In this blog post, I break down what you can expect from the book in each of its major sections, and offer suggestions on how it can best add value as part of your regular research and development routine.
Vacuum and Ultravacuum: Physics and Technology
Igor Bello
ISBN: 978-1-4987-8204-3
CRC Press, 2018 available as hardback or e-book
At over 1000 pages long, this excellent book by Professor Bello takes the award for the largest vacuum text on my bookshelf! It’s worth noting at the outset that the unusual title reflects the author’s designation of Ultra High and Extreme High Vacuum simply as ‘Ultravacuum.’
In this blog post, I break down what you can expect from the book in each of its major sections, and offer suggestions on how it can best add value as part of your regular research and development routine.
The book is split into 3 sections: Physics of Low Pressures, Vacuum Production and Low Pressure Measurements.
Physics of Low Pressures
The first section focuses on the Physics of Low Pressures offers an in-depth review and analysis of fundamental quantities, kinetic theory, thermodynamics and real gases, transport phenomena, molecular collisions, gas flow and a substantial treatment of sorption phenomena.
A great way to approach this (and the following sections of the text), is by pairing the theory with tools available on the Vacuum Science World website. These can help as you work your way through some examples and calculations. The Vacuum Calculation Tool, for instance, is a fantastic resource as you apply what you’ve learned to the principles of vacuum chamber evacuation.
Vacuum Production
The second section focuses upon Vacuum Production, describing oil sealed and dry running mechanical displacement pumps, kinetic pumps (including turbomolecular pumps and diffusion pumps) and capture pumps (including diffusion and ion getter/NEG pumps).
Non-Evaporable Getters (NEG) | Products | Gamma Vacuum | The Science of Advanced Vacuum
Large TiTan Ion Pumps | Products | Gamma Vacuum | The Science of Advanced Vacuum
Related: There’ve been some exciting developments in the world of Ultra-High Vacuum technology recently. Check out this blog post for an update on the new UHV/XHV pumps at the Alba Synchrotron and Argonne Laboratory.
Low Pressure Measurements
The final section discusses Low Pressure Measurements, with a thorough review of total and partial pressure gauges including fascinating sections on gauges with radioactive emitters and electrostatic energy analyzers. These are followed by a description of gas flow measurements and controls, and leak detection techniques and methods. While the fundamentals of pressure measurement are found in easily accessible texts like Vacuum Science World’s eBook, Simple Guide To Vacuum Measurement, or blog posts like When To Use Direct vs Indirect Gauges, it’s good to have a reference work on hand that digs a little deeper.
My recommendation? Start with the Simple Guide to Vacuum Measurement, or this guide to The Fundamentals of High, Ultra-High & Extreme High Vacuum, and then revert to Bello’s tomb when your work (or interest) inspires you to unpack the details.
The book is illustrated throughout with first principle derivations, colour figures and calculated examples based on physical models. Each section is very clearly and comprehensively treated with over 1100 references spanning more than 150 years of scientific research.
Vacuum and Ultravacuum is highly recommended as an extremely valuable addition to the resources of novice and expert vacuum practitioners alike, especially as a reference partner to digital texts such as that available through the Vacuum Science World Resource Library.
All you need to do to access their free eBooks on a range of Vacuum-related topics, is click the button below.
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