Operation of BOC Edwards Auto 306 Thermal Evaporator

Edward Auto 306 is a microprocessor controlled thermal evaporator. It can evaporate metals such as Au, Ag, Ti, Cr, Ni, Al and alloys such as GeNi, AuGeNi. 1. Prepare 1.1 Make sure the nitrogen cylinder for instrument is turned on. 1.2 Write down the date, starting time and your name in the logbook located on the work bench. This will signal others that the evaporator is being used. 1.3 Prepare sample and material to be evaporated. 1.4 Select the right metals and boats. 2. Turn on the machine 2.1 Turn on the cooling water supply with pressure of 25 psi (ref. HX-100 operation procedure). 2.2 Turn on the power supply (from position 0 to 1).

When power is turned on, the display shows Power Fail or Backing Error..

2.3 Press reset to get the machine to normal

Now the display shows you:

2.4 Press start to warm up the diffusion pump (take at least 30 min.).

3. Load Samples 3.1 Turn on the nitrogen valve behind the left side of the machine.

3.2 Press vent. The nitrogen backfills the chamber. Once you heard air escape sound, the chamber is in atmospheric pressure. Press seal to stop nitrogen flow. Release the black clip of the lift arm and lift the bell jar to a safety height above all the internal parts.

3.3 Mount all the boats and metal sources and load your samples on the round plate. 3.4 Rotate the moving stage to the first metal evaporate position and move the shutter above the source. 3.5 Make sure there is a clean window in the bell jar so you can see through when metals are evaporating and when rotating is required for change evaporating source. 3.6 Lower the bell jar and lock the clip. 3.7 Press cycle to tell machine load is done. The display shows PUMP DELAY and PUMP WARM UP 3.8 After finishing warm up, the chamber will be pumped rough first and then fine. 3.9 Allow the system to pump at least one hour to reach a base vacuum less 8E-6 MB or better. 3.10 If liquid nitrogen is used for a better base pressure, pour LN after fine pumping is reached. 4. Metal Evaporation 4.1 Press Data button on the FTM7 module to highlight layer. Use up and down buttons to select the layer of the material you are going to evaporate (look at the table on the machine to find the layer with the material).

4.2 Press Data button again until the rate is highlighted. 4.3 Write down the layer number and material in the logbook. 4.4 Turn the knob under the AMPS meter to the LT position. A nearby green LED should be lighted. If the LED is not on, stop, and contact the lab manager. 4.5 Slowly turn the current knob clockwise and raise the current near 2 amps. Then increase the current in 0.2A step every 30 seconds until the metal in boat is melted.

4.6 Monitor the evaporation rate, if the rate is rising over 0.1nm/s, the evaporation can be started by press the white shutter button to highlight open and simultaneously open the shutter. The reset thickness will start to increase its number from zero. 4.7 Write down the evaporation current and rate on the logbook. 4.8 When the desired thickness is reached, turn off the shutter and turn the current knob all way count clockwise down to zero. Turn the LT switch to zero. Record the total thickness in the table of the logbook. 4.9 Press shutter button again to put the crystal monitor in closed status. 4.10 Allow at least 10 minutes for the heated boat to cool down. 4.11. If you have more metal to evaporate, move the source to the evaporate position, then repeat the steps of this section. 5 Unload Samples 5.1 Make sure the nitrogen valve is on. Press vent to vent the chamber. After the pressure in chamber reach the atmospheric pressure, unlock the clip and turn off the nitrogen valve. 5.2 Lift the bell jar and unload your samples. 5.3 Lower the bell jar and lock the clip. 5.4 Press cycle and then wait for chamber be pumped down better than 5E-5 MB. Shut Down Machine 6.1 Press seal to close high vacuum valve. 6.2 Press stop to turn off diffusion pump.

6.3 Waiting for around 20 minutes, the machine will going to stand by status. Then it is ready to turn off power supply (from 1 to 0). 6.4 Waiting for another half hour to turn off the cooling water supply. 6.5 Check if you need to turn off the nitrogen cylinder (if no more instruments are operating in the lab).