Ionizing Air Guns: What Do They Use?

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SUMMARY

Ionizing air guns, commonly utilized in cleanrooms, function by using electricity to ionize the air, creating a jet of positively charged air that neutralizes static charges on electronic components. This process is akin to mass spectroscopy, where the ionization of air effectively dislodges electrons from negatively charged surfaces. The discussion clarifies that these guns do not rely on UV or X-rays for their operation, but rather on the ionization of air through electrical means.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of ionization processes in physics
  • Familiarity with cleanroom environments and their requirements
  • Basic knowledge of static electricity and its effects on electronic components
  • Awareness of mass spectroscopy principles
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  • Research the principles of ionization in gases
  • Explore the applications of ionizing air guns in cleanroom technology
  • Learn about the effects of static electricity on electronic devices
  • Investigate the similarities between ionizing air guns and mass spectroscopy techniques
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Electronics engineers, cleanroom technicians, and professionals involved in static control and electronic component manufacturing will benefit from this discussion.

Russell_B
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Hello,
I have been reading up on ionizing air guns, such as those used in silicon valley cleanrooms, and as i understand it they are used to remove static charge from circuits and such. This would imply that the gun is creating positive ions, and thus it is somehow dislodging electrons.

What do ionising air guns use to achieve this? UV? X-Rays?

Russ
 
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I believe they work by using electricity to ionise the air passing through the 'gun', in a way similar to mass spectroscopy. This results in a jet of positively charged air which neutralises any negative charges on the target.
 

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