Scientific Foundations of Vacuum Technique [antikvár]

preface In 1922, the writer published a small volume entitled The Production and Measurement of High Vacua. This work consisted of a revision of a sériés of articles which had appeared in the General Electric Review during 1920-1921. The following quotation is taken from the Préfacé to that volume : "The subject of high vacua has become of such technical and scientific importance that it is hardly necessary to apologize for attempting to incorporate the information available on this topic into a convenient form for reference. "Naturally the author has drawn to a large extent upon the results of numerous investigations carried out in this laboratory by Dr. Langmuir and his associâtes. To Dr. Langmuir, especially, he wishes to express his sincere gratitude for constant encouragement and helpful suggestions. "He also feels greatly indebted to Dr. Whitney for constant interest in the present undertaking, and for placing at his disposai the facilities of the laboratory for pursuing various lines of purely scientific work." To Dr. W. D. Coolidge, the former Director of the Research Laboratory, and Dr. C. G. Suits, the present Director, the writer feels likewise indebted for encouraging him in an extensive revision of the earlier work and for their continued interest in the present undertaking. During the quarter century that has intervened, the subject of vacuum technique has increased in importance to such an extent as to necessitate not only a complété revision of the material in the previous volume but also the addition of a number of new topics. The industrial and scientific importance of the investigations in this field that have been published during the past twenty-five years, and which are being increased almost daily, was emphasized by the large attendance at the Symposium on Vacuum Technique held at Cambridge, Mass., October 30-31, 1947, under the sponsorship of the National Research Corporation and Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry of the American Chemical Society. The interest in vacuum technique which was initiated by the develop-ment of the incandescent-filament vacuum lamp and received an additional impetus by the subséquent developments in the study and production of electronic devices was accelerated by certain extremely important problems which arose during the second world war. vii