Meridian Evaporative Carbon Coater | Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratory

Location

Minerals and Materials Engineering Building 637

Contact

Access Type

Instrument Details

The Meridian Evaporative Carbon Coater is a thermal evaporation carbon coater, a vacuum system that evaporates high-purity carbon (via carbon rods or carbon yarn) under vacuum and deposits a thin conductive carbon film onto sample surfaces. The term “evaporative carbon coater” highlights the method: carbon is heated to vapor and the vapor condenses on the sample, forming a conductive film essential for imaging non‐conductive specimens (in SEM, EDS, etc).

Capabilities

Carbon deposition by evaporation for SEM sample preparation

Vendor

Denton Vacuum

Training

Operating Instructions for the Meridian Evaporative Carbon Coater

The operation of the coater has been kept simple to facilitate the evaporation method used in QemSCAN preparation. Below is a line-by-line operating sequence, followed by a brief description of each front panel control.

Ensure all switches are in the OFF position and that the Variac is at zero.
Turn POWER switch to ON.
Turn the VENT switch to ON. Raise the bell jar using the UP/ DOWN control keypad. Mount the prepared carbon rods. Attach a brass knob near the samples using carbon tape. Lower the bell jar. Turn the VENT switch to OFF.
Select the PUMP switch to ON. Turn the VACUUM GAUGE ON.
Wait for the vacuum ready condition of 4.0x10-5 Torr to be reached. The green READY light will illuminate
Turn the ROTATE switch to ON.
Select the preferred RPM of the rotating table using the SPEED control.
Select the ARC switch to ON.
Set desired current using ARC CONTROL VARIAC.
Evaporation will begin, continue until desired coating is achieved.
Turn the ROTATE OFF and select the ARC switch to OFF.
Select the VENT switch to ON.
The system will vent after 30 seconds, allowing sample change. Raise the bell jar using the keypad. Lower the jar after removing samples.

Front Panel Controls

Main Contactor - The main contactor switch controls all power to the evaporator and is the stop switch in the event of an emergency.
Pump Switch - The pump switch starts the Rotary and Turbo pump; the operation is automatic and no further operator intervention is required. During normal operation and while changing samples, this switch can be left in the ON position. When the system is shut down for any period of time, this switch should be set in the OFF position.
Vent Switch - The vent switch is interlocked to the pump switch, and this control is used to vent and pump the system. In the ON position, the system will vent to the atmosphere; in the OFF position the system will commence the pump down sequence. When selected to ON, there is a delay of 30 seconds before the system admits air. This is done to protect the Turbo pump and is normal.
Rotate Switch - This switches on the rotate control of the revolving table and is controlled by the rotate speed potentiometer.
Vacuum Gauge - This indicates the level of vacuum in the system and is set for a trip level of 4.0x10-5 Torr.
Ready Lamp - This lamp is illuminated when the trip level is reached and makes the interlocks necessary to commence the evaporation procedure.
Arc Switch - The Arc switch, when set to ON, allows the control of the current required for evaporation which is set using the Variac. This switch is interlocked to the READY lamp and will not operate until the lamp is illuminated.
Ammeter - This meter gives an indication in Amps of the current passing between the carbon rods and can be adjusted for varying deposition rates.

This system is self-contained and there are no user-serviceable parts. If you have any questions about the operation of this equipment, please contact our technical support department at 613-838-3363.

Meridian Scientific personnel can carry out regular maintenance upon the customer’s request.