EMS Q150V Plus automatic coaters, 230V

Created by Kathleen Patrick, Modified on Mon, 9 Dec at 9:42 AM by Kathleen Patrick

The EMS 150V Plus is optimised for high-vacuum applications, with an ultimate vacuum of 1 x 10^-6 mbar. Together with the use of a wide-range Penning/Pirani gauge, this enables the sputtering of oxidising metals with ultra-fine grain sizes, which are suitable for high resolution imaging. The lower background pressure removes oxygen nitrogen and water vapour from the chamber, avoiding chemical reactions during the sputter process, which could otherwise lead to impurities or defects in the coatings. Similarly, lower scattering allows for high purity, amorphous carbon films of high density.

The EMS 150V Plus offers all the benefits of the EMS 150T Plus, but with a finer grain size and thinner coating, for ultra-high-resolution applications (above x 200,000 magnification).

Recommended applications for EMS 150V Plus

Ultra-high-resolution magnification SEM
Carbon coating of TEM grids
Protective platinum layers for FIB
R&D of corrosion-, friction-, and wear-protective layers
Protective layers on medical devices
BSE imaging
EDX, WDS, EBSD analysis
Carbon coating of replicas
Nano-technology e.g. Zeolites, polymer nanobrushes

These products are for Research Use Only.

Features

Ultimate vacuum of 1 x 10-6 mbar
New multi-colour LED visual status indicator
16 Gb of flash memory can store more than 1000 recipes
New software sorts recipes per user according to recent use
Multiple-user profiles can be set up on one machine
New touch and swipe capacitive screen

Product Description

The EMS 150V Plus is available in three configurations:

EMS 150V S Plus - An automatic sputter coater for oxidising metals with ultra-fine grain size. Available sputtering targets include chromium, iridium and all noble metals. Optimized for high-vacuum applications. High resolution turbomolecular pumped, capacitive touch-screen controlled sputter coater with status LED indicator, including quick release sputter insert and one 57mm diameter x 0.3mm chromium target. A rotating specimen stage, 50mm diameter, supplied as standard.
EMS 150V E Plus - An automatic carbon coater (rod/cord) for TEM applications. For carbon coating TEM grids. Optimized for high-vacuum applications. Turbomolecular pumped, capacitive touch-screen, controlled carbon evaporator with status LED indicator suitable for TEM and SEM applications. Fitted with a carbon rod evaporation head for 3.05mm diameter carbon rods. Supplied with carbon rods (C5422 3.05mm x 300mm) and a carbon rod shaper (manual operation). A rotating specimen stage, 50mm diameter, supplied as standard.
EMS 150V ES Plus - A combined system capable of both sputtering and carbon coating. The deposition head inserts can be swapped in seconds. Metal evaporation/aperture cleaning option available. Optimised for high-vacuum applications. The deposition heads can be swapped in seconds and the intelligent system logic automatically recognises which head is in place and displays the appropriate operating settings. Consists of high resolution turbomolecular pumped capacitive touch-screen controlled sputter coater and carbon evaporator with status LED indicator, including quick release sputter insert and one 57mm diameter x 0.3mm chromium target, and high vacuum carbon rod evaporation coater, including quick-release carbon rod insert for 3.05mm diameter carbon rods. Coating inserts are interchangeable. A rotating specimen stage, 50mm diameter, supplied as standard.

Recommended applications for EMS 150V Plus

High-resolution magnification SEM
Protective platinum layers for FIB
R&D of corrosion-, friction-, and wear-protective layers
Protective layers on medical devices
BSE imaging
EDX, WDS, EBSD analysis
Carbon coating of replicas

These products are for Research Use Only.

Improved interface

Captive touch screen is more sensitive for ease of use
User interface software has been extensively revised, using a modern smartphone-style interface
Comprehensive context-sensitive help screen
USB interface allows easy software updates and backing up/copying of recipe files to USB stick
Process log files can be exported via USB port in .csv format for analysis in Excel or similar. Log files include date, time and process parameters.
16GB of flash memory can store more than 1000 recipes
Dual-core ARM processor for a fast, responsive display

Allows multiple users to input and store coating recipes, with a new feature to sort recipes per user according to recent use.

Intelligent system logic automatically detects which insert is in place and displays the appropriate operating settings and controls for that process.

System prompts user to confirm target material and it then automatically selects appropriate parameters for that material.

Intuitive software allows the most inexperienced or occasional operator to rapidly enter and store their own process data. For convenience a number of typical sputtering and carbon coating profiles are already stored but also allows the user to create their own.

Software detects failure to achieve vacuum in a set period of time and shuts down the process in case of vacuum leak, which ensures pump protection from overheating.

Controlled ramped carbon rod evaporation

Careful evaporation allows precise control of carbon thickness (with or without the optional film thickness monitor). The quality of the resulting carbon films is also enhanced by the eradication of "sparking" that is a common feature of less advanced coaters.

For reproducible high-quality carbon films, we would recommend the use of shaped carbon rods. Rods are higher purity, less susceptible to debris and easier to control. Pulsed and ramped carbon rod recipes are supplied as standard.

Cool Magnetron Sputtering

Sputter coating is a technique widely used in various applications. It is possible to create a plasma and sputter metals with high voltage, poor vacuum and no automation. However, this is not suitable for electron microscopy applications because it will heat the sample and can result in damage when the plasma interacts with the sample. The EMS 150V Plus series uses low temperature enhanced-plasma magnetrons optimised for the rotary pump pressures, combined with low current and deposition control, which ensures your sample is protected and uniformly coated.

The EMS 150V S Plus and EMS 150V ES Plus use easy-change, 57mm diameter, disc-style targets which are designed to sputter oxidising and noble metals. The EMS 150V S Plus and EMS 150V ES Plus are fitted as standard with a chromium (Cr) sputter target. Other targets options include Au, Au/Pd, Pt/Pd, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ir, W, ITO and Al. Others are available on request.

Pulsed cleaning for Aluminium sputtering

Aluminium (Al) rapidly forms an oxide layer which can be difficult to remove, but the EMS 150V ES Plus & EMS 150V S Plus have special recipes for Al that reduce the oxide removal time and prevent excessive pre-sputtering of the target.

Interchangeable plug-in heads

This allows the user to configure the system as a sputter coater, evaporator or glow discharge system - all in one space saving format. A carbon cord evaporation insert is available as an option. Automatic detection of the head type when changed.

Detachable chamber with built-in implosion guard

Removable glass chamber and easily accessible base and top plate allows for an easy cleaning process. Users can rapidly change the chamber, if necessary, to avoid cross contamination of sensitive samples. Tall chamber option is available for carbon evaporation to avoid sample heating, improved uniformity for sputtering and to hold taller samples.

Multiple stage options

The EMS 150V Plus has specimen stages to meet most requirements. All are easy-change, drop-in style (no screws) and are height adjustable (except for the rotary planetary stage).

Some examples:

Rotation stage (supplied as standard): 50mm ⌀ can accommodate six standard stubs. Height can be pre-set.
Rotate-tilt stage for improved uniform coating: 50mm ⌀. Tilt and height can be pre-set.
Variable angle, rotary planetary stage for heavily contoured samples.
Large flat rotation stage with offset gear box for 4"/100mm wafers.
Rotation stage for glass microscope slides.

Other options are available on request.

Safety

The EMS 150V Plus meets key industry CE standards

All electronic components are protected by covers
Implosion guard prevents user injury in event of chamber failure
Vacuum interlocks remove power from deposition sources to prevent user exposure to high voltage in event of chamber being opened
Electrical interlocks remove power when source head cover opened
Overheating protection shuts down power supply

Specifications

Instrument Case	585mm W x 470mm D x 410mm H Total height with coating head open is 650mm
Weight	33.4kg (Packed 42kg)
Packed dimensions	725mm W x 660mm D x 680mm H
Work Chamber	Borosilicate glass 150mm ID x 133mm H
Display	115.5mm W x 86.4mm H (active area), 640 RGB x 480 (display format), captive touch colour display
User Interface	Full graphical interface with touch screen buttons. Includes features such as a log of the last 1000 coatings and reminders for when maintenance is due.
Sputter Target	Disc-style 57mm ⌀ 0.3mm thick chromium (Cr) target is fitted as standard. V S and V ES versions only
Specimen Stage	50mm ⌀ rotation stage with rotation speed of 8-20rpm. Other stages available on request.

Vacuum

Rotary pump	5m3/hr two-stage rotary pump with oil mist filter. Hydraulically-formed bellows stainless-steel backing line.
Turbo pump	Internally mounted 70 L/s air-cooled
Vacuum measurement	Wide range gauge
Ultimate Vacuum	1 x 10-6mbar Typical ultimate vacuum of the pumping system in a clean instrument after pre-pumping and venting with dry nitrogen gas.
Pump Down Time	5 x 10-6mbar in 30 mins Typical ultimate vacuum of the pumping system in a clean instrument after pre-pumping and venting with dry nitrogen gas.
Sputter vacuum range	Between 5 x 10-3 and 1 x 10-1mbar for gold targets

Processes

Sputtering	Sputter current 0-150mA to a predetermined thickness (with optional FTM) or by the built-in timer. The maximum sputtering time is 60 minutes (without breaking vacuum and with automatically built-in cooling periods)
Evaporation	Carbon evaporation using rods/cord. Thermal evaporation of metals from filaments or boats. For cleaning TEM apertures, a standard molybdenum boat (supplied) can be fitted.

Visual status indicator

A large multi-colour status indicator light provides a visual indication of the state of the equipment, allowing users to easily identify the status of a progress at a distance.

The indicator LED shows the following states:

Initialisation
Process running
Idle
Coating in progress
Process completed
Process ended in fault condition

Audio indication also sounds on completion of the process.