Abstract:
A vacuum leak detecting method and apparatus is disclosed. An evacuated vacuum envelope structure to be tested for leaks is probed exteriorly with a jet of probe gas, such as helium. A certain fractional proportion of probe gas constituent which leaks through the probed vacuum envelope structure is ionized by a leak detector apparatus connected in gas communication with the structure being tested. The ionized probe gas constituent is collected to produce an ion current signal. The ion current signal is monitored to obtain a measure of the partial pressure of the probe gas constituent for detecting leaks. The fractional proportion of the probe gas which is ionized is varied inversely with the partial pressure of the probe gas constituent, whereby reemission of ionically pumped gas within the pressure measuring system is minimized, in use, to decrease the recovery time of the leak detector in its high sensitivity range. In one embodiment of the present invention, a comparator circuit is provided for comparing the amplitude of the ion current signal with a reference signal to derive a control signal for controlling the intensity of a ionizing bema of electrons utilized to ionize the probe gas constituent.