MINIATURIZED DEVICE FOR MEASUREMENTS OF PRESSURE OVER A VERY WIDE RANGE, OF GAS CONCENTRATIONS AND RESIDUAL GAS ANALYSIS

摘要

A miniaturized device 1 for pressure measurements over a very wide range and for gas concentration measurements is described. The device comprises at least one first electro-mechanical miniaturized sensor member 11 configured to detect a first pressure value P₁ and generate a first electrical signal Si representative of the first pressure value P₁, and further comprises an ionization-based detection member 19, configured to detect a second pressure value P₂, and generate a second electrical signal S₂ depending on the amount of ions detected and representative of the second pressure value P₂. The ionization-based detection member 19 comprises an ionization source 21, an ionization region 20, ion extraction means 22 and at least one ion detector 23, configured to detect ions and generate the above-mentioned second electrical signal S₂. The device 1 further comprises controlled flow opening/closing means 90, configured to control a fluidic communication between the ionization-based detection member 19 and an environment in which the first sensor member 11 is located. Also comprised in the device 1 are electronic processing means 10, operatively connected to said first sensor member 11 and to the ionization-based detection member 19, and configured to determine a measured pressure value P based on the first S₁ and/or second S₂ detected electrical signals. The electronic processing means 10 are further operatively connected to the controlled flow opening/closing means 90 and further configured to control the condition thereof. The device 1 finally comprises interface means 15, operatively connected to the electronic processing means 10 and configured to output the measured pressure value P. The first sensor member 11, the ionization-based detection member 19, the controlled flow opening/closing means 90, the electronic processing means 10 and the interface means 15 are comprised in a single integrated device.