Calibration of a Quadrupole Gas Analyzer Using a Reference Gas*

A quadrupole gas analyzer system was calibrated for the gases H2, He, N2, 02, A, and Xe. The procedure involved first calibrating the system for argon, as the reference gas. This was done using conventional techniques. A mixture of the above gases was then introduced into the system to be calibrated. The system configuration was such that the ratio of the partial pressures of each of the test gases with respect to the reference gas would be unity in the absence of sorption processes within the test envelope. Near ideal calibration characteristics of the quadupole combining the properties of the ion injection system, mass filter, and ion collector are given for Hz, He, N2, and Xe. The indicated partial pressure of oxygen was, under most test conditions, 10 -3 to 10 -2 times that of the reference gas.