Filament Housing Cleaning Procedure

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25-120A Filament Housing Cleaning Procedure

Overview

The filament housing contains two micrometers which are used to position the filament for maximum beam current. The filament is mounted in a ceramic that is attached to a bellows which is supported by an aluminum ring that slides against a plate. The ring and the plate are lubricated and when the lubrication dries out from baking, the ring becomes scored and the filament housing “sticks”. This procedure explains how to disassemble the filament housing and repair this problem.

  1. Vent the system. This removes all tension from the filament bellows.
  2. Remove the two filament micrometers.
  3. Removed the two spring housings. CAUTION! The springs are very strong, remove the top and bottom screws first and then “walk” out the spring with the two side screws.
  4. Remove the top screws from the filament housing.
  5. Remove the top of the filament housing.
  6. Remove the micrometer levers. Note the positions for re-assembly.
  7. Remove the screws that connect the aluminum ring to the ceramic.
  8. Remove the lower filament housing Bristol screws.
  9. Carefully lift up the lower filament housing.
  10. Sand down the surfaces of the aluminum ring and plate.
  11. Lubricate the aluminum ring and plate with C5A (copper based anti-seize lubricant).
  12. Reassemble in reverse order.

If you have questions about this procedure, please contact us or post a comment.

XPS PM Procedure

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5400/5500/5600 System XPS PM procedure Preventive Maintenance Guide

This post lists the common tasks that are completed as part of a preventative maintenance on a PHI 5400/5500/5600 XPS X-ray photo electron spectrometer.

XPS PM Procedure – OPTICS

  1. *Discuss System performance and issues with system operator prior to servicing.
  2. *Inspect system, note base vacuum. Test TSP filaments.
  3. *Make sure that you have all necessary parts for the maintenance. If you are missing anything, order it before proceeding. For maximum efficiency, you will perform vacuum maintenance first as you can inspect and clean the electronics during the system bake out and cool down.
  4. *Prepare to vent the system by shutting down all filaments and voltages to the ion guns, X-ray sources and neutralizer.
  5. *Turn off the DIGIII and Boostivac. Let the system cool for 10 minutes.
  6. *While the system is cooling, prepare a work area for optics maintenance.
  7. *Vent the system (make sure that the turbo pump(s) are on to prevent oil vapors from backfilling during the vent process). After the system is up to air, turn off the turbo pump(s).
  8. *Remove the X-ray source(s) from the chamber and inspect the filaments, window, football ceramic and anode. Replace parts as needed.
  9. *Remove the ionizer from the Ion gun and inspect the ionizer. Replace if needed.
  10. *Remove the Ion Gauge and inspect the filaments. Replace if needed.
  11. *Replace TSP filaments as needed.
  12. * If the 04-085/090 Neutralizer filament needs to be replaced, remove the neutralizer and replace the filament. It should be replaced every 4 years of normal usage.
  13. *If channel plates or electron multiplier needs to be replaced, remove the 6″ flange on the SCA and replace the multiplier. This typically is replaced every 3 to 5 years depending on usage.
  14. *Pump down the system.
  15. *Start the ion pumps.
  16. *Prepare the system for bake out – NOTE: Remove the microscope by unscrewing the locking screw. Do not remove the lower portion to make it easier to re-align the microscope after the bake out.
  17. *Once the system reaches at least the mid 10-7 Torr range, then the system can be baked for 12 to 24 hours.

 

XPS PM Procedure – ELECTRONICS

 

  1. *Make sure the card rack power is off and visually inspect all electronic cards and units.
  2. *Clean all edge connectors with alcohol and q tips (not an eraser).
  3. *Replace as needed any marginal capacitors, resistors or transistors.
  4. *Replace all neon bulbs.
  5. *Replace CM85 bulbs in EMU unit as needed. Note that if the Vacuum Console bulb needs to be replaced that the entire system needs to be shut down first.
  6. *Clean electronic card rack filters.

 

System Outgas Procedure

  1. *With the card rack power off and all electronic units off as well (except for the ion pumps, DIGIII and turbo pumps), re-connect all system cables.
  2. *Reconnect the microscope.
  3. *Load the slotted silver sample into the system.
  4. *Turn on the card rack power and the power to the Ion gun control and X-ray source control.
  5. *Load AugerScan software.
  6. *Turn on the ion gun control and outgas the filament slowly to 25mA and 2 to 3kV. Do not sputter the slotted silver sample at this time.
  7. *Out gas the X-ray source filaments and condition the anodes to 16.5kV slowly.
  8. *Lightly sputter the slotted silver sample.
  9. *Find the focal point of the SCA using the slotted silver sample and align the microscope to that point.
  10. *Load a piece of Cu and AU side by side an calibrate the XPS linearity.

 

 

 

Calibration

Calibration sequence:

  1. *Calibrate Small Spot on Slotted Silver Sample
  2. Calibrate Au and Cu peak linearity:
    • * Pass Energy Tracking
    • * Au 84.0
    • * Cu 932.67
  3. *Align ion gun to focal point. – Load a piece of TaO5 with an X scribed into it. Put the X at the focal point of the microscope and then burn a hole into the TaO5 with no raster. Adjust the ion source as needed to center the sputter crater in the middle of the X.

 

Specifications

Refer to the counts/resolution Specifications for the specific system type that you are testing. In general, if the resolution spec (less than .8eV FWHM on clean silver) can be met then the system will be performing properly in all pass energies.

RBD TechSpot has procedures for all of the above tasks. Simply search for the keyword in the search box at the top of this bog.  For example – XPS alignment

660 System up to air procedure

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Overview

This procedure will allow you to safely bring the 660 scanning auger system up to air for maintenance.

 

  1. Shut down AugerMap and turn off the 20-610 electron gun control (filament down slowly) Also turn off the 20-622 gun control.
  2. Turn off the card rack power
  3. If V4 is open, close it by pressing the Diff Pump Ion Gun button on the AVC remote.
  4. Pump the intro.
  5. Turn off the DIGIII ion gauge.
  6. Turn off the Ion pump control and Boostivac control.
  7. Allow the system to cool for at least 30 minutes. (Or just a few minutes if the electron gun was not on.)
  8. Make sure that the turbo pump is on. If you have more than one turbo pump, they both need to be on.
  9. With the turbo pump on and the intro still being pumped, depress the Backfill Chamber button on the Auto Valve control located behind the vacuum console.
  10. You will hear a hissing sound as air is back-filled into the chamber.
  11. Slightly loosen the intro hatch cover so that when the system is pressurized it will open.
  12. Once the system is vented, turn OFF the turbo pump(s).

 

 

660 System Pump Down procedure

Overview

This procedure will allow you to safely pump down the system after being up to air for maintenance.

 

  1. Make sure that all flanges are secured (use new copper gaskets whenever removing and replacing optics on the vacuum chamber).
  2. With the turbo pump(s) off, depress the Rough Chamber button on the Auto Valve control located behind the vacuum console.
  3. Make sure that the intro hatch is closed.
  4. Turn on the turbo pump(s) by depressing the pumping unit button. You will hear the V2 valve close and the V3 and V4 valves open and the turbo(s) will begin to pump the system out.
  5. After about 20 minutes you should have 5 bars on the Auto Valve control remote. Once you have 5 bars, cycle each of the 4 titanium sublimation filaments for about 2 minutes each at 50 amps on the Boostivac control.
  6. Cycle each filament 2 times, with a few minutes of cool down time between filaments.
  7. After all 4 filaments have been out-gassed, make sure that you still have 5 bars on the Auto valve control remote and then turn on the DIGIII by turning the power switch to UHV and depressing the I/T 3 button.
  8. The DIGIII should indicate in the low 10-3 to mid 10-4 range. Allow the turbo to pump until the system pressure is in the low 10-4 to high 10-5 range, about 30 additional minutes.
  9. Cycle the #1 titanium sublimation filament for about 2 minutes at 50 amps. (Note: If a TSP filament can no longer get at least 45 amps, use the next filament).
  10. When the vacuum is in the low 10-5 range, start the ion pump control by turning the Mode switch to Start. Monitor the 10KV scale. The voltage should be increasing (maximum is about 5.5 kV), and the DIGIII should indicate that the vacuum is dropping into the 10-6 range.  (Note that the meter on the Boostivac does not always read, if not then just make sure that you are in the 10-6 range and dropping on the ion gauge).
  11. Once the DIGIII indicates the high 10-6 range, close the V1 valve by depressing the Rough Chamber button on the Auto Valve control located behind the vacuum console one more time. You will hear the V1, V3 and V4 valves close.
  12. On the Auto valve control remote, depress the Diff Pump Ion Gun button to differentially pump the ion gun.
  13. The system vacuum will continue to improve over the next few hours. Cycle the #1 titanium sublimation filament every 30 to 45 minutes to help the ion pumps pull the vacuum down.
  14. Once the base pressure is in the low 10-7 to mid 10-8 range, the system can be baked out to obtain the best possible base pressure.