Beamline description

Vacuum system


The vacuum system of the IAEAXspe end station is controlled by a custom made Gate Valve Controller (GVC, ENZ, Germany). It manages the vacuum system and gate valves used in the main and load lock chambers. In particular, the GVC can control 8 gate valves and delivers the mains for two rotational and two turbomolecular pumps. It also reads the status of six gauges through a controller (MaxiGauge, Pfeiffer Vacuum, Germany) and the readings of the switches of each valve.  

In order to allow investigation of samples not requiring UHV conditions, a manual double gate valve (DGV) is installed between the beamline and the main chamber. Both valves have openings where windows of different materials can be installed. Currently 20 µm and 50 µm thick Be windows are available. In order to keep the section between the DGV and the last valve of the beamline under UHV conditions when (Be) windows are installed, an ion pump is used (VacIon, Agilent Technologies).

The following abbreviations will help to understand the operation of the GVC and interconnection of pumps and gate valves in the Vacuum Logical Diagram (VLD), as presented in two graphs shown below: 
  • Turbo pumps: TP1:Turbo Pump 1, TP2: Turbo Pump 2;
  • Maxi-Gauge channels and gauge: G1: High vacuum, DGV section , G2: High vacuum- Load lock, G3: Low pressure- Chamber, G4: Low pressure- Load Lock, G5: Low pressure in rough pump, G6: High vacuum- Chamber, P3: Rough pump, P4: Pre-Vacuum Pump (bypass softpump).
 


The front panel of IAEA Gate Valve Controller (produced by ENZ Ingenieurbüro für Umweltelektronik & Automatisierung, Germany)



The Vacuum Logical Diagram (VLD) for the main and load-lock chambers of the IAEAXspe endstation.

 
Last Updated on Monday, 08 January 2024 15:47