Pressure control system for vacuum MEMS

This paper presents a pressure control system designed for MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) devices working in vacuum conditions, especially for a currently developed miniature mass spectrometer. It is based on an idea to set the vacuum level inside a MEMS in a dynamic way. This is achieved by connecting it to the external atmosphere through a microchannel ensuring extremely small gas leakage and by continuous pumping its internal volume by an integrated MEMS micropump. The experimental results proved that it is possible to maintain the pressure in the range required for the operation of a mass spectrometer, from 10 −5 mbar to 10−2 mbar. •Pressure control system for vacuum MEMS has been successfully elaborated.•It combines a nanoleak gas interface and an integrated vacuum micropump.•It enables setting the pressure at the level between 10−5 mbar to 10−2 mbar.•The system can be applied in a MEMS mass spectrometer.