Specific Features of the Tests for Tightness of Small Gas-Filled Spark Gaps Under the Conditions of Unstable Operation of the Ion Source of a Mass Spectrometer

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We present the results of development of a procedure aimed at checking the tightness of small-size gas-filled spark gaps, which is mainly caused by the problem of instability in the operation of ion source of the mass spectrometer due to the exhaustion of the service life of the cathode. We consider the theoretical and practical approaches aimed at the elimination of this problem and propose the solutions of the problems, including methodological ones, aimed at the minimization of the losses of useful mass-spectrometric data under the conditions of temporal decrease in the sensitivity of gas analyzer. We also reveal the necessity of undertaking proper measures for the prevention of the appearance of untypical distortions of the recorded mass spectrograms.