HowTo&Troubleshooting

How to perform Sputtering

1) DANGER:  Close the last BL valve  and be make sure that it is closed (read BL BACH Monitor or BL valve control: the last valve should be green).

2)Switch off XPS using XPS on/off. Make sure the XPS is off by looking at the red leds (which should be off) on the CAEN Power Supply modules.

3)Set the sample in the sputtering position

4)Switch on the power supply. Switch on the filament and slowly increase the current to the operating value written on the power supply (2.85 A).

5)Switch on the high voltage and set the electron energy to 120 eV and emission current to 10 mA (in case it does not reach 10, very slowly increase the filament current, monitoring at the same time the current and the emission: be careful that the filament current should in any case remain below 3 Amp!!!!). Do not touch the focus and be sure that the energy (last button) is at 0 keV.

6)DANGER: Insert the Argon (p=1.2x10-6 mbar) (BL valve closed! XPS off!!!!)

7)Finally set the required energy (0.5-3 keV) for the sputtering.

TRUOBLESHOOTING: If it is not possible to raise the energy above 0.6 keV in the Sputtering Power Controller, check if the Extractor pin (n.2) is grounded (towards external shield of the ion gun). It should not be grounded! If a finite resistance is present, let some current flow trough this pin and ground until it is again isolated. ASK BEAMLINE SCIENTST FOR ASSISTANCE!