Challenges of high vacuum pumping based on impact ionization and implantation processes

Electron impact ionization and ion implantation processes were performed in a miniature test chamber (0.7 cm³) to investigate the possibility of high vacuum pumping. The test chamber can be connected to or isolated from a pressure-controlled vacuum chamber for precise control of the initial experimental conditions. Despite, ion implantation into the getter (confirmed by SIMS measurements) at quantities 50× of the gas phase molecules, the pressure of the chamber increased during operation of the field emitter array. This pressure rise can be attributed to outgassing of the surface adsorbed molecules due to electron bombardment.