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Quantification of Contaminant Removal by Evactron Cleaning Using Quartz Crystal Thickness Monitors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2018

Christopher G. Morgan ,
Mark M. Gleason  and
Ronald Vane
Christopher G. Morgan*
Affiliation:
XEI Scientific, Inc., Redwood City, CA
Mark M. Gleason
Affiliation:
XEI Scientific, Inc., Redwood City, CA
Ronald Vane
Affiliation:
XEI Scientific, Inc., Redwood City, CA
*
[email protected]

Extract

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Hydrocarbon (HC) contamination is a persistent problem for users of electron microscopes (EMs), often leading to image distortion and interference with nanoprobing. The Evactron De-Contaminator (D-C) has been available for HC contamination removal in EMs since 1999. The Evactron D-C uses low power radio frequency (RF) generated plasma in order to produce oxygen radicals that clean the EM. The Oxygen Radical Source (ORS) is attached to the EM chamber, and a controlled leak of oxygen containing gas such as room air is passed through the plasma in order to produce oxygen radicals. The oxygen radicals chemically react with the HCs to form volatile oxidation products such as H2O, CO and CO2. These volatile compounds are pumped out of the EM chamber.

Type
Research Article
Information
Microscopy Today , Volume 15 , Issue 5 , September 2007 , pp. 22 - 25
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2007

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