SPI-Module™ Sputter/Carbon Coater System
X. Quartz Crystal Thickness Monitor
Quartz crystal monitors are a well established method for measuring the
thickness of a deposited coating. Conceptually, the SPI Quartz Crystal
Thickness Monitor is quite similar to a number of other quartz crystal
monitors being sold today, in that the crystal is driven to oscillate at
its natural frequency. As an evaporated (or sputtered) deposit increases
in thickness, the frequency of oscillation changes according to the mass
(e.g. therefore also the thickness) of the deposit.
The SPI unit has been designed to fit exactly into the front
panel of the SPI vacuum control module. While slipping in the "module"
physically is quite easy, the installation of the "crystal" itself in the
sample chamber requires some amount of dexterity.
The best approach is to order the SPI#12161 Quartz Crystal Thickness
Monitor at the time the base unit is ordered so everything can be factory
installed by SPI. If this is not possible, we would still encourage the
user to return the base module for us to do the installation. The price
would be the same but there would be a nominal additional charge for the
installation plus shipping and insurance.
Specifications for quartz crystal monitor:
Thickness display range: "0-9999nm" 4 digit LED display.
Thickness resolution: 1 nm.
Density input: 0.1 to 39.9 s/cm3.
For many types of samples, the quartz crystal monitor is used to validate
the constancy of thickness of the deposited coatings. Some common
examples are:
FOR SEM: 1. Reproducible contrast in nearly flat samples.
2. Reproducible coatings for rough surfaces.
FOR TEM: 1. Support films of reproducible thickness.
2. Reproducibility of shadowing effects.
But for these TEM applications, one would need the free-standing version
of the product since in general one would not be making carbon or other
films for TEM in anything other than a high vacuum system such as in a
vacuum evaporator.
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Saturday October 11, 2008
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