Ultra-high vacuum

This paper mentions first the requirement of ultra-high vacuum (UHV) for storage rings with colliding beams, and then describes how, in the mid-1950's, the fast development of UHV technology made the construction of the Intersecting Storage Rings (ISR) possible with their 2 km of vacuum pipes at 10/sup -11/ Torr. The performance features are discussed with special emphasis on the problem of stimulated gas desorption from chamber walls. The placing of contracts for sputter-ion pumps and the need for developing sector valves at CERN is mentioned to illustrate that there was some feedback from these constructions to the general development of UHV. Finally, some problems and solutions are listed which are common to other fields where UHV is used: namely in thermonuclear fusion, space research, and manufacturing of integrated circuits.