Current Collaborators: A. I. Akinwande (EECS), D. Jeng (EECS), X. Wang (EECS), V. Jayanti (EECS)
Funding: DARPA/MTO
There are multiple systems such as mass spectrometers, travelling wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs), and plasma displays that require to operate a pressure level smaller than the atmospheric pressure. Parallel to the development of scaled-down systems that require vacuum, suitable pump hardware is needed to satisfy the pressure requirements with low power and good reliability. We have recently started a project that looks to explore the use of field electron impact ionization and field ionization in combination with getter structures to produce vacuum. Our goal is to develop ionizers that can work at high pressure and integrate them with low-voltage getter structures to collect the ions to this way produce vacuum.
Under construction…