11-065 Ion Gun Controller Emission Switch Operation

Posted on May 6, 2021 by Randy

The emission scale switch on the 11-065 ion gun control is used to change the scale of the emission to three levels: 100% (X1), 10%(X.1) and 1%(X.01). The effect of changing the emission switch is to reduce the emission current, which in turn reduces the ionization (pressure reading) and ion (target) current proportionally.

Initially, the emission needs to be set to 25mA in the X 1 scale and the leak valve is adjusted to achieve 15 to 25 mpA of pressure.

Adjust Argon to get 15 t0 25 mPa of gas pressure

The graph below shows the target current vs. time and the effect of changing the emission current from X 1 to the X.1 and X.01 scales.

When changing the emission scale switch, the emission reading on the 11-065 front panel meter will not change, but the actual emission current will be reduced by a factor of 10 (X.1 scale ) or 100 (X .01 scale). So for example if the emission is set to 25 and the emission scale switch is changed to X .1, the meter still indicates 25mA but the actual emission is 25mA X .1 = 2.5mA. The pressure display will be reduced by a factor of 10 as well since the number of ions being generated are reduced proportionally to the emission current. Ideally, the target current will also be reduced by to 10% of the X1 value when the emission scale switch is changed to X.1. In the graph above we see that the target current drops from about 4.25uA to .8uA as the emission drops from 25mA to 2.5mA. As expected, the target current drops a factor of 10ish to 70 nA as the emission scale switch is changed to the X .01 position.

The picture below shows that the pressure drops to about 2mPa as the emission scale is changed to X.1

This picture shows the pressure dropping to .2mPa as the emission scale switch is changed to the X.01 position.

The emission scale switch is an easy way to reduce the ion target current by a factor of 10 or 100 in order to achieve lower sputter rates.

Note that Balzers RVG 050 thermovalve controllers cannot be used on older 11-065s in the X .1 or X .01 emission scale positions since they depend on the pressure reading for feedback. Newer 11-065s have a circuit that compensates so that the pressure output is correct at each emission scale setting.

11-065 LAS1515 regulator note.

The +15V LAS1515 regulator that is on the heatsink (second from the front) can be marginal. The symptom is that the emission current is unstable, or it becomes stable after the 11-065 warms up.

The SCC brand of LAS1515 regulators has inconsistencies. When measuring the waveforms between the two pins using the Huntron Tracker, 50% of the LAS1515s presented like a diode, the other 50% presented like a Z. The Z is correct. In addition, even the Z pattern SSC brand LAS1515 regulators did not perform properly. Either the emission instability happened right away, or it would happen once the 11-065 warmed up.

The solution was to replace the SSC brand LAS1515s with the NTE equivalent NTE1916 regulator. That worked fine.

72-030 Neutralizer Current limit procedure

Posted on April 13, 2021 by Randy

After you replace the filament in the 04-085 or 04-090 neutralizer you may need to readjust the current limit on the 72-030 neutralizer board. The 72-030 provides the filament current and bias voltage to the neutralizer. This procedure shows you how to set the current limit on the 72-030 so that you generate enough electrons to neutralize the sample and also maximize the filament lifetime.

Tools Needed:

HV card rack extender board

Voltmeter with 2 clip leads

Potentiometer adjustment tool

72-030 Calibration procedure

Turn off the card rack power
Extend the 72-030 neutralizer card (located in the card rack)
Connect the DVM across R59 / E6
Make sure that the filament cable is connected to the neutralizer on the system
Turn on the card rack power
Turn on the 147 PC Interface unit
Open AugerScan software
Turn on the neutralizer in AugerScan
Monitor the target current with a picoammeter and a +90V bias
Turn up the Emission in the Augerscan Neutralizer dialog box to 20 to 23 mA while monitoring the DC voltage in millivolts across R59 / E6.
There should be approximately 34 mV across R59 / E6 and you should also be able to see the end of the neutralizer glowing orange to white in the vacuum chamber.
Set the Emission to 25 mA and if necessary adjust R48 / B6 so that you have 2 to 3 uA of target current. Do not adjust R48 / B6 to exceed 36mV across R59 / E6. 36mV corresponds to 3.6 amps of filament current. The lower the filament current, the longer the filament lifetime.
Turn off the card rack power and reinstall the 72-030 neutralizer card in the card rack.

Ideally, adjusting R48 for a value that provides a few uA of target current and with less than 36mV across R59 / E6 will result in the longest filament lifetime.

Measure voltage across R59 34mV corresponds to 3.4 amps of filament current

72-030 Neutralizer bias voltage notes

There are two revisions of 72-030 neutralizer boards. The older original 72-030 has a bias voltage range of 0 to -12V. The newer 72-030s have a bias voltage range of 0 to -24V.

You can tell the difference by two things. First of all, U6 is a OP07 op amp on the older 72-030s, and it is a LM344H high voltage op amp on the newer 72-030s. Secondly, there is a 5V to 15V power convertor on the newer boards, the older 72-030s do not have that power converter.

EMO box push button switches

Posted on November 20, 2019 by Randy

Update 5-8-2020

You can also purchase the LED lamps from www.jkllamps.com For example PN LE-0509-01W is the white one. Search for Wedge Base LED.

The EMO box (Emergency OFF) used on many PHI systems has switches that can become noisy, stick or fail to operate at all. These switches are used to turn on and off the card rack power, main electronics console power, vacuum console power, bakeout power and to turn off and reset all power.

Another very common issue is that the light bulbs in the switches tend to burn out on a yearly basis. This blog post will describe where to get replacement parts for the EMO boxes.

The round red EMO button switch is still available but the original square push button switches that were produced by Cutler-Hammer (now Eaton) are very difficult to find. Honeywell equivalents are listed below.

There are two styles of EMO boxes. The 32-005 style has a Bakeout switch and the other style has a Vacuum Console power switch.

Equivalent replacement switches produced by Honeywell are listed below.

EMO button	McMaster-Carr PN 7403K42
Main Power ON/Reset	Honeywell PN #: AML21CBA3AC Allied Electronics Stock #: 70119090
Main Power / OFF	Honeywell PN #: AML21CBA3AC Allied Electronics Stock #: 70119090
Electronics Console Power	Honeywell PN #: AML21CBE2AD Allied Electronics Stock #: 70119866
Vacuum Console Power	Honeywell PN #: AML21CBE2AD Allied Electronics Stock #: 70119866
Card rack power	Honeywell PN #: AML21CBE2AD Allied Electronics Stock #: 70119866
Bake Out Power	Honeywell PN #: AML21CBE2AD Allied Electronics Stock #: 70119866

Original lamp –

Lamp; Incandescent; T-1 3/4; Sub-Mini Wedge; 28V; 40mA; 0.3MSCP; 7000 Hrs

Manufacturer #: 85

Allied Stock #: 70013004

Recommended LED replacement lamp –

Lamp; LED; T-1 3/4; Sub-Mini Wedge; White; 28V; 40mA; 0.3MSCP; Lamp life 30,000 hours.

Manufacturer #: LED-24-T1.75 WEDGE-W Allied Stock #: 70012994

These LED lamps are more expensive but will last for almost 4 years compared to about 1 year for the regular tungsten lamps.

Mouser PN 560-LE-0509-01W is a white LED that would work for all of the switches and it costs less. Made by JKL Components https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/208/LE-0509-01-21680.pdf

Bonus – EMO box schematics are shown below

RBD TechSpot

A blog on the repair, operation and calibration of surface analysis systems and components including electron spectrometers, sputter ion guns and vacuum related hardware. Click on the Index tab below to see a list of all posts. Visit our website at http://www.rbdinstruments.com

Category Archives: Operation and Calibration Procedures

11-065 Ion Gun Controller Emission Switch Operation

72-030 Neutralizer Current limit procedure

EMO box push button switches