Scientific

Manipulators, Goniometers and Mechanical Feedthroughs by PreVac

Specifications and Applications:

• Examination of a specific, small region of a sample's surface
• Heating or Cooling the sample during examination
• Placing the sample into the appropriate position for another analytical technique
• Move the sample to another location or chamber
• Detaching the sample from one device and mount it on another while maintaining UHV integrity. The components that provide the wide variety of rotary and linear motions needed to accomplish these sample movements are covered under the heading of sample manipulation. The devices used for sample manipulation include linear and rotary drives, wobble sticks and XYZ motion manipulators.

XYZ Manipulation:

Devices that precisely move samples in three orthogonal axis are called XYZ manipulators. Additional rotational movements around these Axis are achieved using add-on rotary devices. While there are six degrees of freedom (XYZ and 3 rotations) for these motions.

Manipulation Axis:

When viewing a manipulator with its bellows in front and the support structure behind, the Y axis lies along the line joining the center of the bellows and the center of the support, the X axis goes from left to right, and Z axis coincide with the bellow axis.

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Rotation Axis:

Rotating Axis names are listed in table below.

To convenience naming Axis they are called further only R1, R2 and R3.

In some designs of manipulator the R1 motion is continuous but more often totally rotation is only 360 (180). R2 rotation in our constructions has continuous rotation 360 through any angle. Other rotation R3 is typically only a fraction of a complete circle. When considering rotation the designer must ensure that there is a sufficient clearance usually only around R1 axis so the swept radius doesn't collide with parts in chamber during a 360 traverse. XYZ Manipulators are available in a wide range of characteristics including single bellow (for all three axis) or double bellows (one for Z axis travel, the other for XY travel) and regular or wide through-bores. In addition to three axis devices manipulators with Z axis only or XY axis only stages are available.

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4-Axis Manipulators	5-Axis Manipulators	5-Axis Manipulators with Motorization

 

Heating and Cooling:

Samples are heated by bombarding the sample with an e-beam or the resistive heater wire mounted in a sample holder. They are cooled by using a manipulator mounted cryostat through which liquid nitrogen (LN2) flows.

Manipulators with Helium Cryostat	Manipulators with Sample Heating	Sample Heating Power Supplies

 

Motorization:

To achieve the highest positioning accuracy, resolution and repeatability the XYZ manipulator and rotary drive movements are motorized with stepper motors. Motorization is also used for very long Z axis travel manipulators where manual travel would be arduous or inaccessible.

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Rotary Motion:

Rotary Feedthroughs - Flex metal bellows to transfer motion from an air side rotating shaft to a bent vacuum side shaft. The bellows doesn't rotate, it "wobbles" around in a circular path at one end while remaining stationary at the other. This type of feedthrough is satisfactory for UHV pressures, but bellows fatigue limits the life. Rotary devices sealed this way are best used in non continuous applications such as UHV sample rotation. Any mounting orientation is permitted.

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Linear Motion:

Linear Shifts - A shift of a pair of flanges connected by bellows in which the free one moves towards the fixed one in a controlled, precise motion while keeping the flange faces parallel. Its action is similar to the Z Slide manipulator but its positioning, precision and travel length are lower. They are actuated by handwheels.

Linear Feedthroughs - These devices are bellows sealed rods that move along the rod's axis. The movement mechanism is a screw mechanism (self blocking) with manual actuation. They are used for application needing straight line, fixed distance movement.

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Transfer Devices:

Wobble sticks - allow the transmission of relatively simple hand movement through the vacuum wall. The flexible bellows provide a cone of movement and some linear movement for the end of probe. The wobble stick's vacuum end often with push rod actuated pincers is used to transfer the sample holders.

Vacuum Manipulator - Equipment is designed to be modular for convenience and give total flexibility. The individual modules such as the Z Slide, XY Stage, rotary feedthrougs and motorization modules are compatible to allow complex application to be built up from a range of simple units. Multi Axes Manipulator Information List is to guide you through the configuration process and to help you choose the modules that, when combined, result in the manipulator best suited to your individual application.

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MULTI AXES MANIPULATOR INFORMATION LIST:

The most common XYZ manipulators application is to move samples (mounted in sample holders) to precise positions in a UHV environment - the movement being controlled from the air-side of the chamber. As their collective name suggests, their movement axis are (in less technical terms): front-to-back; up-and-down, and side-to-side. Often XYZ manipulators are combined with various rotary drive devices which allow motion in the R1 (primary or polar or theta) rotation, R2 (azimuthal or phi or alpha) rotation, and R3 (tilt or flip or beta) rotation. When selecting a sample manipulator, the following criteria should be addressed and determined in light of the specific application.

 

 

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C4 Scientific Systems 754 Leona Ln Mountain View, California 94040 Phone: (650) 961-6620 Fax: (650) 961-8591 support@c4scientific.com