Evactron® E50 and E50 E-TC: Plasma De-Contaminators

The Evactron E50 De-Contaminators are compact, high performance, yet simplified plasma cleaners specifically developed for ion and electron beam instruments, such as SEMs, TEMsand FIBs.

The E50 De-Contaminator allows high power cleaning for outstanding imaging and resolution and provides enhanced probe and detector sensitivity that is normally impacted by contamination.

The Evactron E50 Plasma Radical Source (PRS) features a small-sized design, making it a universal solution for sample preparation chambers, either SEM or FIB chambers, or load locks.

The Evactron E50 De-Contaminator offers quick, robustand effective cleaning over a wide range of pressures, thereby enabling artifact-free, high quality images, as well as enhanced sample analysis efficiency.

System Features

Plasma and UV afterglow enable dual-action cleaning

Energy-efficient radiofrequency hollow cathode plasma (RFHC) available

Bluetooth Android tablet or wired touchpad programming

RF power—75 W peak, up to 50 W continuous

Offered with recipes, programmable power, cleaning timeand number of cycles

TMP-compatible and advance venting is not required

High-vacuum 'pop'ignition available

PRS can be mounted on the load lock or the SEM chamber

Push button cleaning operation available

Enables quick cleaning that is over 100 times quicker compared to the early generation of Evactron models

External interlock connection (optional) is available

Complies with CE, TUV, SEMIand NRTL standards

A wide range of pressure operations—ranges from 0.3 Pa/2 mTorr to 80 Pa/600 mTorr

Does not harm sensitive components—no sputter etch

Match or gas flow changes are not needed for plasma ignition

Evactron E50

The Evactron E50 plasma De-Contaminator has been combined with wireless tablet programming and has been designed to remove hydrocarbon contamination from high vacuum chambers, such as SEMs and FIBs.

The Evactron E50 Plasma De-Contaminator’s compact design houses majority of the models of load-locks and SEM and FIB chambers. The Evactron E50 makes use of air plasma and UV afterglow to rapidly decrease hydrocarbon contamination.

Specifications of Evactron E50 System

Availability of Android tablet or Bluetooth communication package

RF power—35 to 75 W at 13.56 MHz RFHC

Comes with a hardware interlock

Desktop controller fitted with push-button operation

RoHS-compliant

Provides 100 to 240 VAC 50/60 Hz input

Chassis dimensions—width × height × depth = 17.2″ × 3.5″ × 8.6″ (44 × 8.9 × 22 cm)

Evactron E50 E-TC

The Evactron E50 E-TC Plasma De-Contaminator has been particularly designed for facilities that need a wired touchpad interface for programming purposes.

The touchpad, which measures 134 × 112 × 69 mm, is linked to the controller via an RS-232 cable. The simplified PRS has a compact footprint and makes use of air plasma and UV afterglow to remove hydrocarbon contamination, and hence provides immediate results.

Specifications of Evactron E50 E-TC System

Desktop controller provided with pushbutton operation

Hardware interlock is available

Chassis dimensions—width × height × depth: 17.2″ × 3.5″ × 8.6″ (44 × 8.9 × 22 cm)

Comes with tethered touchpad communication package

RF power—35 to 75 W at 13.56 MHz RFHC

100 to 240 VAC 50/60 Hz input

Plasma chemical etch plus UV active desorption

External hollow cathode plasma radical source

No sputter etch damage or debris

Easy to use sample and chamber cleaning

Plasma strikes at high vacuum, no venting required

Image Credit: Evactron (XEI Scientific)

Plasma cleaning of the sample prior to TKD experiments affords many advantages. The improvement in pattern quality and enhanced measurement efficiency is needed for extended experiments, which can include fast and multiple scans at the same sample position (e.g., for repeated in-situ heating or straining experiments). The advantage of plasma cleaning is recommended for all high resolution TKD experiments. Plasma cleaning the sample inside the microscope chamber is recommended since the chamber, detectors and the holder are cleaned simultaneously.