1020 Plasma cleaner

  • Description
  • Specification
  • Accesories
  • Consumables

Description

Plasma Cleaner automatically and quickly removes organic contamination (hydrocarbon) from electron microscopy specimens and specimen holders. A low energy, reactive gas plasma cleans without changing the specimen’s elemental composition or structural characteristics. The Plasma Cleaner features easy-to-use front panel controls and an oil-free vacuum system for optimal processing.

Cleaning is solely by reactive gas compounds formed by the plasma chemically reacting with carbonaceous material on the specimen and specimen holder. The nonequilibrium, high-frequency plasma is generated with a gas mixture of 25% oxygen and 75% argon. Free electrons are accelerated to high velocities by an oscillating electromagnetic field (13.56 MHz) that excites gas atoms and creates the plasma. The plasma ions impinge upon the surface with energies of less than 12 eV, which is below the specimen’s sputtering threshold.

In electron microscopes with high brightness electron sources, specimens that are not plasma treated tend to contaminate. The Plasma Cleaner ensures confidence that carbonaceous contamination will not interfere with imaging or analysis, even during fine probe microanalysis for extended periods.

The Plasma Cleaner readily accepts side-entry specimen holders for all commercial transmission electron microscopes, as well as scanning electron microscope samples and a wide variety of bulk materials. A specialized specimen holder port allows the cleaning of specimens contained on carbon grids.

Key Specifications

  • Simultaneously cleans specimen and specimen holder
  • Cleans highly contaminated specimens in 2 minutes or less
  • No change to the specimen’s elemental composition or structural characteristics
  • Oil-free vacuum system
  • Easy-to-use front panel controls
  • Readily accepts side-entry specimen holders for all commercial transmission electron microscopes (TEMs) and scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEMs)
  • For scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as other surface science techniques
  • Handy for evacuating specimen holder vacuum storage containers

Specification

Plasma system
High frequency (13.56 MHz) oscillating field system coupled to a quartz and stainless steel plasma chamber Ion energies less than 12 eV
Compatible with TEM specimen holders for transmission electron microscopes manufactured by:

  • FEI Company/Philips Electron Optics
  • Hitachi High Technologies America Inc.
  • JEOL Ltd.
  • Carl Zeiss Microscopy/LEO Electron Microscopes
  • Topcon Corp.

Vacuum system
 Oil-free turbomolecular drag pump and a multistage
diaphragm pump
Ultimate vacuum of 1 x 10-7 mbar

Gas
 25% oxygen and 75% argon
Nominal 10 psi (200 kPa) delivery pressure
Flow rate is factory set and can be adjusted via a potentiometer located on the service panel

Dimensions
23.2 in (59 cm) width x 20.4 in (52 cm) height x 23.2 in(59 cm) depth

Weight
133.5 lb (60.6 kg)

Accesories

Model 9010
Vacuum Storage Container

The Vacuum Storage Container is a portable device for the vacuum storage and transport of plasma cleaned specimens and transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimen holders. A high-precision valve assembly ensures vacuum integrity for prolonged periods. The Vacuum Storage Container is typically evacuated through the use of the Model 1020 Plasma Cleaner or the Model 1070 NanoClean.

The specimen portion of the TEM specimen holder can be directly observed through a sight glass. An aluminum outer housing provides a high degree of protection to the specimen holder, which enables the safe transportation of specimen holders under clean, vacuum conditions.

Model 9020
Vacuum Pumping Station

  • High-precision valves ensure vacuum integrity
  • Stores up to five transmission electron microscope specimen holders
  • Provides safe storage of specimen holders under clean, vacuum conditions

The Vacuum Pumping Station allows for the simultaneous vacuum storage of up to five plasma-cleaned specimens and transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimen holders. It includes a heavy-duty metal base, five Model 9010 Vacuum Storage Containers, a vacuum pumping manifold, and all of the necessary components for connection to the Model 1020 Plasma Cleaner or the Model 1070 NanoClean.

The Vacuum Storage Containers are individually valved to facilitate specimen holder insertion and removal from the Vacuum Pumping Station. High-precision valves ensure vacuum integrity for prolonged periods. The Vacuum Storage Container is typically evacuated through the use of the Plasma Cleaner’s oil-free vacuum system.

The specimen portion of the TEM specimen holder can be directly observed through a sight glass. An aluminum outer housing provides a high degree of protection to the specimen holder, enabling the safe storage of specimen holders under clean, vacuum conditions.