Coating

Metal Coating Procedure

Equipment is Hummer 6.2 Sputter Coater, Anatech USA and Thickness Monitor Model TM-350, Maxtek Inc.

1. Check to make sure the correct target is installed.    
 1.1. Gold is most commonly used.
 1.2. Pt/Pd is common for FESEM.
 1.3. If the target needs to be changed, contact the support staff.
2. Lift the top of the bell jar to rest on the pipe behind it. VIEW
3. Carefully remove the bell jar. VIEW
4. Load specimens.
5. Replace the bell jar.
6. Lower the lid and check for fit. VIEW
7. Turn on POWER, and hold the lid down until vacuum display no longer reads 1. VIEW
8. Allow vacuum to pump to 100. Switch GAS to ON. VIEW
9. Adjust the flow knob (located behind bell jar) by turning it in the positive direction (counterclockwise) until the Vac=200. VIEW
10. Switch GAS to OFF until Vac=100.
11. Switch GAS to ON up to 200 again.
12. Switch GAS to ON, but this time adjust flow knob by turning it in the negative direction (clockwise) until Vac goes down to ~80.
13. Turn on THICKNESS monitor. VIEW
14. Press STOP then START. (The shutter light will turn red.) VIEW
15. Hold the THICKNESS ENDPOINT button down to see thickness. VIEW
 15.1. For this display, 50 nm = 0.050 kA, and 5 nm = 0.005 kA.
 15.2. If the thickness needs to be adjusted, push the Thickness Endpoint button and press the up or down arrows to reach your desired thickness. VIEW
16. Check that the VOLTAGE knob is set to zero. VIEW
17. Switch VOLTAGE CONTROL to ON. VIEW
18. Turn VOLTAGE knob up to 8 or less in order to obtain the PLASMA DISCHARGE CURRENT = 15 mA. VIEW
 18.1. For JEOL JSM-6400 SEM specimens use 15 mA.
 18.2. For Hitachi S-4700 FE-SEM specimens use 5 mA.
19. When thickness endpoint is reached the current gage will automatically drop down to zero. VIEW
20. Turn off THICKNESS monitor.
21. Lower VOLTAGE knob to zero.
22. Switch VOLTAGE CONTROL to OFF.
23. Switch GAS to OFF.
24. Switch off POWER.
25. Let the air bleed and then remove specimens.
26. Replace bell jar and lid.

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