Patent ID: 7494326

Claim:
An ion pump comprising: an insulating layer; a first conductive layer situated on the upstream side of the insulating layer; a second conductive layer situated on the downstream side of the insulating layer; a plurality of openings situated in the first conductive layer, the insulating layer and the second conductive layer forming channels having a first upstream and a second downstream discharge device electrode, wherein the first electrode has a sharp-like shape at an upstream end and a blunt downstream end, wherein the plurality of openings are grouped into upstream inputs formed by the first electrode and downstream outputs formed by the second electrode, and the openings situated at inputs are formed by upstream sharp-like conductor ends and the openings situated at outputs are formed by downstream non-sharp-like conductor ends; and an enclosure containing the channels and having an input port proximate to an input side of the plurality of openings and an output port proximate to an output side of the plurality of openings, wherein a fluid in the enclosure can be transported between the input port and output port by being forced through the plurality of openings; wherein each opening of the plurality of openings is sized for a ratio, R, of an axial length equal to a thickness of the insulator, to an inner diameter, of each opening to maximize a performance of the pump, having approximately 1≦R≦10, and the thickness of the insulator about 6 μm≦S≦100 μm.