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equipment:edwards-306:start [2026/04/30 18:21] – q3kequipment:edwards-306:start [2026/04/30 18:46] (current) – q3k
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 ====== Edwards AUTO 306 Coating System ====== ====== Edwards AUTO 306 Coating System ======
-{{:equipment:edwards-306:20260401_coating-systems-overview.jpg?700|}}+{{:equipment:edwards-306:20260401_coating-systems-overview-with-labels.jpg?700|}}
  
 Multi-process PVD system consisting of two Edwards AUTO 306 coaters and a control cabinet. Multi-process PVD system consisting of two Edwards AUTO 306 coaters and a control cabinet.
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 **Coater:** **Coater:**
  
-Thermal evaporation works, e-beam needs bringup.+Thermal evaporation works, e-beam needs bringup. Film thickness monitor needs a new crystal.
  
 ===== Resources ===== ===== Resources =====
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   - Power failure recovery (if cold)   - Power failure recovery (if cold)
-  - Backing: connects the roughing pump to the turbo, get it down to operating pressure +  - **Backing**: connects the roughing pump to the turbo, get it down to operating pressure 
-  - Turbo start: starts up the turbo, wait for it to spin up.+  - **Turbo start**: starts up the turbo, wait for it to spin up.
  
 Then, continuing (or picking up from the chamber having been vented by the user at a later stage): Then, continuing (or picking up from the chamber having been vented by the user at a later stage):
  
-  - Roughing: connects the roughing pump to the chamber, bypassing the turbo, gets it down to a rough pressure to connect the turbo +  - **Roughing**: connects the roughing pump to the chamber, bypassing the turbo, gets it down to a rough pressure to connect the turbo 
-  - Pumping down: connects the roughing pump to the chamber, opens the high pressure valve between the turbo and the chamber +  - **Pumping down**: connects the roughing pump to the chamber, opens the high pressure valve between the turbo and the chamber 
-  - Fine pumping: continuing above, but now without any timeout - it's just trying to do its best.+  - **Fine pumping**: continuing above, but now without any timeout - it's just trying to do its best.
  
 The user can request the following actions at various stages: The user can request the following actions at various stages:
  
-  - Reset: in case of failure (timeout, power failure, etc.), acknowledge the fault +  * **Reset**: in case of failure (timeout, power failure, etc.), acknowledge the fault 
-  - Cycle: Perform the process above reaching an ultra high vacuum +  * **Cycle**: Perform the process above reaching an ultra high vacuum 
-  - Process: Same as 'cycle', but when an ultimate pressure is reached the chamber seals (the high vacuum valve is closed) and the process can perform a plasma cleaning step +  * **Process**: Same as 'cycle', but when an ultimate pressure is reached the chamber seals (the high vacuum valve is closed) and the user can perform a plasma cleaning step 
-  - Seal: Isolate the chamber from the rest of the system. Usually a prerequisite to then stop or vent the system. +  * **Seal**: Isolate the chamber from the rest of the system. Usually a prerequisite to then stop or vent the system. 
-  - Stop: Perform a shutdown process: spin down the turbo and turn off the roughing pump. +  * **Stop**: Perform a shutdown process: spin down the turbo and turn off the roughing pump. 
-  - Vent: Isolate the chamber from the rest of the system and vent it to the atmosphere, allowing a sample to be placed/removed/etc.+  * **Vent**: Isolate the chamber from the rest of the system and vent it to the atmosphere, allowing a sample to be placed/removed/etc.
  
 In practice, we use the system by first getting it to a high vacuum (cycle), possibly sealing/venting before the high vacuum is achieved to place a sample, then vent, then cycle, then vent, etc. In practice, we use the system by first getting it to a high vacuum (cycle), possibly sealing/venting before the high vacuum is achieved to place a sample, then vent, then cycle, then vent, etc.
 +
 +==== Caution ====
 +
 +  - Wear nitrile gloves when operating inside the chamber.
 +  - Be careful when reaching for parts of the chamber after thermal evaporation - they will be hot!
  
 ==== Startup Process ==== ==== Startup Process ====
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   - Insert sample, and check that shutter actuates when 'SS1' is pressed. If not, manually actuate it a few times and then it should get unstuck.   - Insert sample, and check that shutter actuates when 'SS1' is pressed. If not, manually actuate it a few times and then it should get unstuck.
   - Press 'cycle' after inserting sample.   - Press 'cycle' after inserting sample.
 +
 +==== Plasma Cleaning ====
 +
 +  - Load sample
 +  - Press 'process'.
 +  - Wait until 'fine pumping' is reached (TODO: set thresholds correctly)
 +  - Press 'seal'.
 +  - Select the 'chamber' readout on the vacuum controller with the up/down arrows.
 +  - Open the vent butterfly valve (below chamber), and then slowly open needle valve until pressure starts rising.
 +  - Close valves when pressure reaches around 1e-1 mbar. If overshot, restart process.
 +  - Set LT/0/HT selector to HT, slowly bring up power knob until plasma starts in the chamber and current flows.
 +  - Tweak needle valve and power until a stable plasma is achieved that fills up as much of the chamber as possible.
 +  - Manual recommends running plasma cleaning for 20 minutes for every loaded sample before coating it. No experiments have been performed to confirm whether this actually helps with coating.
  
 ==== Simple Coating ==== ==== Simple Coating ====
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   - Vent the system.   - Vent the system.
  
-==== Shutdown process ====+==== Shutdown Process ====
  
   - Press 'seal' and then 'stop'.   - Press 'seal' and then 'stop'.