Focus on Vacuum Technology

INFICON has introduced the SKY CDG045-SD, a capacitance diaphragm gauge (CDG) using an aluminum oxide-ceramic diaphragm reportedly superior to conventional metal diaphragms; the gauge incorporates DeviceNet network communications. DeviceNet is a fieldbus protocol that allows communication of exact digital information; provides independent control, maintenance, and diagnostic routines for each connected instrument; and simplifies the connection diagram. Advantages of the CDG045-SD include reduced zero drift, fast warm-up time, less sensitivity to frequent pressure cycles, and improvements in consistency, corrosion resistance, sensor life, and temperature stability. The new CDG is useful in chemical and plasma vapor deposition, etch and other semiconductor production methods, and chemical process engineering. INFICON Inc, Two Technology Place, East Syracuse, New York 13057-9714

▸Circle number 181 on Reader Service Card

Nor-Cal Products’ Intellisys throttling pendulum valves incorporate a closed-loop motor control that monitors and regulates the exact position of the valve’s gate mechanism. The adaptive pressure controller provides more than 8 million steps of addressable resolution. Reportedly, the control system’s high speed of actuation enables an optimal transient response and a pressure set-point stability over the entire valve stroke, most notably near the closed position. The Intellisys valve system does not require the use of a secondary bypass line with throttling butterfly valves for high-pressure, high-flow regimes such as nitrogen trifluoride cleans. The valves are available in 150–350 mm inside diameters, with thermostat or three-mode temperature control, and are capable of being heated up to 120°C. Nor-Cal Products Inc, P.O. Box 518, 1967 South Oregon, Yreka, California 96097

▸Circle number 182 on Reader Service Card

Stanford Research Systems (SRS) has announced the IGC100 ion gauge controller that can measure pressure from atmosphere down to the ultrahigh vacuum range. It does this by monitoring Bayard–Alpert (BA) ion gauges (up to two), convection-enhanced Pirani gauges (up to two), and capacitance manometers (up to four). The IGC100 has a touchscreen display that can show large numeric readings and also present readings in bar graph or trend format. Chart recordings can be made of pressure versus time plots. The instrument has four configurable analog input/output ports and, with eight relays, serves as an eight-channel process controller. To provide gauge-to-gauge reproducibility and improved gauge accuracy, SRS offers NIST-traceable system calibrations on the IGC100 and all BA ion gauges the company supplies. Stanford Research Systems, 1282 Reamwood Avenue, Sunnyvale, California 94089

▸Circle number 183 on Reader Service Card

Alcatel Vacuum Technology’s Drytel products incorporate dry primary and secondary pumping stages operating in series in a one-switch system under electronic control. The Drytel 1025, the newest pump in the line, operates between atmospheric pressure and 10⁻⁵ torr, and has a maximum pumping speed of 16 cfm. It offers an open design for easy maintenance, features a 10‥000-hr mean time between scheduled maintenances, and weighs only 33 lbs. The system’s primary pump, with a pumping speed of 0.5 cfm and an ultimate pressure of 1 mbar, is capable of starting under vacuum and holds vacuum when turned off. The secondary pump is the company’s MDP5011 molecular drag pump, with a 7.5 L/s pumping speed and an ultimate pressure of 10⁻⁵ torr. Options include an automatic gas ballast, an interface board, and a variety of exhaust connections. Alcatel Vacuum Products, 67 Sharp Street, Hingham, Massachusetts 02043

▸Circle number 184 on Reader Service Card

The PDR9000 from HPS Products is a dual-channel device that provides power and readout for the company’s analog convection transducer (ACT) and inverted magnetron transducer (IMT) and can communicate with a host computer. The ACT (series 907) is a convection-type Pirani sensor with a measuring range of 10 mtorr to 1000 torr. The IMT (series 903) can operate much lower than a traditional Penning cold cathode sensor, as low as 3×10⁻¹⁰ torr. Because both sensors are gas sensitive, the PDR9000 can be used to locate medium to fine leaks in a vacuum system. The instrument provides a linear analog output signal (1 to 7.5 V DC) for each transducer; there is an automatic sensor switch-over at 10 mtorr. The red LED display has a resolution of 1% of indicated decade of pressure and provides for adjustment of two independent set-point relays. HPS Products, 5330 Sterling Drive, Boulder, Colorado 80301

▸Circle number 185 on Reader Service Card

Pfeiffer Vacuum has announced PackageLine, a new Roots pumping package that combines the rotary vane pump and Roots blower to reach pumping speeds from 235 up to 5500 m³/hr (150–3200 cfm), useful for dry, inert, and nonreactive gases and gas mixtures. The rotary vane pump includes an integrated safety valve and oil return unit for high reliability. Short pump-down times are reached by an integrated overflow valve in the Roots blower. PackageLine pump packages offer large volume throughput with solutions for applications from atmosphere to medium vacuum such as electron-beam welding, backing vacuum systems for turbo and diffusion pumps, load locks, packaging, and leak test and coating systems. Pfeiffer Vacuum Inc, 24 Trafalgar Square, Nashua, New Hampshire 03063-1988

▸Circle number 186 on Reader Service Card

MV Products has introduced custom filter elements that can be designed to absorb specific gases such as arsine, boron trifluoride, boron trichloride, and hydrochloride acid, or trap particulates down to 0.1 mm. The filter elements include stainless steel and copper gauze, a molecular sieve to trap gases and vapors, activated charcoal for organic vapors, activated alumina to neutralize acids and absorb oils, pleated polypropylene 2, 5, and 20 µm, and polyester to perform up to 165°C, depending on pressure. MV Products can supply 2.75 in. diameter × 4.5 in. or 9.5 in. high filter-element shells that fit the company’s standard vacuum inlet and exhaust traps; the shells can be used in any combination. MV Products, Division of Mass-Vac Inc, 247 Rangeway Road, P.O. Box 359, North Billerica, Massachusetts 01862-0359

▸Circle number 187 on Reader Service Card

ULVAC Technologies has announced the DRYMAC PDR-C series vacuum pump, which features a multistage Roots pump design. The all-aluminum construction of the PDR is said to be ideal for chemical-vapor deposition and etch applications. Uniform operating temperatures are maintained throughout the six Roots stages, helping to prevent condensable process gas byproducts from adhering to the internal pump surfaces. The PDR series pumps are offered in three sizes — 47, 74, and 139 cfm — and use a “canned” motor for leak tightness. Versions are also available with integrated booster pumps for pumping speeds of 200, 400, or 600 cfm. Configurations include cool, high, and ultrahigh pump operating temperature models. Some utilities, such as shaft seal purge gas, ballast gas, and cooling water are adjustable. ULVAC Technologies Inc, 401 Griffin Brook Drive, Methuen, Massachusetts 01844

▸Circle number 188 on Reader Service Card

Thermionics has developed a 5-axis (x, y, z, polar, and flip) micropositioning manipulator for sample positioning within vacuum chambers. The new manipulator features 1.0 µm resolution, an interchangeable sample system, and reduced magnetic permeability. The in-vacuum motors for the 5 axes of motion minimize vibration of the sample holder and make the manipulator compact. The stability of the sample holder allows the user to prepare and analyze samples in one pump-down. Because of the in-vacuum motors, there are no bellows; thus vacuum integrity is increased. The manipulator bolts onto an 8-in. flange. Thermionics Vacuum Products, 231-B Otto Street, Port Townsend, Washington 98368

▸Circle number 189 on Reader Service Card

Kurt J. Lesker has introduced SPECTROS, an R&D system designed to investigate deposition methods and characteristics of organic electroluminescent (OLED) films. The substrate holder in the 18-in. diameter × 6-in. tall deposition chamber is a platen rotating about its center and holding either two 100 × 100 mm or two 50 × 50 mm substrates. The chamber is pumped by a 1500 L/s cryopump with roughing and regeneration provided by a vane pump or optional drying pump. The standard instrument has four of the company’s OLED evaporation sources, operating at low temperature (up to 500°C) and designed for both organic and polymeric materials. There are also two evaporation boat sources that reach temperatures (up to 1500°C) commonly required for metals. All six sources have separate power supplies and pneumatically operated shutters. Kurt J. Lesker Co, 1515 Worthington Avenue, Clairton, Pennsylvania 15025-2700

▸Circle number 190 on Reader Service Card

The Model 627 vacuum metallizing system from Stokes Vacuum incorporates a smart distributed I/O control network. The controls are based on an Allen-Bradley PLC5 platform and use Allen-Bradley flex I/O for the remote control points. The new system is designed for rapid pump-down using the Stokes direct-drive canned motor-blower systems. The blowers operate from atmospheric pressure to boost pumping speed during initial pump-down, reportedly, by up to 800% above a conventional system. A redesigned manifold system helps take advantage of the improved pumping capacity. The 627 provides a smaller footprint than previous systems. Stokes Vacuum Inc, 5500 Tabor Road, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19120

▸Circle number 191 on Reader Service Card

The VAT Vacuum Valves 2004 book details the company’s line of vacuum valves, pressure control systems, and accessories for use in systems ranging from rough vacuum to extreme UHV The book is organized by valve type and includes detailed technical information and outline drawings. VAT Inc, 500 West Cummings Park, Woburn, Massachusetts 01801

▸Circle number 192 on Reader Service Card

A 272-page catalog from Insulator Seal includes the company’s line of electrical and liquid feedthroughs, electrical breaks, optical viewports (including three ultraviolet grades of fused silica), and related connectors, wires, insulators, and vacuum hardware. Metal-seal flanges allow bakeouts to 400°C. Insulator Seal, 6460 Parkland Drive, Sarasota, Florida 34243

▸Circle number 193 on Reader Service Card