The descriptions of the new products listed in this section are based on information supplied to us by the manufacturers. PHYSICS TODAY can assume no responsibility for their accuracy. For more information about a particular product, visit the website at the end of the product description.
Chemical dry pumps
Edwards Inc is offering two new CPH chemical dry vacuum pumps based on proven dry pumping technology and designed to be used in chemical and pharmaceutical applications. They are the CPH250, with a throughput of 250 m3/h, and the CPH400, with a capacity of 400 m3/h. Both offer high pumping speeds from atmospheric pressure, down to an ultimate pressure of less than 0.5 mbar, and are compliant with ATEX, the standard for explosion protection in the industry. The CPH250 and CPH400, capable of pumping a wide range of flammable vapors, are also available as preengineered pump and booster combinations with the company's EH line of mechanical boosters to give a compact package with pumping speeds up to 2700 m3/h and a low ultimate pressure well suited to applications such as solvent drying. Edwards Inc, 301 Ballardvale Street, Wilmington, MA 01887, http://www.edwardsvacuum.com
UHV cryostat for microscopy
Janis Research Co has introduced the ST-500-UHV cryostat for microscopy with a UHV sample environment. This continuous-flow cryostat includes the same low base temperature of 3.8 K and heat exchanger design as the company's standard ST-500, with its low thermal drift of about 2 nm/min, and a helium consumption rate of about 1.1 L/h. The new cryostat is bakeable to 450 K and is equipped with a viewport configured for short working-distance measurements. Depending on the window thickness, that distance can be as short as 1 mm; different window materials are available to suit the required transmission range. The cryostat design can be modified to accept internal nanopositioning stages for xyz motion. The ST-500-UHV can be used with liquid helium or liquid nitrogen and will operate in any orientation. Janis Research Company Inc, 2 Jewel Drive, P. O. Box 696, Wilmington, MA 01887-0696, http://www.janis.com
Miniature ionization gauge
InstruTech has announced the IGM-401 Hornet miniature ionization vacuum gauge module, a direct plug-compatible replacement for two Granville-Phillips Micro-Ion instruments. With a wide measurement range of 1 × 10−9 torr to 5 × 10−2 torr, the module provides the basic signal conditioning required to turn the vacuum gauge into a complete measuring device. The bright yellow organic LED graphical display allows easy reading from a wide viewing angle. Service screens can diagnose problems with the dual hot filaments and monitor filament life. Filament and emission currents can be monitored in real time on the research screen, and users can select from 16 common gases without having to apply manual correction factors. The IGM-401 module offers one log-linear analog output, an RS-485 interface, and a setpoint relay. InstruTech Inc, 1475 South Fordham Street, Longmont, CO 80503, http://www.instrutechinc.com
Temperature-controlled microscopy
Linkam Scientific Instruments has developed an optical imaging station to facilitate the easy loading of samples into stages, such as the company's TST350 tensile stage. The platform enables users to access the sample chamber by tilting the lens and camera out of the way; the viewing optics are mounted in a fully retractable arm. Standard high-resolution, long-working distance objectives can still be used—the arm has mounts for one or two of them—as can a standard microscope 100-W light source for routine bright-field microscopy. A 10X phase ring is built into the condenser, and both polarizer and analyzer are included. The company's TST350 optical tensile stage, when used in the imaging station, can provide temperature control over the range from −196 °C to +350 °C and rates up to 30 °C/min. Linkam Scientific Instruments, 8 Epsom Downs Metro Centre, Waterfield, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 5LR, UK, http://www.linkam.co.uk
Dry scroll pump
Varian's IDP-3 is a new compact dry scroll pump that provides oil-free vacuum for various applications from analytical instrumentation and high-energy physics to semiconductor fabrication and industrial processing. It delivers a pumping speed of 60 L/min and a very low base pressure of less than 250 mtorr, almost four times lower than an equivalently sized membrane/diaphragm pump. The IDP-3 uses a hermetic design in which the motor and bearings are outside the vacuum space, allowing full isolation of all pumped gases. The pump produces vacuum with a simple dual scroll mechanism in which one of the nested scrolls orbits about the other, creating moving zones of captured gas. This design offers lower noise and vibration levels and minimizes the possibility of catastrophic failures inherent to rotary vane or diaphragm pumps. Varian Inc, 3120 Hansen Way, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1030, http://www.varianinc.com
Vacuum optomechanics
McPherson Inc has expanded its product line to include vacuum-compatible optomechanical components. These accessories allow users to configure novel or special systems for high harmonic x-ray lasers and vacuum UV spectroscopy at synchrotron storage rings. The components are available with flange connections ranging from Quik to Conflat to custom designed for purge and vacuum applications in a range of 10−6 torr. They can provide evacuated optics paths that eliminate atmospheric moisture. The components include mirror mounts, reflective light source condensers, filter wheels, polarizer mounts and rotators, source alignment fixtures, vacuum manifolds and isolation valves, and a vacuum light chopper with reflective blade and magnetically coupled drive (see photo). McPherson Inc, 7A Stuart Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824, http://www.mcphersoninc.com
Cryogen-free probe station
Lake Shore Cryotronics has introduced a new CCR-based low-vibration, cryogen-free probe station that operates over a standard temperature range of 4.5–350 K with a temperature stability of 10 mK. Incorporating a closed-cycle refrigerator, the station has a fast thermal response and rapid warm-up for sample exchange with a cycle time of less than 3.5 h. Integrated vibration isolation and damping limit sample stage vibration to less than 1 μm throughout the temperature range. The probe station is user configurable with up to six ultrastable, micromanipulated probe arms, each of which provides precise three-axis control of the probe position. Options include a high-temperature (to 475 K) sample holder, higher-magnification monoscopes, fiber-optic probe-arm modification, and vacuum turbo-pumping systems. Lake Shore Cryotronics Inc, 575 McCorkle Boulevard, Westerville, OH 43082, http://www.lakeshore.com
Magnetically levitated turbopump
Pfeiffer Vacuum has added the HiMag 3400 to its line of magnetically levitated turbopumps with integrated drive electronics, which eliminate the need for cumbersome and costly cabling. The turbopumps feature high pumping speeds, high compression ratio, and high gas throughput, and they can reach a final pressure of better than 1 × 10−10 torr. They benefit from constant rotor monitoring by sensors to support stable operation. The pump's low vibration means they can be used in applications requiring minimum vibration in the low-frequency range; the pumps can be vented quickly and automatically. Magnetic levitation bearings greatly reduce the need for maintenance. The HiMag 3400 provides a pumping speed of 1900 L/s for argon, 2100 L/s for nitrogen, 1900 L/s for helium, and 1800 L/s for hydrogen. Pfeiffer Vacuum, 24 Trafalgar Square, Nashua, NH 03063, www.pfeiffer-vacuum.com
Biomedical freezer
The MDF-U730M from SANYO Scientific is an upright, single-door biomedical freezer that provides manual defrost and storage at −30 °C or −20 °C. The unit is designed for laboratory-grade freezing of enzymes for genetic research, culture media and reagents for testing, frozen blood samples, and vaccines. The MDF-U730M offers superior uniformity, microprocessor control, and a large, flexible storage capacity of 24.4 ft3. In the freezer, evaporators are located in the walls along both sides and on the back, top, and bottom of the chamber to ensure maximum cooling performance. Because there is no defrost cycle, the inner chamber temperature is stable. The company's energy-efficient refrigerator design, which incorporates a low-noise-level compressor, does not require a noisy condenser fan. SANYO E & E America Co, 1062 Thorndale Avenue, Bensenville, IL 60106, http://www.sanyo.com
Thermal test system
Temptronic Corp is offering the TP4500 Thermostream system, a portable, high-capacity thermal airstream with minimal compressed air requirements—neither liquid nitrogen nor carbon dioxide is needed. The system's high airflow rate is adjustable up to 10 scfm at all temperature set points from −45 °C to +225 °C; users can test devices of almost any size and power dissipation. The TP4500 provides fast temperature transitions (−40 °C to +125 °C in less than 12 s) for high throughput. Direct temperature control is accomplished by placing a thermocouple at the device. The system is fully programmable and enables users to save a series of thermal cycling sequences, including ramp rate, soak time, number of cycles, and attemperature window. The TP4500 can be operated from the front panel or remotely via IEEE-488 and RS-232 interfaces. Temptronic Corporation, 4 Commercial Street, Sharon, MA 02067, http://www.temptronic.com
Chilling/heating plate
The Torrey Pines Scientific ECHO-therm model IC35 series of Peltier-driven chilling/heating heavy-duty dry baths can freeze, chill, or heat samples in blocks that can hold 0.5 mL to 50 mL centrifuge tubes, test tubes, vials, assay plates, and round-bottom flasks. The fully programmable units can store five programs in memory with 10 steps per program for instant recall and use. Each program can be made to repeat automatically from 1 to 99 times. The IC35 provides digital control to ±1 °C from −10 °C to 100 °C; the IC35XT extends the range down to −20 °C. The display normally shows the target and actual temperatures and can also present all programmer functions. The chilling/heating surface is a flat, 12.7-cm square aluminum plate. Torrey Pines Scientific Inc, 1780 La Costa Meadows Drive, #101, San Marcos, CA 92078, http://www.torreypinesscientific.com
New literature
LACO Technologies is offering a leak detector Technical Reference Guide that includes leak detector unit conversions, comparison of leak detector methods, equivalent leak rates, leak rates versus pressure, helium leak rates versus other gases, and viscous versus molecular flow rates. LACO Technologies Inc, 139 West 2260 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84115, http://www.lacotech.com
Vacuubrand Inc has published a brochure, with specifications, that provides an overview of the company's complete line of vacuum equipment for the generation, measurement, and control of vacuum, including OEM and laboratory versions. Vacuubrand Inc, 11 Bokum Road, Essex, CT 06246, http://www.vacuubrand.net
