getter-ion pump

getter-ion pump

[¦ged·ər ¦ī‚än ‚pəmp] (engineering) A high-vacuum pump that employs chemically active metal layers which are continuously or intermittently deposited on the wall of the pump, and which chemisorb active gases while inert gases are “cleaned up” by ionizing them in an electric discharge and drawing the positive ions to the wall, where the neutralized ions are buried by fresh deposits of metal. Also known as sputter-ion pump.