BioRad Sputter Coater

1
BioRad Sputter Coater

• Instructions for gold coating a SEM sample.
• NO, its not your eyes. This image is out of
  focus

2
Overview
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Step 1 -- Argon On

• Check to see if the Argon tank (bottle) main
  valve is on.
• Do NOT turn the pressure adjust needle valve on
  the regulator.

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Vent Specimen Chamber

• Normally the specimen chamber is left under
  vacuum.
• Turn on Power (red button illuminates)
• Press Vent button (illuminates)
• Allow 30 seconds or so for the chamber to vent
• Press the Vent button again after chamber is
  vented

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Vent Chamber 2
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Open Sample Chamber

• Open chamber by lifting the Target Assembly. Do
  not place your fingers on the target.

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Place samples in chamber

• Load samples on stage
• Close Chamber top making sure that the top is
  seated properly on the glass jar.
• DO NOT DROP THE TOP.

8
Pump chamber

• Press Pump button (illuminates)
• Let chamber pump down to 2 4 10-1 mbar. Then
  press Pump button (light out).
• Press Vent button (illuminates). This will purge
  the chamber of air. The press Vent button again
  (light out).
• Press Pump button (illuminates) and pump down.
  Chamber pressure should reach 6 8 x 10-2 mbar.
  This takes about 15 minutes.

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SETUP FOR SPUTTERING

• Chamber pressure should reach 6 8 x 10-2 mbar.
• INT/LOCK SET HT Button should be illuminated.
• Press the FTM TIMER Button (illuminates)
  sputtering is done by time FTM does not work.

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LEAK ARGON

• Press the LEAK BUTTON (illuminates) DO NOT
  ADJUST THE LEAK VALVE
• The pressure in the chamber should spike and then
  drop back down to about 8 10-2 mbar.

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Sputter Gold -- 1

• Set the time on 30 sec.
• Press the start button on the timer unit.
• Slowly increase the kV (turn the knob)until the
  Plasma current is about 25 mA. The kV knob will
  be at about the 1 oclock position.

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Sputter to desired thickness

• Reset the timer to the desired time. This will
  vary depending upon the thickness of the coating
  that you want. Try 60 seconds for a start.
• Remember that you can always put more on but it
  doesnt come off very easy.
• Recommend that you try very light coating and
  build up to your needed thickness. This is a
  trial and error process.

13
Take Out the Samples

• Turn the kV knob to zero
• Press the LEAK Button (light out)
• Press PUMP button (light out)
• Press VENT button (illuminates)
• Let the chamber vent (takes about 30 seconds)
• Open chamber top and remove samples.

14
Shut down

• Close top (target assembly) making sure it is
  seated properly
• Press VENT button (light out)
• Press PUMP button
• Turn off valve on top of Argon bottle
• Press POWER Button (light out)
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