{"id":381,"date":"2013-03-17T10:39:05","date_gmt":"2013-03-17T17:39:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/?p=381"},"modified":"2014-11-06T09:21:53","modified_gmt":"2014-11-06T17:21:53","slug":"ion-plasma-to-clean-ion-pumps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/ion-plasma-to-clean-ion-pumps\/","title":{"rendered":"Ion Plasma to clean ion pumps"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you try to start an ion pump when the vacuum in the chamber is in the mid 10-4<\/sup> range, the gas load will be high enough to produce a visible ion plasma. \u00a0Normally you don\u2019t start the ion pumps until the vacuum is pulled down to the low 10-5<\/sup> range by the turbo pump.\u00a0 But, sometimes you want to deliberately generate an ion plasma to help clean the ion pump elements.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/youtu.be\/vqTTybwSDl0<\/a><\/p>\n

There are two ways to do this.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Just start the ion pumps when the vacuum reaches the mid to low 10-4<\/sup> Torr range.\u00a0 You may see that the pressure in the chamber rises to the 10-3<\/sup> Torr range when the ion pump high voltage is turned on. That is OK; keep the ion pumps on while pumping the chamber with the turbo pump.\u00a0 You can leave them on for 5 minutes or so, then shut off the ion pump supply and let them cool down for 5 minutes. Then repeat the process. After a number of cycles, vacuum will be in the low 10-5<\/sup> range and the ion pumps will start. You know when the ion pumps start because the vacuum goes into the 10-6<\/sup> range and keeps improving slowly. By forcing the ion pumps to start in the high 10-4<\/sup> range the resultant ion plasma helps to clean the ion pump elements.<\/li>\n
  2. If the pumps are loaded with argon or contaminated with hydrocarbons, you want to use oxygen to produce the ion plasma because oxygen will react with the contaminants. \u00a0Assuming the ion pumps are started, back fill oxygen into the vacuum chamber to 5 X 10-5<\/sup> Torr.\u00a0 Turn off the ion gauge and monitor the current on the ion pump control.\u00a0 Increase the oxygen until you get about 50mA of current on the ion pump control.\u00a0 Adjust the oxygen leak valve as needed to maintain 50mA or so of current.\u00a0 Maintain this condition for about 30 minutes, and then turn the oxygen off. \u00a0As the pumps cool down the vacuum will recover and typically by the next day the ion pumps are happy once again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    For more info on ion pumps type Ion Pump Element rebuild procedure<\/b> in the RBD TechSpot search box<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    If you try to start an ion pump when the vacuum in the chamber is in the mid 10-4 range, the gas load will be high enough to produce a visible ion plasma. \u00a0Normally you don\u2019t start the ion pumps … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":188,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[164],"tags":[59,60],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/DI-Ion-pump-element.png?fit=510%2C595&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2DEXo-69","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":406,"url":"https:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/bake-out-procedure-to-improve-base-vacuum\/","url_meta":{"origin":381,"position":0},"title":"PHI 5600 XPS system Bakeout procedure to improve base vacuum","author":"Randy","date":"August 30, 2019","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Updated 8-30-19 This post explains the bakeout procedure to improve base vacuum in a PHI 5600 X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. The procedure is basically the same for most of the older PHI (Physical Electronics) Spherical Capacitive Analyzer XPS surface analysis systems. PHI X-ray photoelectron spectrometers generally have built-in radiant heaters as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Optics and Vacuum"","block_context":{"text":"General Optics and Vacuum","link":"https:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/category\/general-optics-and-vacuum\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"bakeout blankets on chamber","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/bakeout-blankets-on-chamber.jpg?fit=500%2C333&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3501,"url":"https:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/avc-auto-valve-controller-theory-and-operation\/","url_meta":{"origin":381,"position":1},"title":"AVC Auto Valve Controller Theory and Operation","author":"Randy","date":"February 15, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Theory and operation of Auto Valve controller (AVC) used on older Physical Electronics surface analysis systems.","rel":"","context":"In "Operation and Calibration Procedures"","block_context":{"text":"Operation and Calibration Procedures","link":"https:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/category\/operation-and-calibration-procedures\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/AVC-controller.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/AVC-controller.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/AVC-controller.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/AVC-controller.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":187,"url":"https:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/ion-pump-element-rebuild-procedure\/","url_meta":{"origin":381,"position":2},"title":"Ion pump element rebuild procedure","author":"Randy","date":"October 21, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Ion Pump Element Tech Tip - Flip the plates After a number of years it becomes necessary to replace the ion pump elements used on surface analysis instrumentation such as X-ray Photoelectron spectrometers (XPS), Auger (AES), and Secondary Ion Mass spectrometers (SIMS). But what if you can\u2019t afford the cost\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Optics and Vacuum"","block_context":{"text":"General Optics and Vacuum","link":"https:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/category\/general-optics-and-vacuum\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ion pump element","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/DI-Ion-pump-element.png?fit=510%2C595&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1548,"url":"https:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/up-to-air\/","url_meta":{"origin":381,"position":3},"title":"660 System up to air procedure","author":"Randy","date":"August 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Overview This procedure will allow you to safely bring the 660 scanning auger system up to air for maintenance. \u00a0 Shut down AugerMap and turn off the 20-610 electron gun control (filament down slowly) Also turn off the 20-622 gun control. Turn off the card rack power If V4 is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Optics and Vacuum"","block_context":{"text":"General Optics and Vacuum","link":"https:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/category\/general-optics-and-vacuum\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"phi-660-scanning-auger","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/SAM660.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/SAM660.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/SAM660.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/SAM660.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2839,"url":"https:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/putting-together-a-compact-uhv-ultra-high-vacuum-chamber-for-spectroscopy\/","url_meta":{"origin":381,"position":4},"title":"Putting Together a Compact UHV (Ultra-high Vacuum) Chamber for Spectroscopy","author":"Joe Caterinicchio","date":"May 22, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Small, inexpensive UHV chambers have been the backbone of many commercial labs and universities for decades. The cost of larger, feature-rich systems has gone up dramatically in recent years, making compact, DIY chambers even more cost-effective for specialized applications and education. RBD has a range of products available to add\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Optics and Vacuum"","block_context":{"text":"General Optics and Vacuum","link":"https:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/category\/general-optics-and-vacuum\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"small vacuum chamber","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/chamber-1-bw-cut.png?fit=900%2C1100&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/chamber-1-bw-cut.png?fit=900%2C1100&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/chamber-1-bw-cut.png?fit=900%2C1100&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1629,"url":"https:\/\/www.rbdinstruments.com\/blog\/5400-ls-operating-procedure\/","url_meta":{"origin":381,"position":5},"title":"5400 LS operating procedure","author":"Randy","date":"February 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The following 5400 LS operating procedures provide details of many aspects of how to operate a 5000 LS XPS system. 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