K975X/K975S Turbo-Pumped Thermal Evaporators

The K975X is a compact, bench-mounted, multiple application thermal evaporator for vacuum deposition of thin layers of carbon and metals. It is ideal for a wide range of techniques, including the production of carbon support films and replicas for TEM and carbon/metal thin film applications. The K975X is available with a wide range of optional add-ons, including low-angle shadowing and sequential layer coating using dual-source evaporation (an additional metal evaporation source is required). K975S Carbon Evaporator for 8” wafers. The K975S is similar to the K975X, but designed to coat an 8” wafer or similarly large specimen with carbon.

Key features

• Menu-driven 'user' key inputs - ideal for multiple user sites
• Unique anti-stick carbon rod gun evaporation assembly - reproducible   carbon films
• Metal evaporation source (filament, boat etc.)
• Suitable for specimens up to 140 mm2 or 200 mm diameter
• Wide selection of add-on options - allows future upgrades
• Rack-out drawer specimen loading system - easy specimen exchange
• Restricted or full vent control - prevents specimen disturbance during   venting
• Extended warranty option

Product description

Coating sources

The K975X is fitted with a carbon rod gun (to take 6.15 mm Ø rods) and a metal filament/boat source which can also be used for cleaning TEM and SEM apertures. Carbon sources are designed to be easy to set up and clean.

An optional magnetron-style sputtering source is available.



Work chamber

The borosilicate glass work chamber is 250 mm diameter x 300 mm high and mounted on an aluminium support collar. A tough chamber implosion guard is included as standard. The chamber can accommodate specimens up to 8"/200 mm in diameter. A unique rack-out specimen loading system gives the user easy specimen access and the hinged lid assembly makes other areas of the vacuum chamber readily accessible.

Menu-driven control

The menu-driven microcontroller allows the user access to a range of options, but readily ‘defaults’ to optimum operating conditions allowing both fully automatic and manual override as required.

Turbomolecular pumping and venting

The K975X uses a 100 L/s turbomolecular pump backed up by an external rotary vacuum pump (not included, see: 13034) with the complete pumping sequence being under fully-automatic control.

The vacuum pump-down sequence is automatically controlled by the system microprocessor and vacuum measurement is by a combined pirani/penning gauge and is displayed digitally.

Process gases (nitrogen for venting - if fitted - and argon for the optional EK4175 sputtering attachment) are automatically controlled and can be programmed for use during coating sequences. The vent valve has an adjustable restrictor and programmable vent time to prevent disturbing specimens due to the inrush of gas at the end of the cycle.

A very useful feature of the K975X is ‘vacuum shut-down’, which allows the process chamber to remain under vacuum when not in use. This helps to maintain a high level of system cleanliness and enhances vacuum performance.

Specimen stages

The K975X is fitted with an 80 mm flat stage as standard, but this may be exchanged for optional holders, such as a 3 mm grid holder, low-angle shadowing attachment and a rotary planetary stage (see: Additional Information). Specimen holders have bayonet fixings to allow quick exchange.

The rotary stage is mounted on a sliding access port on the side of the chamber. This allows the user to exchange specimens quickly without having to remove the glass chamber and disturb the coating set-up. For rotary shadowing techniques the standard stage can be tilted from 0° to +/- 180°.

Chamber base plate and evaporation power supplies

The K975X is fitted with a 0-100 A evaporation power supply with base plate terminals for carbon rod evaporation (14 V/100 A), evaporation from a metal filament (15 V/35 A), carbon fibre cord evaporation (25 V/35 A) and a terminal rated at 5 V/35 A for TEM and SEM aperture cleaning using a molybdenum (Mo) boat. A wide range of add-on options is available.

K975S Thermal Evaporator

The K975S is similar to the K975X but designed to coat an 8” wafer or similarly large specimen with carbon (C). The carbon rod evaporation source is directly mounted to the vacuum chamber top plate, allowing easy access to the carbon gun and giving the optimum source-to-specimen distance required for large diameter specimens. Unlike the K975X, the K975S is not fitted with a metal evaporation source or associated base plate mounting pillars and also has a larger specimen access door.