A Study of the Residual Gas Composition in the Vacuum System of the Cyclotron of the Ioffe Physical Technical Institute

Abstract

Mass spectra of residual gas molecules in vacuum system of the cyclotron of the Ioffe Physical Technical Institute (St. Petersburg) were obtained under various experimental conditions using a compact FT-200 time-of-flight mass spectrometer designed and manufactured at the institute. The measurements were performed in the vacuum chamber of cyclotron and in a terminal part of the ion guiding channel near the sample irradiation chamber. It is established that main contributions to residual gas composition in the cyclotron vacuum chamber are related to molecules of the vacuum oil (up to 82 vol %) and water molecules (up to 15–17 vol %), Water molecules also account for the main contribution (up to 63 vol %) to residual gas composition in the terminal part of the ion guiding channel near the sample irradiation chamber with a polymer film. The obtained data provide a basis for upgrade of the cyclotron complex of the Ioffe Physical Technical Institute.