INFICON BCG450-SD TripleGauge Vacuum Gauge Overview

Brand Background

INFICON is a global leader in sensor instrumentation, advanced process control software, and high-precision vacuum measurement technology. Headquartered in Switzerland, INFICON provides vital components to the semiconductor, thin-film coating, refrigeration, and general vacuum industries. The brand’s vacuum gauges are widely recognized for their accuracy, durability, and seamless integration into automated production networks.

Model Overview: BCG450-SD

The INFICON BCG450-SD (Bayard-Alpert Pirani Capacitance Diaphragm Gauge) is an ultra-wide range TripleGauge® transmitter. The “SD” designation indicates the integrated DeviceNet™ digital communication interface alongside standard analog/RS232 capabilities.

By combining three distinct sensing technologies—a Bayard-Alpert hot cathode ion gauge, a Pirani sensor, and a Capacitance Diaphragm Gauge (CDG)—into a single compact unit, the BCG450-SD replaces up to three separate gauges and switches on a single vacuum chamber.

INFICON BCG450-SD Vacuum Gauge

Key Technical Specifications and Parameters

• Manufacturer: INFICON

• Model: BCG450-SD (DeviceNet Protocol)

• Sensing Technology: Triple-Sensor Integration (Bayard-Alpert Hot Ion + Pirani + Capacitance Diaphragm)

• Measurement Range: $5 \times 10^{-10}$ to $1500\text{ mbar}$ ($3.75 \times 10^{-10}$ to $1125\text{ Torr}$)

• Measurement Accuracy:

  • $10^{-8}\text{ to }50\text{ mbar}$: $\pm 15\%$ of reading

  • $50\text{ to }950\text{ mbar}$: $\pm 5\%$ of reading

  • $950\text{ to }1050\text{ mbar}$: $\pm 2.5\%$ of reading

• Digital Communication: DeviceNet™ protocol (Microstyle 5-pin connector)

• Analog Output: $0\text{ to }+10.3\text{ VDC}$ ($0.75\text{ V/decade}$, logarithmic)

• Operating Voltage: $20\text{ to }28\text{ VDC}$

• Flange Types: DN 25 ISO-KF or DN 40 CF-R

• Protection Rating: IP30

• Gas Independence: Gas-type-independent pressure reading above $10\text{ Torr}$ via the capacitance diaphragm element

Operating Industries

The BCG450-SD is engineered for high-tech industrial environments requiring uninterrupted pressure tracking across low, high, and ultra-high vacuum (UHV) regimes:

• Semiconductor Fabrication: Wafer handling, loadlock monitoring, etching, and deposition chambers.

• Solar & Photovoltaics: Thin-film solar cell manufacturing lines.

• Surface Coating & Optics: Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), and optical lens coating.

• Analytical Instrumentation: Mass spectrometers, electron microscopes, and particle accelerators.

• Research & Development: High-energy physics, materials science, and aerospace vacuum research laboratories.

Common Usage Scenarios

1. Load Lock and Process Chamber Pressure Monitoring

   Ensuring precise, gas-independent pressure readings during atmospheric venting and pump-down cycles in semiconductor load locks.

2. Ultra-High Vacuum (UHV) Process Control

   Continuous monitoring from ultra-high vacuum base pressures ($10^{-10}\text{ mbar}$) up to process-level atmospheric pressures without changing gauges.

3. Filament Protection in Automated Systems

   Using the built-in Pirani sensor interlock to automatically turn off the hot ion filament when pressure rises above safe levels, preventing premature burnout.

4. Networked Tool Integration via DeviceNet

   Transmitting real-time pressure data, diagnostic status, and setpoint alarms directly to Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) or host tool controllers over DeviceNet industrial networks.