See main page for details about the system itself.

Brought the system into out lab.

Bypassed front panel lock (no keys), replaced key lock core with flathead-driven lock core.

First inspection of device.

Cooling circuit leaking at inlet block, inlet coupler (through chassis), outlet tee, outlet coupler (through chassis).

Rebuilt inlet block, replaced push fitting in it. Doesn't leak anymore.

Bypassed inlet coupler and outlet coupler (connecting water cooling circuit directly to block and output tee). Still leaks at tee, ordered replacement.

Found dangling 230V cable (black) in lower chassis. Discovered it's a feedback cable (230V, NO, relay input) to the electric shutter from a missing film thickness monitor. Took apart electric shutter controller to discover this, pulled N wire from its terminal block by accident, reinstalled. Should be fine, but would really benefit from a re-crimp with ferrules.

Briefly attempted to pull a rough vacuum. Pirani gauge started going down.

Installed 3d printed toilet paper roll oil mist filter. Might prevent the front panel from closing.

Got system down to a rough vacuum (1e-1 mbar).

Fitted custom 3d printed knob/handwheel for source turret rotation shaft.

Discovered how the valve blocks work. Mostly understand the vacuum system. Based around mostly ISO KF compatible flanges but with proprietary screw-based 'clamp' system from Edwards.

Found film thickness monitor oscillator and quartz balance. Quartz crystal parameters are documented, we should be able to use an arbitrary frequency counter as a film thickness monitor.

Discovered air vent valve is stuck closed. Giving it 230V directly does not activate it. Took apart, coils measure fine, rebuilt mechanicals (screws were rusted but Al block seems fine), piston moves. Started REing electronic control system to be able to diagnose and fix it. Limit switches are unused by the control system.

Discovered foreline trap is empty - needs 2mm activated alumina dessicant charge. Started looking for suppliers.

After manually venting (by removing parts of the vacuum system) was able to lift bell jar. Cleaned seal with IPA and kimwipes.

Started inspecting vacuum chamber fixtures.

Substrate/target positioning system seems to be somewhat broken, or is weird to operate. Gears leading from knob/handwheel to positioning system miss some locating pin causing the gears to not mesh unless the handwheel is pushed in - can cause gears to strip, this should be fixed!

Ordered activated alumina from Roth.

Valve actuates, but leaks. Ended up replacing it with a modern vent valve with an ISO KF flange. The threaded flanges from Edwards are compatible enough to get us to a decent rough vacuum. New valve needs wiring done well (currently there is no strain relief) and a new mount (currently everything dangles off the vent line, which risks breaking it).

Water inlet block got PTFE tape replaced with o-rings. Water outlet tee got swapped for one borrowed from the membrane pump.

Roughing pump oil is really smelly, even with the oil mist filter. We really should replace it.

Replaced oil with ISO VG 68 from 2022. Did a small purge cycle just to get the manky old oil out. Now reaching an ultimate pressure of around 8e-2 mbar. Put old oil into plastic canister, ended up accidentally causing an emulsion with water using detergent - we should clean that up (salt it out with brine?) before handing it off to the Wertstoffhof.

3D printed a holder for the new vent valve, but needs some small rework to hold the valve better.