B2 - Schoonover, Inc.

Residual Gas and Process Gas Analyzers
Transpector® XPR Gas Analysis System
Transpector ® XPR 2 Gas Analysis System
Transpector XPR 2 is a technological breakthrough in quadrupole-based
process gas analysis, moving well beyond conventional leak detection
application in a production environment. ItÕs the first gas analyzer with an
extended pressure range to operate from 20 mTorr down to ultrahigh
vacuum without the need for complex pressure conversion systems.
Innovative Sensor Design
Because the mean free path (the average distance that an ion travels
before interacting with a gas molecule) becomes much smaller at higher
gas pressures, Transpector XPR 2 employs a unique miniature sensor
design to permit operation at gas pressures as high as 20 mTorr without
compromising high-quality performance. This new sensor, 10 times smaller
than the sensor in a conventional RGA, provides a short path for signal ions
to travel to reach the detector, eliminating the effect of collisional losses.
The remarkable engineering and proprietary manufacturing of Transpector
XPR 2 operates at extended pressure ranges and establishes new limits of
precision and tolerance critical to accurate, reliable performance on a
repeatable basis.
Miniature Quadrupole
Precise dimensions and alignment of the four rods (quadrupoles) of a mass
filter are critical to achieve accurate and reliable performance specifications.
Assembly techniques used to manufacture quadrupole sensors do not scale
down with the exacting precision required of an extended pressure range
sensor. Transpector XPR 2 takes advantage of revolutionary manufacturing
methods (patented and patent pending) to produce a sensor with
uncompromised performance.
Exact alignment of the filter rods in Transpector XPR 2 delivers excellent
mass resolution and overall performance. Without it, peaks begin to blend,
and, in designs employing multiple quadrupole arrays, performance
problems increase proportionally. While arrays may transmit signals
generated in the ion source, they can result in smaller peaks being
obscured by larger peaks lacking good definition, or the appearance of
false peaks due to inaccurate mass filtering. The INFICON proprietary
manufacturing process eliminates the mechanical assembly of the filter rods
and produces an exceptionally accurate quadrupole. This innovative design
allows Transpector XPR to scan a mass range from 0 to 100 amu with less
than 1 amu resolution at 10% of the peak height (per AVS standard 2.3)
and operate up to 20 mTorr.
Dual lon Source
In the past, total pressure measurement in quadrupole systems has always
been compromised by conventional ion source designs. Now, the
Transpector XPR 2 patented dual ion source supplies one ion stream to the
quadrupole filter for partial pressure measurement and a second ion stream
to a total pressure collector. The Transpector XPR 2 dual-ion source allows
continuous total pressure measurement comparable to the accuracy
expected of an ion gauge.
This innovative dual ion source approach aids in measurement accuracy
in the millitorr range by correcting for high-pressure sensitivity loss.
The unique interplay between each of the ion sources eliminates the
problems of conventional single ion source sensors Ð nonlinear response
and degradation of data quality at higher pressures.
Transpector XPR 2 ion source has dual-electron energy capability,
software-switchable between 40 and 70 eV. This eliminates spectral
interference due to peaks from doubly charged ions. For example, the
doubly ionized argon 36 isotope peak (m/z = 36 amu/2 + = 18) will mask
low levels of H 2 O (m/z = 18 amu/1 + = 18). Transpector XPR 2 lower
electron energy provides a significant advantage when extreme sensitivity
for monitoring water vapor in the presence of argon is required.
The filament material is yttrium-coated iridium. It provides long lifetime and
resistance to burnout due to accidental overpressure. Filament assemblies
are easily replaced in the field to meet the requirements of your production
uptime.
EM/FC Detector
Transpector XPR 2 employs a combination electron multiplier/Faraday Cup
detector for acute sensitivity for leak detection and residual gas analysis in
high vacuum systems. The Faraday Cup is used when sampling at higher
pressures (typically above 1 x 10 -5 Torr), providing a minimum detectable
partial pressure (MDPP) of 1 x 10 -9 Torr, or better than 10 parts per million
(ppm). Turning on the electron multiplier at lower pressures increases the
MDPP to 3 x 10 -12 Torr. This dual-detector system in Transpector XPR 2
provides excellent performance for wide-ranging vacuum pressures
and applications.
Crystal-Controlled RF Prevents Peak Drift
Significant electronic advances have been made in RF and preamplifier
circuitry. With the introduction of Transpector XPR 2, there is no need for
routine tuning of peak position and resolution, because Transpector XPR 2
RF circuitry is crystal-controlled. It provides superior system stability by
virtually eliminating peak drift, providing accurate and reliable data.
In addition, the Transpector XPR 2 new preamplifier measurement
algorithm improves the signal to noise ratio, allowing detection of currents
to 1 x 10 -15 amps.
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