OPERATION MANUAL
Introduction
This document describes the operation of the BJD1800 Electron Beam Evaporator. This tool has a 6kW power supply and is equipped with a auto valving sequence for pump down and venting. It has 6 pockets from which 6 different materials could be evaporated without breaking vacuum integrity. Refer to process data for materials and rates.
Safety and precaution
The evaporator uses high voltages (10kV) to accelerate electron toward the target. As such, even when the electron gun is off, some remanent charges of several thousand volts can still be present in the tool. As this can represent an lethal hazard, it is absolutely forbidden to open the front panel of the tool.
Description of machine parts
- main system with chamber
-
- vacuum control unit: automatically pumps down and vent the process chamber
(Auto start=> pump down, Auto stop=> Vent, Auto/Main Vent=> Switch when starting Vent / Stoping N2 Flow
Only these Three switches with Arrow mark needed to be used)
Summarize how to vent and pump down the chamber
To vent the chamber
1) Flip toggle (Auto/Main Vent) switch to AUTO
2) Press AUTOSTOP button
3) When chamber pressure reach Atmosphere pressure, Flip toggle (Auto/Main Vent) switch to MAIN VENT to stop N2 flow
To pump down the chamber
1) Be sure the toggle (Auto/Main Vent) switch in MAIN VENT position
2) Press AUTOSTART button
Electronic rack
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- Inficon crucible indexer: rotate the hearth to switch from different crucible, 6 total
- Vacuum gage: display the vacuum level in the chamber
- SQC Deposition controller: controls the power of the beam, deposition thickness and rate. Manual or semi-automatic
- MDC Source Control: linked to the deposition controller, this unit control the filament emission current
- MDC Sweep controller: control how the beam is scanned across the crucible.
- MDC 6kW power supply: solid state power supply for the electron gun

Operation
Verification prior to operation
- Tool should be under vacuum. Vacuum level should in the 1e-7 Torr range
- all modules on electronic rack should ON
- If need, check tool comments in Coral to be sure all is OK
* Get the crystal state by using the Deposition Controller. Press on Next Menu until Sensor Info appears as part of the menu. Press Sensor Info and the read the % of the crystal. REPORT TO STAFF IF CRYSTAL IS BELOW 50%.
Venting the chamber and loading sample
- Switch the MAN VENT / AUTO toggle on AUTO and press AUTO STOP
- Wait until pressure is about 7.4e2 Torr or more and open the chamber and you will hear the N2 flow sound, switch the MAN VENT / AUTO toggle on MAN VENT to stop N2 flow.
- Unload the sample holder by rotating it counter clock wise and set it on the top of the tool using the PVC union
- Secure your sample on the holder and load the holder in the machine
- If the glass slide is at the top view port hasn't been replace, place a new one.
Crucibles
- Verify using the magnet at the top of the electronic rack that the needed material are loaded in the turret.
- Verify the amount of materials in crucible liner, If a change of material is needed, ASK STAFF TO PERFORM IT. USERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CHANGE CRUCIBLE BY THEMSELVES
- Update the magnet position to reflect what is in the tool
- Verify that there is NO foreign materials (paper, debris, etc) on the Chamber O-ring
- Close chamber and press AUTO START button. The tool will go into an automatic sequence of pumping starting by roughing out the chamber with the mechanical pump and when the reaching 70mTorr, the HIVAC valve will be opened allowing the cryogenic pump to bring the tool to high vacuum stage.
- Wait for base vacuum to be reached: 5e-6 Torr or lower if higher purity is needed
- When useing Cr, please wait for vacuum to be reached at 1e-7 range to start, in order to avoid suddenly pressure rise to accidenly shut down filemant during Cr sublimation
DO NOT TURN THE FILAMENT ON WHILE THE VACUUM LEVEL IS ABOVE 5e-5 Torr. FILAMENT WILL LIKELY BURN.
Check point before pump down and operation
1. Glass slide need to change?
2. Enough materials left in crucible for you deposition?
3. Is current material in crucible right one for your deposition?
4. Do a complete rotation of crucible turret in Clockwise, to make sure the rotation is correct.
NB: When your deposition time is more than 30 minutes, please break the deposition into 2 or more cycles. The sample holder is very hot after long time deposition.
Deposition
- Using the Motor Controller toggle, switch the rotation ON (local)
- Using the inficon indexer located in the electronic module, rotate the assembly to match the material you want to deposit. Always use the CW button
- Choose a process from the Deposition Controller. Report to Process Table to find and choose the wanted process.
- Edit each layer to verify/change wanted Final thickness. Do not edit rate or other parameters
- The Deposition Controller should be in automatic mode: press the AUTO/MANUAL until AUTO is on top
- Verify the sweep pattern corresponds to the first film to be deposited. Refer to Film Table.
- Start the sweep by pressing on SWEEP ON and DC component. IMPORTANT: the beam won't be able to be turn on if those two button are not ON
- Gun ready will turn green on the source controller
- Start beam emission by pressing the ON button on the source controller: emission current should be roughly at 12A
- Wait 30s for the filament to warm up
- Turn on high voltage using the MDC power supply. Tune the voltage to match the one needed for the first deposited film
- Press start on deposition controller and then press start layer.
- The power (%) will rise to setpoint 1 and soak for determined amount of time to allow the material to melt slowly.
- Using the Shutter toggle switch located on the front left of the system, set it to open
- Verify in the top view port that the beam is well inside the pocket and not hitting outside. If you see the beam hitting outside, adjust the Yoffset sweep parameter. In case of doubt, stop the process immediately and seek for assistance
- If the beam is alright, switch the shutter toggle back to AUTO
- After soak1, the tool will go in rise2 and soak2 to bring the metal to the preset evaporation rate
- After soak2, the shutter will open and the controller will keep the rate steady while measuring the total thickness
- During deposition, fill the logbook with the film material, target thickness, rate, power, process# and current. PRESS <<STOP LAYER>> IF ANY ISSUE ARISES WITH THE BEAM
- When the target thickness is reached, the shutter will close and the power will be ramp down automatically
Switching material
DO NOT EVER ROTATE THE POCKET WHILE THE BEAM IS ON
- switch off the high voltage by pressing RESET on the MDC power supply
- turn off the filament
- turn off the sweep
- Wait for complete cool down of the pocket: no glow should be seeable from the viewport (3' min)
- Rotate the crucible to select new material and start new deposition: go to step 6
Venting chamber and unloading
- Turn of rotation of substrate by switching the Motor Controller toggle back to OFF position
- Switch the MAN VENT / AUTO toggle on AUTO and press AUTO STOP
- Wait until pressure is 6.9e2 Torr or more and open the chamber and switch the MAN VENT / AUTO toggle on MAN VENT to stop N2 flow
- Unload the sample holder by rotating it counter clock wise and set it on the top of the tool using the PVC union
- Remove your sample on the holder and load the holder in the machine
- Place a new glass slide at top view port
- Close chamber and press AUTO START or use the manual pumping sequence in case AUTO START doesn't work.
Manual vent and pump down
In case of issue with the automatic pump down sequence:
Manual Pump Down
- switch the ROUGH toggle to ON and wait for vacuum to be <7.0e-2 Torr
- Switch OFF the ROUGH toggle and switch the HIVAC toggle ON. This will open the HiVac valve to allow the cryogenic pump to pump the chamber.
- Wait for vacuum <5e-6Torr
Manual vent
- Turn OFF the IG1 gage on vacuum controller
- switch the HIVAC toggle to OFF and wait 15sec
- switch the VENT toggle to ON and wait until pressure is >6.9e2 Torr.
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