The RGA file extension is associated with the Residual Gas Analyzer
device.
That is why the acronym: Residual Gas Analyzer, RGA
The RGA format stores data that comes from a hardware device with the
same name.
A Residual Gas Analyzer is a gaseous mass spectrometer, designed for
process control and contamination monitoring in vacuum systems.
The basic principle of operation is through a measurement cell, which is
a vacuum meter with hot cathode ionization.
Electrons are emitted from the hot filaments and are accelerated towards
the source through an electrical shunt.
The fast-moving electrons collide with the gas molecules, dislodging and
ionizing the electrons, and the positive gas ions in turn transmit their
current to the collector of negatively charged ions.
The ion current is proportional to the pressure and the current, this
creates a complex magnetic field, which, by varying the voltage, controls
the magnetic field.
The RGA file records the data collected by the described device to be
read and analyzed later with desktop software, for example LEYSPEC.
RGA uses two implementations, which are open ion source (OIS) or closed
ion source (CIS).
Software for working with an RGA file