Atmospheric pressure sample inlet for mass spectrometers

An inlet for a mass spectrometer has been developed for direct sampling of gases over a wide range of pressure (1–760 Torr). The sample inlet is composed of two small orifices that form a pressure reduction region. These orifices are used to limit the flow of sample gas into the mass spectrometer. The pressure inside the pressure reduction region is regulated by a needle valve and a vacuum pump. The flow of gas through the orifices is viscous. The inlet is made of stainless steel and operated at high temperature to prevent surface adsorption and corrosion. Its adaptability to a wide range of pressures is very useful for monitoring process gases during manufacturing processes of microelectronic devices. This inlet can be used for effluent gas analysis at 760 Torr as well as for in situ monitoring of the semiconductor equipment at pressures less than 5 Torr. The inlet provides a fast response to changes in the constituents of gas samples without memory effects. The sample inlet has been tested extensively i...