurement chamber (14) is designed as a replaceable component; and a first and a second electrode (16, 18) in the measurement chamber (14), said electrodes being substantially coaxial to an axis and being arranged at a distance from each other. The measuring cell further comprises an electrically insulating and vacuum-tight feedthrough (20) for an electric supply to the second electrode (18) and a magnetization assembly which is designed to generate a magnetic field in the ionization chamber. According to the invention, the measurement chamber (14), in particular at least one of the electrodes (16, 18), comprises a magnetic material.

The invention relates to an ionization vacuum measuring cell (10) comprising an evacuable housing (12) with a measurement connection for a vacuum to be measured at an end portion; a measurement chamber (14) in the housing (12), said measurement chamber being fluidically connected to the measurement connection, wherein the measurement chamber (14) is designed as a replaceable component; and a first and a second electrode (16, 18) in the measurement chamber (14), said electrodes being substantially coaxial to an axis and being arranged at a distance from each other. The measuring cell further comprises an electrically insulating and vacuum-tight feedthrough (20) for an electric supply to the second electrode (18) and a magnetization assembly which is designed to generate a magnetic field in the ionization chamber. According to the invention, the measurement chamber (14), in particular at least one of the electrodes (16, 18), comprises a magnetic material.

A method for operating a group of pressure sensors is provided. First and second pressure sensors respectively have first and second pressure measurement ranges, and are arranged to measure the pressure in a common measurement volume, and have measurement ranges that overlap in a range. The method comprises: aa) reading out first and second measurement signals respectively from the first and second pressure sensors substantially simultaneously while the pressure in the common measurement volume is in the overlapping range; bb) stipulating the first measurement signal which has been read out as the adjustment point for the second pressure sensor; cc) determining at least one calibration parameter, in particular a gas-dependent calibration parameter, for the second pressure sensor as a function of the first measurement signal, as a function of the adjustment point for the second pressure sensor, as stipulated in bb), and as a function of the second measurement signal.

A method for operating a group of pressure sensors is provided. First and second pressure sensors respectively have first and second pressure measurement ranges, and are arranged to measure the pressure in a common measurement volume, and have measurement ranges that overlap in a range. The method comprises: aa) reading out first and second measurement signals respectively from the first and second pressure sensors substantially simultaneously while the pressure in the common measurement volume is in the overlapping range; bb) stipulating the first measurement signal which has been read out as the adjustment point for the second pressure sensor; cc) determining at least one calibration parameter, in particular a gas-dependent calibration parameter, for the second pressure sensor as a function of the first measurement signal, as a function of the adjustment point for the second pressure sensor, as stipulated in bb), and as a function of the second measurement signal.

A system of measuring and correcting for distortions in homodyne systems and a method for operating a data processing system to provide an estimate of distortions in homodyne systems are disclosed. The method for operating a data processing system to provide an estimate of a distortion introduced by a homodyne system when the homodyne system processes a time a multi-tone time domain input signal, x(t), to obtain a time domain output signal, y(t) includes receiving a frequency spectrum, X(f), of the multi-tone time domain input signal, x(t) and measuring an output frequency spectrum, Y(f), when the homodyne system operates on x(t). A plurality of parameters of a model that represents a linear frequency response of the homodyne system when operating on X(f) to arrive at Y(f) by fitting the model to Y(f) and X(f) is determined, and the model is applied to X(f) and Y(f) to estimate the distortions.