Sorption of Activated Gases by Titanium Films

Abstract

GALE¹ has shown that the rate of gas sorption of an evaporated titanium film is enhanced by a Penning gauge connected to the getter vessel, and experiments are in progress in my laboratory to determine the nature of the sorption process when the gas is activated in this manner. In a recent communication it has been shown that the rate of gas sorption of titanium films for air, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen are a function of the current flowing in the Penning head², even when the metal film is at a positive potential and therefore repels positive ions. The increase in the rate of sorption of active gases greatly exceeds that due to the pumping action of the Penning head, but inert gas atoms are only sorbed by the Penning head and are probably embedded in metal sputtered from the cold cathodes.