| Custom Vacuum Chambers
This product showcase describes many of the custom vacuum chambers that are used in a wide variety of special production, R&D and other applications.
Compiled by Terrence Thompson, Contributing Editor
PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS
This product showcase lists several major sources of custom vacuum chambers—not vacuum systems although one certainly needs chambers to build standard and custom systems. It should be valuable to manufacturers of products in which thin film technology and other related processing systems are used, as well as the suppliers of the vacuum systems and the instrumentation used during vacuum processing.
There are several supplier. Please visit the VT& C website (www.vactechmag.com), since it is updated monthly, to insure the inclusion of new products and capabilities. The companies listed below are all well known to Vacuum Technology & Coating magazine's publisher and its editors.
Lesker Vacuum Chambers
The Kurt J. Lesker Company is a leading manufacturer of high and ultra-high (HV & UHV) vacuum chambers. Customers throughout the world, in both research and production environments, count on Lesker to  engineer and manufacture quality cost effective solutions. Our expansive machine shop facility in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is equipped with state-of-the-art CNC machining centers, robotic fixturing, coordinate measuring machine (CMM) and laser alignment of weldable components. Visit our web site at to review just some of our standard vacuum chambers and components available for immediate delivery or call us at 1-800-245-1656 to discuss your vacuum needs. www.lesker.com
D-Shaped Chamber The Lesker ‘D’-shaped chamber is supplied mounted to an aluminum frame and is manufactured from  304 stainless steel, with a 6061 aluminum hinged door. The chamber measures 14” × 25.25” × 14.69” (35.56 x 64.13 × 37.31 cm) ID and the frame assembly measures 36”w × 27”d × 62”h. The chamber includes two ISO250-F style ports machined into the top and bottom with aluminum blanking flanges, aluminum center rings with fluorocarbon o-ring and clamps, and one ISO160-K style and one ISO100-K style half nipple utility port mounted at the rear of the chamber. The aluminum door features a dovetail Oring groove with a Viton O-ring seal and comes complete with a rectangular viewport with a viewing area of 3 1 /4” × 5 1 /4” positioned in the center of the door. O-ring sealing 'D' shaped cham--9 bers are capable of reaching pressures in the 10 Torr range (clean dry and empty using suitable pumping). Standard available options include: Replace KF ports with CF style ports and/or add additional ports; Water cooling trace on chamber; Standard pumping and gauging packages; Replace standard frame with rack mounting frame; and Door swing left or right
Kurt J. Lesker Co.
Clairton, PA
Contact: Howard Born, Product Manager Tel: 1-412-387-9200 or 1-800-245-1656
E-mail: howardb@lesker.com
Stainless Steel Bell Jars
MDC stainless steel bell jars are designed for use with MDC baseplates, base wells and feedthrough collars. A  dovetail groove in the jar’s base flange holds a Viton elastomer gasket, which makes the vacuum seal with one of the forementioned components. All stainless steel bell jars are fitted with a four inch view diameter Pyrexviewport.  All vacuum welds are internal and provide UHV compatibility. For added convenience, all bell jars are fitted with a hoist or lift-ring that is welded to the chamber’s domed top. These chambers can be purchased with an optional electropolished finish. www.mdcvacuum.com
Feedthrough Collars
MDC feedthrough collars are used to expand the capabilities of conventional bell jars by providing radially  oriented access ports. Four, eight, or eighteen ports fitted with either 2-3/4 inch Del-Seal CF metal seal flanges or ISO KF NW40 Kwik-Flange flanges are available. These ports accept a variety of standard MDC vacuum components such as electrical, fluid and motion feedthroughs. Installation of a feedthrough collar also requires the use of an MDC baseplate. The feed-through collar is positioned between a bell jar and the baseplate. The feedthrough collar/ baseplate seal is made with either an Lgasket or circular cross section elastomer, depending on which collar model is used. The feedthrough collar seal is made with an L-gasket elastomer. Stainless steel bell jars would use a circular cross section elastomer in the jar’s dovetail groove to make this seal. www.mdcvacuum.com
Baseplates
MDC base plates are required for installation of both bell jars andfeedthrough collars. They provide a flat  and stable platform upon which bell jar systems can be built. Baseplates are typically mounted atop a vacuum pump or the gate valve fitted to the pump. MDC offers three baseplate interface flanges for mating with standard pumps or gate valves. Interface flanges include ANSI ASA elastomer seal flanges, Del-Seal CF metal seal flanges and bolt style. Large-Flange ISO LF elastomer seal flanges. Baseplates are available with baseplate flange diameters suitable for 12, 18 and 24 inch chamber body diameters. www.mdcvacuum.com
Base Wells
MDC Base wells are the product of integrating both a baseplate and a feedthrough collar. They provide the  functionality of both components and replace one vacuum seal with a weld joint. They are available with radially oriented access ports in four, eight, or eighteen port configurations and are fitted with either 2-3/4 inch Del-Seal CF metal seal flanges or ISO KF NW40 Kwik-Flange flanges. These ports accept a variety of standard MDC vacuum components such as electrical, fluid and motion feedthroughs. Both baseplates and base wells connect to the vacuum pumping system with a choice of standard smooth face ASA ANSI flanges, optional Del-Seal CF metal seal flanges or ISO LF bolt-style Large-Flange flanges. Gasket seals for any flange or port are not included with baseplates or base wells and must be purchased separately. For pump port or access port flange hardware, refer to individual flange specifications in the Flanges & Fittings section in our catalog. www.mdcvacuum.com
Chambers-Surface Science Analysis
MDC SSAC-12 and -12D are versatile general purpose surface science analysis chambers which have proven to be suitable for a wide range of analytical studies or experimentation. MDC surface science chambers  are constructed of type 304 stainless steel and with a total of 18 access ports. In addition to a vacuum pump port at the base, the chamber includes three 8", two 6", three 4- 1 /2" and nine 2- 3 /4 inch Del-Seal CF metal seal flanges with tube diameters of 6", 4", 2- 1 /2" and 1- 3 /4 inch, respectively. The chamber access ports accommodate a variety of experimental devices, analytical instruments, viewports, electrical and motion feedthroughs, vacuum measurement gauge tubes and other accessories. The SSAC-12 chamber has a 14- 5 /8 inch female wire seal flange on the pump port while the SSAC-12D is supplied with a 14 inch Del-Seal CF metal seal flange. As previously noted, all 2- 3 /4 inch Del-Seal CF flanged ports are constructed with an oversized 1- 3 /4 inch outside diameter tubing to provide maximum apertures and allow the installation of larger devices. Access ports are precision aligned with a heliumneon laser during construction. Each port is directed at one of three internal reference or focal points A, B and C, or a vertical centerline. Angles and distances to these points are listed in a table alongside the diagram of the chamber. Fastening and sealing hardware, including copper gaskets and bolt sets, are found under the individual size flange in the Flanges & Fittings section of our catalog. MDC employs advanced tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding techniques with high purity Argon as the inert gas medium. Manual as well as automated orbital welding machines are at the heart of all welding operations. MDC adheres to stringent UHV welding standards and practices including that of nonfiller metal, all internal fusion weld joints. External weld joints are not used unless required for structural reinforcement and then, limited to skip or span weld configurations. In the event that a weld joint can not be made internally, a one hundred percent full penetration external weld will be used. All weld joints are leak tested using a mass spectrometer leak detector with a minimum Helium sensitivity of 2x10-10 standard cc/sec.
www.mdcvacuum.com Chamber Surface Finishes Vacuum chamber finishes include internal and external glass bead blasting of all body and port tube surfaces. Flanges and machined components have a standard 64 micro-inch surface finish. Seal surfaces are machined with a 32 micro-inch concentric finish suitable for standard metal seals. All internal surfaces are electrochemically polished. The electropolishing process is the reverse of electroplating where the work piece is made the anode and dissolves or gives up material in the electrolytic process. The electropolishing operating conditions are controlled so that atomic oxygen forms and reacts with the metal work piece surface. According to one theory, the high points of the metal surface are most readily oxidized and this oxidized material is thereupon dissolved in the electrolyte and otherwise removed. Selective solution of the high points of a surface tends to give a very smooth finish comparable or superior to a mechanically buffed surface. In contrast to mechanical polishing, electropolishing produces a strain free surface. www.mdcvacuum.com
Chamber Leak Testing MDC is dedicated to providing high and ultrahigh vacuum components of the highest quality and performance. To this end all vacuum rated components manufactured by MDC and its divisions are leak tested repeatedly, as required, throughout the manufacturing process to insure these goals are met. All weld joints and flange seals are leak tested using a mass spectrometer leak detectors with a minimum Helium sensitivity of 2x10-10 standard cc/sec. www.mdcvacuum.com
Custom Engineering Chamber Geometry
MDC is equipped to build custom vacuum chambers of virtually any complexity. Vacuum vessels can be built to  your exact specifications from a rough hand-sketch, detailed engineering drawings or anything inbetween. MDC’s engineering department uses the latest SolidWorks and AutoCAD software and can accept drawings as electronic files in either STEP & IGS or DWG & DXF file formats.
MDC Vacuum Products Corporation
Hayward, CA
Contact: Ken Allen Tel: 1-510-265-3500 or 1-800-443-8817
E-mail: Kallen@mdcvcuum.com
High And Ultra-High Vacuum Chambers [Star Wars Chamber.jpg and Chamber on Bench.jpg]
Nor-Cal Products has earned a reputation as a world-class manufacturer of high and ultra-high vacuum  chambers. The quality, appearance and performance of our chambers are unequaled. We supply one-off chambers designed from customer specifications for university or national laboratory research projects, as well as production quantity chambers that are builtto-print for equipment manufacturers. Thin-film deposition and compound semiconductor processing are common applications for our high-vacuum, o-ring sealed chambers that commonly operate at pressures down to 1 × 10 -9 Torr. Vacuum fired 316L material and metal seals are recommended for  ultrahigh vacuum surface science chambers that operate at pressures in the 1 × 10 -11 Torr range. Nor-Cal can provide cylindrical and rectangular chambers up to about five foot square with doors, stands, water jackets and Mumetal shields. (Consult the factory for exact capabilities.) We offer a complete line of vacuum chamber accessories that include load locks, sample transfer and positioning devices, liquid and electrical feedthroughs, viewports and roughing components. Nor-Cal also uses the most up-todate equipment and procedures for the inspection of vacuum chambers.
Nor-Cal Products, Inc.
Yreka, CA
www.n-c.com
Contact: Jacquie Daniel Tel: 1-800-824-4166
Cubical Chamber, HV
Trinos Vacuum Systems Inc. made this for a French customer requesting a chamber where they wanted to observe the process so they chose a transparent Plexiglas door. The door is sealed with a Viton o-ring.  The door is closed by several clamps. This easy-opening system is perfect for processes where the components have to be changed regularly, e.g., impregnation, outgassing or de-aeration. This chamber is equipped with a variety of ISO-KF and ISO-K ports, a rail for a shelf and hooks on the top of the chamber for easy movement. This design does not need reinforcing rips to maintain the shape. www.trinos.com
Spherical Chamber, Diameter 9 Inches
Trinos Vacuum Systems Inc. 9-inch spherical chamber made from 304L SS with a glass bead blast finish. It has  six ports 6 inch CF and twelve ports 2 _” CF. It is has a maximum operating temperature of 250°Celsuis and a leak rate -12 better than 10 mbar•l/s. The advantage of a spherical chamber is to place a sample in the middle of the chamber for processes such as surface coating or PLD and have the ability to position the sample from any port. The sample is also easily reached with measurement equipment or feedthroughs. A spherical shape keeps the outgassing rate very low. www.trinos.com
PVD Chamber - Water Cooled
Trinos Vacuum Systems Inc. cylindrical chamber is made of 304L SS. It contains multiple ISO-KF and  ISO-K ports at various angles. This chamber -7 reaches a vacuum of 10 mbar. Cooling is accomplished by a c-channel profile on TT door and on the walls. The unique door design allows for a turntable in the center of the chamber. The hinges allow for an easy and quiet opening.
www.trinos.com
Foil Coater
Trinos Vacuum Systems Inc. chamber was custom built to meet customer requirements. It is made of 304L SS  and contains a variety of ISO-KF and ISO-K ports. It has a maximum operating temperature of 150°Celsius and is leak tested to 10-9 mbar•l/s. A special stand guarantees easy opening of the large door and optimal working position to load and unload the chamber. Rubber feet minimize vibration. www.trinos.com
Z-Axis Manipulator with Port Aligner
Trinos Vacuum Systems Inc. z-axis Manipulator has a built in port aligner. It is ideal for applications  where you have a port out of alignment or you wish to align your instrument. It consists of two flanges and three threaded rods between the flanges which are connected by a bellow. By turning the threaded rods, you will tilt the flanges relative to each other and your installed instrument moves. The dovetail guide provides unmatched accuracy and play free movement. Ball bearing spindles allow connection to a motor drive in the future. This manipulator has the lowest deflection in the industry. It is made entirely from SS to avoid distortions in accuracy during temperature changes. It is bakeable up to 200°/400°F.
Trinos Vacuum Systems Inc. Chicago, IL
Contact: Maureen Rosenwinkel Tel: 1-206-203-6310
Thinking Outside The Box— Unique, Non-Conventional Chamber Geometries VPT provides the engineering and design expertise to construct unique, non-conventional chamber geometries  and deposition equipment configurations for specialized process and production requirements. VPT definines your solution with In-Line Systems, Drum Coaters, Load-locked Systems, Double-door Chambers with removable baseplates for multiple deposition source arrangements… these are all part of VPT’s expertise. If a conventional “box coater” is not suitable for your process and production requirements, VPT will help identify, engineer, and design a coating system that maximizes the capability of the coating system for the application. Many customers simply tell us their process requirements, substrate sizes and production requirements and we take it from there. If you have a process and hardware configuration that works fine and you simply need more capacity – that is what we will build. VPT’s strategic capabilities are integrated vertically to command strategic capabilities – the local and total control of all key fabrication, programming, integration, development, and testing steps. With know-how transfer to satisfy the needs of a diverse customer base, the systems in VPT’s Coating Development Laboratory continue to play an absolutely essential role in the design of thin films, their process development, and on-going process support.
Vacuum Process Technology, Inc. Plymouth, MA
Contact: Jim Snyder, Sales and Marketing Tel: 1-860-836-1716
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