Load Sample(s):

1. The chamber should be pumped down when you arrive. If it is not, contact Bill.

2. To open the chamber:
a. Close the Gate Valve and wait for ~ 10 seconds.
b. Open the Vent Valve and wait for A to level off (usually somewhere around 7.6 +2.
c. Close the Vent Valve and wait for ~5 seconds.
d. Press Lift (green button) to open the lid of the chamber.

3. After chamber is open:
a. Put on gloves and lift sample holder (metal circle) out of scaffold
b. Use Allen Wrench to loosen the screws and clamps.
c. Slide your sample (side to have film facing “up”) under one of the clamps and use the Allen wrench to tighten the clamp to the sample. Be careful with clamping too tightly if your sample is brittle! Note: only the part of your sample exposed (outside of the clamp) will have film after the evaporation is completed.
d. Add film material (Al, In, Cr, or Au) to crucible, if necessary.
e. Make sure evaporation chamber is located at the specified film material.
f. Check to see that the Shutter is closed. If the shutter is not close, press in the shutter knob and turn to “close” position. Make sure it is completely closed before sample is loaded.
g. Place the sample holder (sample facing “down”) back in the scaffold.

4. To close the chamber:
a. Press Motor Down (green button) to lower the lid of the chamber.
b. Once the lid is closed, make sure it is centered on top of the chamber. The lid can be adjusted manually if it is not centered.
c. Open the viewing window to check if the plastic was coated by the last user. The plastic must be transparent in order to run the evaporation successfully. Close viewing window after check and/or replacement.

5. Set vacuum environment:
a. Do NOT set vacuum until lid and viewing window are closed!
b. Open Roughing Valve until A reaches 3 -2.
c. Close Roughing Valve and wait for ~ 5 seconds.
d. Open Gate Valve and wait ~ 1 day.

Evaporate Film:

1. Turn IG2 Button off.

2. Turn High Voltage (Control Panel) on with tweezers. The kV will increase, Amps will stay the same.

3. Using the unit next to the chamber, increase the Current with the dial.

4. One the spot is visible in the chamber, use the X and Y sliders on the unit to adjust the beam to the center of the crucible.

5. Increase the current until a purple glow appears above the crucible. The crucible will also likely be red hot when the glow is apparent. You are ready to evaporate - - get a stopwatch!

6. Open the Shutter by pressing in shutter knob and turn to “open”.

7. Begin timing and wait for desired time to elapse.

8. Decrease Current to “0”.

9. Turn off High Voltage by pressing the “OFF” button (Control Panel).

10. Close the Shutter by pressing in the shutter knob and turn to “close”.

11. To retrieve sample, open the chamber (See Load Sample, Step 2)

Shut Down:

1. Load new sample (or leave sample holder empty) and follow Load Sample section, Steps 1-5 (above).

2. Make sure the vacuum is set properly before you leave.

3. Log information into the logbook.

4. Clean work area.

If you have any problems or questions, contact Bill Knudsen.

Each film material behaves differently in the evaporation system. Trials have been completed to plot film thickness as a function of time for aluminum.

The y-error bars indicate all of the data falls within the required range for a linear trend. The linear trend is further justified when thickness was plotted on a logarithmic scale.

The raw and averaged data are:

The film thicknesses were measured on the FE-SEM (thick films) or AFM (thin films).

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