• News
  • Press Releases
  • Solar

Take a look inside a vacuum gauge: Pfeiffer Vacuum publishes easy-to-understand videos that explain how to choose the right measurement principle


Asslar, Germany, 19. April 2023. To assist in choosing the right measurement principle, Pfeiffer Vacuum has made helpful explanatory videos that give a detailed insight into the inner workings and functionality of vacuum gauges. If the target vacuum is to be successfully measured and controlled, it is essential to select the right measurement gauge.

“Pressures and pressure curves must be maintained with precision if you wish to achieve optimal efficiency in production and the highest level of product quality. Our vacuum gauges are important quality indicators. Modern technology makes it possible to carry out total pressure measurements from atmospheric pressure through to ultra-high vacuum, covering all vacuum ranges precisely. We explain the relevant measurement principles in five videos: From capacitive through to piezo, Pirani, cold cathode and hot cathode measurement”, explains Patrick Walther, Strategic Product Manager Instruments at Pfeiffer Vacuum.

Important questions are addressed in detail: “How exactly does physics apply in a vacuum gauge?” or “How can the properties of the gas be used to deduce the total pressure?”

The video on capacitive vacuum measurement shows how the diaphragm inside the gauge moves in relation to changes in the total pressure.

In the case of piezo-resistive vacuum measurement, viewers learn how the strain resistances in the diaphragm change depending on the pressure. The video on Pirani vacuum measurement explains how a thermal conductivity vacuum gauge works. It shows clearly how the transfer of heat through the vacuum inside the gauge is dependent on the total pressure. It also demonstrates how the heat transfer and thus the displayed pressure depend on the type of gas. The video on cold cathode vacuum measurement shows how gas molecules are ionized by high-voltage electricity to create a plasma. In the video on hot cathode vacuum measurement, you will see how a hot cathode transmitter works and how the gas molecules are ionized by electrons emitted from a hot heating filament.