Partial Pressure Analysis with Residual Gas Analyzers

Date:

8:30am-4:30pm, Wednesday, May 20, 2020, Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel, Albuquerque, NM

Course Objectives

  • Provide the basic knowledge required to operate residual gas analyzers (RGAs) in vacuum applications ranging from UHV to atmospheric pressures. 

Learn:

  • Basic operation principles of mass spectrometers for residual gas analysis.
  • How to specify the best RGA system configuration for your application.
  • How to configure RGA software and process control I/O to perform gas analysis and track real-time changes in gas composition. 
  • Routine maintenance, tuning and calibration procedures.
  • Quantitative compositional analysis and process control (actionable information) options.
  • Spectral Interpretation: Quickly and effectively interpret typical RGA spectra. Monitor the quality of your vacuum process. Fingerprint your gas chamber. Chamber matching opportunities.
  • How to differentiate between background and process gases
  • Typical chemical interactions between RGAs and sampled gases.

Course Description:

This course provides the basic training required to interpret Residual Gas Analyzer (RGA) data and produce actionable information for process control applications. The operation of an RGA is described, with specific attention dedicated to the multiple tuning parameters available to RGA operators. Routine calibration, tuning and maintenance procedures are discussed. Typical RGA spectra are shown and analyzed and the interferences from background gases are highlighted. Quantitative calculations of gas concentrations are described.  Relevant literature references, gas libraries, tables and graphs are presented. A portion of time is always reserved to address the specific needs of the group. 

Who Should Attend?

Scientists, engineers and technicians who use or plan to use residual gas analyzers in research applications or in support of high vacuum industrial processes.

Instructor:  Gerardo Brucker (Granville-Phillips Division of MKS Instruments)

Gerardo Brucker is Chief Scientist and CTO working at the Granville-Phillips Division of MKS Instruments, located in Longmont, CO.  Since 1992 he has been involved in the development and commercialization of scientific instrumentation including quadrupole mass analyzers, ion trap mass spectrometers, high vacuum gauging, time-of-flight mass spectrometers, thermal analysis instrumentation and advanced quartz crystal microbalance systems.  He received a B.S. in analytical chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina) and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO.)  He was responsible for the creation of the Vacuum and Analytical Products division at Stanford Research Systems, Inc. and is presently the CTO for the Pressure Measurement and Process Solutions Groups of MKS Instruments.

Course Materials

Course notes

Cost:  $690
Full time university student: $50

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