Prep/Analysis Equipment Overview
To complement all of RHK’s advanced UHV AFM/STM SPM systems, preparation and analysis equipment can be added and integrated to create complete and versatile surface science platforms.
RHK SPMs are thoughtfully designed from the beginning for easy modular upgrades over time as funding permits and research evolves. Adding RHK prep-analysis chambers and instruments brings powerful new research capabilities to SPM systems and greatly increases overall functionality.
RHK tailors prep/analysis upgrades to individual user needs and preferences without restricting the choice to a particular brand of instrument. Instead, RHK works with several close industry partners to select specialized best-in-class instruments such as LEED, XPS, SEM, evaporators, and ion sources. Our approach assures the user’s requirements are met without compromise or trade-offs.
An RHK prep/analysis chamber is chosen to accommodate the selected instruments. The chamber can be one of several pre-designed configurations or completely customized for unique research objectives. Then these instruments and chamber are fully integrated with the SPM system, and the complete platform is thoroughly tested, delivered, and installed.
RHK can also install a prep-analysis chamber and instrument upgrade for an existing SPM system at the customer’s site, so the original system never has to leave the laboratory. In either case, the result is a complete system with seamless, turnkey operation, advanced functionality, and ongoing support.
Prep/Analysis Chamber Design
All RHK prep/analysis chambers share these design elements:
- Equipped with best-in-class instruments from select suppliers to assure maximum performance of each piece of equipment
- Fabricated with UHV-grade Stainless Steel (mu-metal available); multiple flanges, viewports, and spares of different sizes to allow mounting of additional instruments in the future
- Are fully customizable during the design phase
- Are fully integrated into the overall system
- Can be installed at RHK during SPM system construction or later on-site in the customer lab
- Fully isolated from the adjoining SPM chamber and load lock via gate valves
- Equipped with dedicated UHV pumping and gauge packages
- Can be vented independently of other system chambers
- Fully bakeable with the SPM system, or independently bakeable with additional equipment
- Provide easy, direct transfer in UHV among all adjoining chambers
- Outfitted with their own transfer arms or sample manipulators
- Depending on chamber and manipulator model, equipped with sample cooling, heating, electrical contacts, and movement in XYZ and rotation to take full advantage of all instruments and applications
RHK Typical Prep/Analysis Chambers
RHK provides four typical chamber models for Beetle and PanScan SPM, plus a wide-open set of features for customization. RHK’s QuadraProbe prep/analysis chamber is also customizable; its lay-out is exclusively set up for the special requirements of a 4-Probe LT system.
Three typical chamber configurations for PanScan and Beetle:
Basic Plus
Sample Handling Mechanism | Transfer Arm with Z motion and rotation. Wobble Stick for sample transfer to/from Transfer Arm and preparation Sample Stage. Transfer arm extends into SPM chamber for sample exchange using SPM wobble stick. |
Sample Stage | Stationary Sample Stage with full range of sample heating, cooling (LN2), and electrical contact capability. Stage can be mounted with sample facing up or down. Contacts on prep stage match contacts on SPM stage. |
Sample Heating | Full range: DC/resistive, radiant, e-beam |
Sample Cooling | 100 K via LN2 |
Typical Instruments | Electron Beam Evaporator (sample cooled or heated) Effusion Cell (sample cooled or heated) Thermal Desorption Quadrapole Mass Spectrometer Ion Source |
Summary | Stationary Stage with heat, cooling, and electrical contacts adds key research advantages at a reasonable budget |
Standard
Sample Handling Mechanism | Sample Manipulator with long Z travel and 0.5” XY adjustment for long travel and superb rigidity, plus Rotation. Manipulator extends into SPM chamber for sample exchange using SPM wobble stick. |
Sample Stage | Traveling Sample Stage mounted on end of Manipulator with full range of sample heating, cooling, and electrical contact capability. Stage can be rotated 180º in either direction. Sample Stage reaches and adjusts to all instruments with heating, cooling, and electrical contacts in all positions. Contacts on manipulator match contacts on SPM stage. |
Sample Heating | Full range: DC/resistive, radiant, e-beam |
Sample Cooling | 100 K via LN2 (standard; LHe available) |
Typical Instruments | LEED / LEED Auger (up to 8” diameter) Electron Beam Evaporator (sample cooled or heated) Effusion Cell (sample cooled or heated) Concurrent and/or sequential deposition Film Growth Monitor (QCM) Thermal Desorption Quadrapole Mass Spectrometer Ion Source |
Summary | Sophisticated capabilities include surface analytics in concert with full-range deposition techniques. |
Advanced
Sample Handling Mechanism | Sample Manipulator with long Z travel and 0.5” XY adjustment for long travel and superb rigidity, plus Rotation. Manipulator extends into SPM chamber for sample exchange using SPM wobble stick. |
Sample Stage | Traveling Sample Stage mounted on end of Manipulator with full range of sample heating, cooling, and electrical contact capability. Stage can be rotated 180º in either direction. Sample Stage reaches and adjusts to all instruments with heating, cooling, and electrical contacts in all positions. Contacts on manipulator match contacts on SPM stage. |
Sample Heating | Full range: DC/resistive, radiant, e-beam |
Sample Cooling | 100 K via LN2 (standard; LHe available) |
Typical Instruments | XPS (UPS available) LEED / LEED Auger (up to 8” diameter) Electron Beam Evaporator (sample cooled or heated) Effusion Cell (sample cooled or heated) Concurrent and/or sequential deposition Film Growth Monitor (QCM) Thermal Desorption Quadrapole Mass Spectrometer Ion Source |
Summary | Highly advanced capabilities for world-class surface analysis and full-range deposition techniques. A research platform for the longest term with very few inherent limitations. |
Ranging from basic to advanced, these standardized Beetle and PanScan prep chamber configurations accelerate the process of selection, design, and fabrication, help reduce costs, and satisfy the widest range of needs. Each has its own set of features and capabilities. All have the chamber design elements described above.
RHK Customized Prep/Analysis Chambers
When none of the four typical configurations meet a user’s most demanding requirements — even with customization — RHK develops and designs a unique prep/analysis chamber exactingly tailored to special applications.
Four-chamber systems
For situations where analysis chamber equipment could be at risk of contamination by certain preparation and deposition films, an RHK Four-Chamber design provides the necessary safeguards. An isolated SPM, load lock, clean analysis chamber, and dirty preparation chamber are integrated into a research platform with highly advanced capabilities and sample transfer for travel throughout the entire system.
Optimization for Specialized Applications
RHK developed an extremely cost-effective and unique design that provides a highly compact, versatile system enabled for multi-angle IR beam studies plus Thermal Program Desorption (TPD). RHK’s elegant design approach allowed for a shorter travel XYZR manipulator to reduce costs without compromising performance of either technique. Wide-range heating, cooling, and accurate sample surface temperature measurement for TPD were combined with precisely positioned sample access to all necessary angles for IR studies.
Preparation chamber: customized for LEED/Auger, sputter ion gun, MBE K-cell, H2 cracker, and numerous spare ports for future expansion capability. System also contains a load lock and manipulator with sample heating (radiative, resistive, and e-beam modes) and LN2 cooling. STM chamber contains a metal evaporator for in-situ evaporation. Frame has space for additional chamber with independent pumping for future expansion.
RHK has a long and proud history of accomplishment in SPM Control. With over 1,000 controllers installed around the world, RHK has brought a continual series of advanced capabilities to the nanotechnology field for decades. From the early days of STM, to contact AFM, then NC-AFM, through the transition to digital electronics, and on to new paradigms for graphical interface ease of use and total hardware integration, RHK control platforms consistently bring powerful new functionality to researchers worldwide.