SC7640 Sputter Coater
 SC7640 Sputter coater |
The SC7640 is an ideal all-round SEM sputter coater.
Operation is switchable between automatic and manual. Automatic operation saves
operator time and allows inexperienced sputter coater users to prepare samples.
A unique "cool" sputtering head with annular target means that fine
grain coatings are routinely achieved. The large target diameter (82mm) ensures
that coatings have an even thickness. The SC7640 is supplied with a gold/palladium sputtering target, with others (gold, platinum, nickel, silver, palladium) available as options. The SC7640 is a complete working system and comes with sputtering target, vacuum and electrical fittings and a comprehensive 40 page manual. A suitable 90 litre per minute rotary pump is required (see E50005G). A routine cycle time for sputter coating SEM samples with a typical conductive coating (5 - 7 nm) of gold or gold / palladium will be less than three minutes. The SC7640 comes with a unique 3 year warranty. |
Key features
- Fine grain "cool" sputter coating Platinum sputter coating using the SC7640
- Switchable between manual and automatic operation
- Advanced magnetron style sputter coating head
- Annular target, gold/palladium standard
- Built to all the latest safety standards
- Solenoid backed leak, vent and flush valves
- Carbon evaporation option (fibre or rod)
- FTM, "Rota cota" and water cooled stage options
- Latest safety features including positive break electro-mechanical interlock which ensures the sputter coating head is electrically isolated when the optional carbon evaporation attachment is in use.
- 3 year warranty
| The SC7640 is an extremely versatile sputter coater designed to produce fine grain "cool" coatings. At its heart the SC7640 has an advanced annular style magnetron head which is designed to ensure even coating over a wide area. This enables thin coatings of 2-3 nm to be achieved without charging effects being experienced in the SEM. The sputter head when operated at 800V DC gives high resolution coatings. Alternatively standard coatings with rapid deposition can be achieved at higher voltages. Coating time is controlled with a 999 second timer. Pressure levels and plasma currents are monitored by analogue meters. The standard system has an adjustable height sample stage; a water cooled stage, rotary planetary stage or a film thickness monitor stage are optional. |
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Close up of sputter coater head with annular target |
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| SC7640 gold/palladium sputtering target | SC7640 sputtering target, rear view showing backing plate |
| The SC7640 can be used in two modes: automatic for standard coatings, or manual operation with complete control of all parameters - essential for the production of high resolution films. When the SC7640 is operated in manual mode, pump down, purge and flush are still carried out automatically, this maintains system versatility but releases the user from time consuming mundane operations. For Field Emission SEM and high resolution SEM the platinum target (SC510-314C) is recommended. |
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Height adjustable universal specimen stage in raised position |
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Requirements
| A 90 l/m two-stage rotary pump with oil mist filter is recommended
(see E5005G). If the user is intending to use an existing rotary pump it is
important that its capacity is 90 l/m or greater. |
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Options and accessories
Carbon coating
| A carbon coating accessory consisting of
CA7625 power supply and CA076F
carbon fibre or CA076R rod source is
available. The power supply is switchable between 20V/50A (fibre) and 10V/100A
(rod).
Fitting the optional CA7625 and carbon evaporation head (CA076F or CA076R) is simple. The hinged sputtering head is tilted back and replaced with either the CA076F or CA076R. Connection is then made to the CA7625 power supply. Please note that in order to ensure that the exposed sputtering head cannot be powered when the add-on carbon head is under vacuum, a positive break electro-mechanical interlock ensures electrically isolation of the sputtering head. The SC7605 carbon rod grinder is also available for custom shaping of carbon rods. Note: we also offer a "stand alone" SEM carbon coater – the CC7650 |
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Choosing a sputtering target
GOLD/PALLADIUM: supplied as standard. It has the same properties (i.e. sputtering rate, secondary electron yield, cost) as gold but the grain size is smaller.
GOLD: the traditional choice.
PLATINUM: for high resolution coating. The sputtered grain size is smaller than gold or gold/palladium. Slower sputter coating rate but more expensive than gold or gold/palladium.
SILVER: compared to the other metals, it is relatively easy to remove silver. Therefore, useful for museum and forensic samples.
PALLADIUM: sometimes used instead of gold, gold/palladium and platinum for x-ray microanalysis applications.
| SC7640 sputter coater stage options The SC7640 is fitted with a standard "universal" sample stage. There are three interchangeable stage options (please note only one stage can be fitted at any time): FT7607 Film thickness monitor stage RC7606 Rota cota stage WS7608 Water cooled stage |
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| Film thickness monitor (FTM) and FT7607 FTM stage Enables the deposition thickness to be selected and controlled with a resolution of 0.1 nm. FT7690 module and FT7607 stage are required. See the FT7690 Film Thickness Monitor for details. |
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| RC7606 Rota Cota stage (includes built-in motor) Sputtering is essentially an omni-directional technique and will give conductive coatings to most SEM samples. However, some small spherical samples (e.g. latex spheres, embryos etc.,) do sometimes require rotation in order to give a complete and continuous coating at the point where the sphere makes contact with the sample stub. The RC7606 rota cota replaces the existing universal stage and allows the operator to tilt and rotate samples with respect to the sputtering head. Carbon evaporation, using the optional carbon attachment, is essentially a "line of sight" (unidirectional) technique. So for samples with complicated surfaces, the RC7606 option is useful for ensuring even deposition of carbon. |
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| WS7608 water cooled sample stage An optional water cooled sample stage can replace the standard universal stage. Because the SC7640 has a very efficient "cool" sputtering head, energy (heat) reaching the samples is negligible and sample cooling unnecessary. The WS7608 stage is sometimes useful for samples that have melting points at around ambient temperature (e.g. some waxes). |
Gold/palladium sputtering rate
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