I. Installing Sample:
A. Remove Sputter head, placing it upright on the top surface of the
SC-4.
(Do not lift the sputter head by its cable.)
B. Remove plastic sleeve and glass wall.
C. Install sample by (a) simply placing it on the sample stage, or
(b) by attaching it to an aluminum SEM sample holder, inserting it into
one of the holes in the sample stage, and tightening the set screw.
D. Replace Sputter head, taking care to center the glass wall
on the o-ring.
II. Pumping Down:
A. Press the red Power button. The vacuum pump should start,
and the pressure should fall.
B. Make sure the Gas Adjust valve (on the left side of the SC-4) is
closed. Do not over tighten.
C. Open the Argon tank, and adjust the pressure to ~5psi (the first
tick mark on the scale).
D. After 2-3 minutes of pumping, the pressure should be near 0.1 millibar.
Perform a flush 2-3 times:
i. Open the Gas Adjust valve, and allow the pressure to come
up to 2 millibar. Maintain that pressure for 15 seconds.
ii. Close the Gas Adjust valve. The pressure should drop
below 0.1 millibar.
III. Sputtering:
A. When the pressure is below 0.1 millibar, check that the green ready
light is lit. Open the Gas Adjust valve and adjust the pressure to
between 0.1-0.2 millibar.
B. Set the timer for desired sputtering time.
C. Press the On / Start button. The current should spike, then
settle, and a purple glow should be visible reflecting from the bottom
of the chamber.
D. Adjust the Gas Adjust valve to maintain constant plasma current.
E. The plasma will extinguish when the timer has elapsed.
IV. Shutdown:
A. Close the Argon valves, and the Gas Adjust valve.
B. Press the Power button to turn off the pump, and immediately vent
the chamber by pulling the vent knob on top of the sputter head.
Failure to vent the chamber can cause pump oil to contaminate the chamber.
C. Remove sample, and replace sputter head.
At a plasma current of 10 mA, the sputtering rate for gold is ~3Å/s.
Report any problems to Ryan Higgins, 155 Clippinger. 593-0461
or higgins@helios.phy.