PHI XPS System Specimen Stage Motor fix

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The PHI 5400 and 5600 LS (large sample) XPS systems and some of the 5600 and 5700 systems use motors to control the specimen stage via the system control software.

Over a period of many years, the motors can slow down or suddenly stop moving.

This blog post will show you how to possibly solve the problem.

The motors used on the PHI automated specimen stages are TRW precision fractional-horsepower motors. These motors are no longer made but you can sometimes find them on eBay.

In the example below, this motor was working fine and suddenly stopped moving. Lubricating the motor shaft solved the issue.  If you have a PHI automated specimen stage where a motor is sluggish or stopped working, try lubricating it as shown below. If lubricating the motor does not solve the problem, then the motor might be bad and need to be replaced.

Procedure

Remove the defective motor from the specimen stage and set it on a flat surface with the white motor cover facing up.

stage motor

Remove the white plastic cap (2 screws).

Using 3 in 1 oil, put a few drops onto the end bearing and let it soak in for 15 minutes. When the oil is complexly drained into the bearing, apply a few more drops and let it soak in for 15 more minutes. IMPORTANT! Do not use WD40.  That may work short term but long term it will dry out the lubrication on the motor shaft and cause it to seize up.

Wipe off any excess oil and then replace the white plastic cap.

Connect the motor cable back up and test the motor using the software. Do not connect the motor to the specimen stage at this point.

 If the motor now works, you can reconnect the motor.  In the case of an LS system, you need to put the specimen stage into the bakeout position. Then manually set the repaired motor feedthrough to the bake out position and install the motor.

In the case of a 10-323 or 10-325 specimen stage, you need to set the stage to the correct position and set the motor to the correct position in the software before attaching the motor.

Read the blogs below for more information about your specific specimen stage.

LS intro and LS stage notes

71-205-7 / 10-325 Motor installation procedure

71-205-7 / 10-325 Motor installation procedure

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This blog post explains how to connect the motors to a 10-325 specimen stage. It is very important that the motor and stage positions are in sync as otherwise the stage may hit the end of travel and damage the motor (or break a gear on the specimen stage).

  1. Make sure that the motors are removed from the 10-325 specimen stage.
  2. With all the motors disconnected from the specimen stage, turn on the card rack power, turn on the 147-interface unit, and open AugerScan software.
  3. Move the Y axis micrometer on the 10-325 specimen stage towards the 20mm position.  Move it until you reach the limit, then back it off about 1 turn.
  4. In the Auger stage control dialog box, set the Y motor to the maximum + value (+14)
  5. Install the motor onto the Y axis micrometer on the 10-325 specimen stage
  6. Move the X axis micrometer on the 10-325 specimen stage towards the 25mm position.  Move it until you reach the limit, then back it off about 1 turn.
  7. In the Auger stage control dialog box, set the X motor to the maximum + value (+22)
  8. Install the motor onto the X axis micrometer on the 10-325 specimen stage
  9. Move the Z axis micrometer on the 10-325 specimen stage towards the 20mm position.  Move it until you reach the limit, then back it off about 1 turn.
  10. In the Auger stage control dialog box, set the Z motor to the maximum + value (+12)
  11. Install the motor onto the Z axis micrometer on the 10-325 specimen stage
  12. In the Auger stage control dialog box, set the tilt to 45 degrees
  13. Install the tilt motor onto the tilt micrometer on the 10-325 specimen stage.  If the sample is not perpendicular, follow the procedure in the 71-205-7 manual or contact RBD Instruments for more information on adjusting the tilt motor position.
  14. Install the rotation motor onto the 10-325 specimen stage.
  15. In the Auger stage control dialog box, move the X, Y and Z motors to mid-range (near zero) and then fine tune the positions until the specimen stage and sample are centered in the microscope and the Z axis is at the focal point of the analyzer.
  16. In the Auger stage control dialog box scan press the Set Home button
  17. In the Auger stage control dialog box, move the X, Y and Z motors so that the specimen stage and sample are in the load sample position. Adjust the rotation so that the center tab on the specimen stage is facing the load lock port.
  18. In the Auger stage control dialog box scan press the Set Load button. 
  19. In the Auger stage control dialog box, lower the Z axis enough so that the sample clears the specimen stage when the load lock probe is retracted.
  20. In the Auger stage control dialog box scan press the Set Unload button. 

Calibration complete. 

Note that should repeat this procedure every time the system is baked out.

Annealing of 316L stainless steel

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As part of a design for a new electron energy analyzer design, we will be using 316L stainless steel for some of the optics parts. While 316L stainless steel is naturally non-magnetic due to its austenitic crystal structure, intense machining, such as cutting or drilling induces stress that converts some austenite into magnetic martensite, and the result is that the 316L will be very slightly magnetic. For our application we need to have all the optics parts be non-magnetic.

The solution is to anneal the 316L parts by heating to 1100C and then cooling rapidly back to room temperature. Annealing reverses this magnetic effect by allowing the distorted lattice to relax back into its original non-magnetic state.

In my search for a company that can provide an annealing service I came across MET-TEK Inc. 

Their prices are very reasonable and besides annealing they offer a variety of services including –

I mention MET-TEK as a resource as it is sometimes hard to find a company that can provide annealing services at a reasonable price.