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Mass Spectrometers for Residual Gas 

Analysis - RGA

For Applications in a Vacuum Environment
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

• Mass range options to 5000 amu

• Single and Triple filter options

• 6, 9 or 20 mm diameter rods

• Networking interface

• Ioniser options including 

Cross beam, Platinum, Vacuum Fired

Applications Include:

• RGA

• Gas Analysis

• Plasma Characterisation

• UHV Surface Science

• SIMS

Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

RGA Overview

The Hiden Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer for Residual Gas Analysis is suitable for 

vacuum print analysis, leak detection and trend analysis.

Features include:

• High sensitivity helium leak detection, mass selectable for alternative search gases

• Advanced analysis capability for complex gas interpretation

• Data presentation as mass peak ratios for highest stability and accuracy

• Twin burnout-resistant oxide coated iridium filaments

• User-programmable multi-tasking firmware for creation of process-specific control and 

data acquisition functions

• Industry best 3-year warranty and lifetime service support
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

RGA Applications

• Vacuum Diagnostics

• Leak detection

• Contamination analysis

• Semiconductor production

• Vacuum process analysis

• Reactive sputtering closed loop control

• Vacuum furnace monitoring

• Molecular beam studies, MBE

• UHV/XHV surface science

• UHV TPD

The Hiden Residual Gas Analyser can be used for a wide variety of applications, including:
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Specification Levels

HALO: Single filter mass spectrometer for multi-purpose HV/UHV applications

3F: Triple filter mass spectrometer for precise analytical capability

3F-PIC: Triple filter mass spectrometer with pulse ion counting detector for fast event 

studies
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

• Interchangeable gauge heads and control modules reduce operational and aftersales 

support costs.

• Mass range options 100, 200 and 300 amu.

• Dual Faraday / Electron Multiplier

detector with partial pressure range 

10-4 mbar to 10-13 mbar.

• DN-35-CF (23⁄4"/70mm O.D. Conflat-type).

• Insertion length: 204mm

• RF Head Dimensions: Height –

117mm, Width - 104mm, Depth 

- 195mm.

• Fast speed – up to 500 measurements

per second (but through 1 decade only).

Electron Multiplier Detector

Hiden RGA-HALO Features
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Why have a triple filter?

Two main advantages:

1. Strict control over the quadrupole entrance and exit fields 

provides enhanced sensitivity for high mass transmission and 

increased abundance sensitivity

2. Enhanced long-term stability. The bulk of the deselected ions 

from the quadrupole ioniser deposit harmlessly on the RF-only 

pre-filter stage, minimising contamination on the mass 

selective primary filter.

3F - Triple Filter Mass Spectrometer
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

• For applications where you wish to measure a low intensity peak 

next to a high intensity peak.

Triple Filter – Enhanced Resolution 
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

• Triple filter system will also give an increase in sensitivity with 

increasing mass.

Triple Filter – Enhanced Sensitivity 
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

• Interchangeable gauge heads and control modules reduce operational and aftersales 

support costs.

• Mass range options 100, 200, 300 and 500 amu.

• Dual Faraday / Electron Multiplier 

detector with partial pressure 

range 10-4 mbar to 10-14 mbar.

• DN-63-CF (41⁄2"/114mm O.D. Conflat-type).

• Insertion length: 308mm

• RF Head Dimensions: Height –

137mm, Width - 335mm, Depth

- 216mm.

• Fast speed – up to 500 measurements

per second (but through 1 decade only).

Hiden RGA-HAL 3F Features
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

• 7 decade continuous dynamic range.

• 24 bit counter for 1c /s resolution.

• Faraday Cup option for higher pressure 

measurements.

• Signal gating with 1 s resolution energy 

& mass distributions vs time. 

• Data export options.

Pulse Ion Counting (PIC) Detector
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

• Interchangeable gauge heads and control modules reduce operational and aftersales 

support costs.

• Mass range options 100, 200, 300 and 500 amu.

• Typically PIC detector only 

(Faraday detector is an option) 

PIC with partial pressure range 

5x10-6 mbar to 5x10-15 mbar.

• DN-63-CF (41⁄2"/114mm O.D. Conflat-type).

• Insertion length: 308mm

• RF Head Dimensions: Height –

137mm, Width - 335mm, Depth 

- 216mm.

• Fast speed – up to 500 measurement

per second (through 7 decades).

Hiden RGA-HAL 3F PIC Features
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Application Specific Performance

• Fast pulse ion counting detector with continuous 7 decade 

measurement from 1 cs-1to 107 cs-1

• Minimum detectable partial pressure 5 x 10-15 mbar
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Product Title Mass range 

(amu)

Detector Maximum Operating 

Pressure

Minimum Detectable 

Partial Pressure

Application

HALO 100 100 Faraday 1 x 10-4 mbar 1 x 10-11 mbar RGA

HALO 201 200, 300 Channelplate 1 x 10-4 mbar 2 x 10-13 mbar RGA

HAL 200 200 Faraday 1 x 10-4 mbar 5 x 10-12 mbar RGA

HAL 201 100, 200, 

300

Channeltron 1 x 10-4 mbar 2 x 10-14 mbar RGA

HAL 3F RC 50, 200, 

300, 500

Channeltron 1 x 10-4 mbar 2 x 10-14 mbar RGA

HAL 3F PIC 50, 200, 

300, 500

Pulse Ion 

Counter

5 x 10-6 mbar 

(1 x 10-4 mbar with 

Faraday) 

5 x 10-15 mbar UHV-TPD

HAL 1001-9 

RC (9mm)

50, 300, 

500, 1000

Channeltron 1 x 10-4 mbar 2 x 10-14 mbar High mass or high 

resolution

HMT 100 100 Faraday 5 x 10-3 mbar 2 x 10-11 mbar RGA

HMT 101 100 Channelplate 5 x 10-3 mbar 2 x 10-13 mbar RGA

Hiden RGA Configuration Options
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Ion Source Options

• Standard RGA – A radially symmetric configuration for general applications.

• UHV Low Profile – Optimised for UHV TPD studies enabling closer proximity of the ion 

source to the evolution surface.

• Closed Source – For high pressure studies with direct gas input used in conjunction with a 

differential pumping stage for the analyser.

• Platinum Ion Source - Configured for improved operation in reactive atmospheres. 

• Gold Plated Ion Source - Configured to minimise the effects of source outgassing.

• Basic Cross Beam Source.

• XBS Cross Beam Source – Configured specially 

for MBE deposition rate monitoring and control.

• Laser Cross Beam Source.

• 4 Lens Ion Optics with Integral Ioniser 
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Ion Source Options – PIC specific

UHV compatible mass filter shrouds

UHV Low Profile – Optimised for UHV TPD studies enabling 

closer proximity of the ion source to the evolution surface.

HAL 3F-PIC and quartz shroud

Range of Shrouds
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Special Hiden RGA Configurations

HMT – High Pressure RGA

• HMT mode for high pressure operation to 4x10-3 mbar

• RGA mode for high sensitivity operation to 10-13 mbar

• Stability better than ±1% over 24 hours

• Fast access mixed mode scanning

• Real time background subtraction

• 100 amu
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Special Hiden RGA Configurations

RGA For UHV: HAL 201 RC

• Minimum detectable partial pressure of 5 x 10-14 mbar

• Vacuum fired ion sources to minimise source outgassing

• EPICS is the standard instrument control software and Hiden HAL system is fully 

compatible with EPICS software driver.

• Based on the RGA supplied to the Brookhaven National Laboratory in the USA (over 

70 of these types of RGA system supplied) and CERN in Europe (over 30 of these types 

of RGA system supplied)

• Suitable for use with: 

- Tokamaks/Torus Facilities

- Beam Lines

- Particle Accelerators

- Synchrotrons

- UHV Chambers
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Special Hiden RGA Configurations

RGA for MBE: HALO 201 MBE

• Constructed from compatible materials and designed for prolonged use in MBE 

environments.

• Includes molybdenum wiring in place of copper and a contamination resistant ion 

source shroud.

• Applications include semiconductors, solar cells, oxides, etc.

• Also the option of a thermal extender for RGA operation during bakeout
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Special Hiden RGA Configurations

DLS-1 for Advanced Research

• For Tokamak/Torus Fusion Research Facilities

• Threshold Ionisation Mass Spectrometry allows close mass peak separation

• Low cost multi unit solution with radiation and magnetic shielding solutions

DLS-1, real time TIMS data taken at JET, UK. 

Spectra shows scans at 3amu, separating 

3He from 1H2D. Mass separation: 0.0058 

amu

DLS-1, real time TIMS data taken at JET, UK. 

2D2 and 4He are easily separated and 

quantifiable
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Special Hiden RGA Configurations

XBS Deposition Rate Monitor

A quadrupole mass spectrometer designed for monitoring multiple 

sources simultaneously. Suitable for:

• Monitor and control in MBE processes

• Molecular beam studies

• Multiple beam source analysis

• Photoionisation studies

• Desorption/outgassing studies

• Monitor and diagnostics of contaminants in the process chamber

It also doubles as a high performance RGA with high-sensitivity 

helium leak check mode for vacuum quality verification.
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Special Hiden RGA Configurations

XBS Deposition Rate Monitor

Water cooled 

for thermal 

protection With z-shift drive for insertion/extraction

User configurable 

beam aperture plate

Hiden 3F series 

quadrupole mass 

spectrometer

Integral Ion Source:

• Shroud to inhibit 

contamination

• No direct beam 

contact with 

internal probe 

structures
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Special Hiden RGA Configurations

XBS Deposition Rate Monitor

• 320 or 500 amu mass range

• Dual Faraday or Channeltron Electron Multiplier ion detector

• 10-4to 2.5x10-14 mbar partial pressure range

• Typical growth rate determination of <0.01 Å s-1

• Beam acceptance apertures are configured for each

specific process chamber source position made as replaceable plug-in 

elements. 

XBS Probe Tip + Beam Apertures
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

• Multiple ion source options

• Configured with 6mm or 9mm pole diameters

What pole diameter do I need?

• Total RF output power is fixed for a given generator

• Power demand increases dramatically with increasing RF frequency (∝ ν

5

)

• For given mass, performance improves with increasing frequency

• For given tolerances, transmission and mass separation improve with 

increasing pole diameter

• Overall size and cost increase with increasing pole diameter

• Enlarging pole diameter increases assembly 

capacitance and limits RF range (increases 

power losses)

50/300/510 amu

50/300/510/1000 amu

6mm

9mm

Special Hiden RGA Configurations

3F Series / 1000 Series RGA
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Special Hiden RGA Configurations

3F Series / 1000 Series RGA

• Designed for gas analysis in high precision 

scientific and process applications.

• Pre and post filter in combination with longer 

mass filter and wider rod diameter of 9mm or 12 

mm results in increased:

• mass resolution

• ion sensitivity

• stability for precision/ratio measurements

• high mass transmission

• Available with SEM or PIC detector or dual 

Faraday/SEM or Faraday/PIC models
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Special Hiden RGA Configurations

3F Series / 1000 Series RGA
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Special Hiden RGA Configurations

3F Series / 1000 Series RGA

“Over two years the position of the flat peak measurement did not move significantly”

“The stability of the Hiden QMS compares favourably”

High stability for precision isotope ratio measurement: 40Ar/39Ar 

geochronology research. Data taken by B Schneider et al.[1]
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Hiden RGA Users

• Los Alamos National Lab

• Samsung

• NASA

• Intel Corporation, USA

• CERN

• Carl Zeiss, Germany

• California Institute of Technology

• Brookhaven National Laboratory

• Corning

• CCFE (JET)

• Durham University

• National Physical Laboratory

• Jozef Stephan Institut

• Max Planck Institut

• Bern University

• Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

• SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

• University of Sao Paulo

• Aarhus University
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Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers for Advanced Science

Hiden Analytical Ltd.

420 Europa Boulevard

Warrington, WA5 7UN, England

www.HidenAnalytical.com

info@hiden.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0)1925 445 225