Electron stimulated molecular desorption of a non-evaporable Zr-V-Fe alloy getter at room temperature

Electron stimulated molecular desorption (ESD) from a non-evaporable getters (NEG) St 707 registered trademark (SAES Getters trademark ) sample after conditioning and after saturation with isotopic carbon monoxide (cf. nomenclature in Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, CRC Press, 1994), **1**3C**1**8O, has been studied on a laboratory setup. Measurements were performed using an electron beam of 300 eV kinetic energy, with an average electron intensity of 1.6 multiplied by 10**1**5 electrons s**-**1. The electrons were impinging on the 15 cm **2 target surface at perpendicular incidence. It is found that the desorption yields eta (molecules/electron) of the characteristic gases in an UHV system (hydrogen, methane, water, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide) for a fully activated NEG as well as for a NEG fully saturated with **1**3C**1**8O are lower than for OFHC copper baked at 120 degree C. A small fraction only of the gas which is required to saturate the getter surface can be re-desorbed and thus appears to be accessible to ESD.