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

The E50 De-Contaminators available from Evactron are high-performance, compact, yet streamlined plasma cleaners developed for ion and electron beam instruments, like FIBs, TEMsand SEMs.

The E50 De-Contaminator enables high power cleaning for excellent imaging and resolution and also delivers improved probe and detector sensitivity that is generally affected by contamination.

The Evactron E50 Plasma Radical Source (PRS) has a compact design, which makes it a multipurpose solution for sample preparation chambers, either FIB or SEM chambers, or load locks.

The Evactron E50 De-Contaminator provides rapid, effective, and robust cleaning across a broad range of pressures, allowing artifact-free, high quality images, as well as improved efficiency of sample analysis.

System Features

Energy-efficient radio frequency hollow cathode plasma (RFHC)

Plasma and UV afterglow allow dual-action cleaning

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

Wired touchpad programming or Bluetooth Android tablet

Programmable power, recipes, number of cyclesand cleaning time

High-vacuum 'pop'ignition

TMP compatible and no advance venting is required

External interlock connection (optional)

A broad range of pressure operations—0.3 Pa/2 mTorr to 80 Pa/600 mTorr

PRS can be set up on the load lock or the SEM chamber

Does not damage sensitive components—no sputter etch

Allows rapid cleaning that is more than 100 times faster than the previous generation of Evactron models

Match or gas flow changes are not required for plasma ignition

Push button cleaning operation

Complies with NRTL, TUV, CE, and SEMI standards

Evactron E50

Integrated with wireless tablet programming, the Evactron E50 Plasma De-Contaminator has been developed to eliminate hydrocarbon contamination from high vacuum chambers, like FIBs and SEMs.

The compact design of the Evactron E50 Plasma De-Contaminator accommodates most models of load-locks and FIB and SEM chambers. The Evactron E50 also uses UV afterglow and air plasma to quickly reduce hydrocarbon contamination.

Specifications of Evactron E50 System

Hardware interlock

Bluetooth communication package/Android tablet

Desktop controller equipped with push button operation

Offers 100–240 VAC 50/60 Hz input

RF power—35 to 75 W at 13.56 MHz RFHC

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

RoHS-compliant

Evactron E50 E-TC

The Evactron E50 E-TC Plasma De-Contaminator was developed specifically for facilities that require a wired touchpad interface for programming purposes.

The touchpad, measuring (134 × 112 × 69 mm), is joined to the controller through an RS-232 cable. The streamlined PRS has a small footprint and uses UV afterglow and air plasma to decrease hydrocarbon contamination, and thus delivers instant results.

Specifications of Evactron E50 E-TC System

Hardware interlock

Tethered touchpad communication package

Desktop controller fitted with pushbutton operation

Offers 100–240 VAC 50/60 Hz input

RF power—35 to 75 W at 13.56 MHz RFHC

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

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.