Glow-discharge ion-sorption micropump for vacuum MEMS

Glow-discharge ion-sorption, magnetic-field-enhanced, MEMS silicon/glass high vacuum micropump has been shown. The 20 mm × 12 mm × 3.4 mm pump (dead volume circa 0.08 cm3) pumps 25 cm3 chamber down to 5 × 10−6 hPa (mbar) in several minutes, self-pumping limit is 3 × 10−7 hPa. Preliminary tests have shown no significant degradation of the device at least for 3 h of the continuous work.