Vacuum Chambers and Components

Vacuum chambers and components are specialized vessels that can maintain a high vacuum process environment for manufacturing thin films, microelectronics, optics and materials.  Vacuum chambers usually consist of a series of components such as a bell jar, baseplate, feedthrough collar and service well that together provide a complete chamber.  Complex vacuum chambers are often designed and fabricated on a custom basis to meet an end-user's application requirements.  Gloveboxes, welding chambers, degassing boxes or surface analysis chambers are vacuum chambers pre-engineered for specific applications.  Degassing chambers and gloveboxes typically operate in the rough to low vacuum range for welding, degassing plastics or composite laminates or encapsulating components.

Chambers are part of the vacuum equipment area, which includes vacuum chambers, feedthroughs, viewports, vacuum sensors and instruments, vacuum gauges, deposition systems, evaporation sources and materials, sputtering targets, plasma etching equipment, ion implanters, vacuum furnaces and specialized vacuum pumps, flanges, fittings and valves. Vacuum equipment is used for degassing, welding and the manufacturing of thin films, semiconductors, microelectronics / wafers, optics and specialty materials.
A baseplate is a large flanged adapter that connects the lower section of a chamber or bell jar to the pumping stack or system. Baseplates usually have a centrally located port or flange connection that may be connected to a vacuum pumping system.  A box or degassing chamber is a box shaped chamber usually with a hinged access door for applications that do not require a high vacuum, such as the outgassing of samples including plastics, blood, adhesives, chemicals, or other liquids.  Service wells are components that provide a transition stage between the pumping stack or system and the bell jar or chamber.  Base wells integrate the features of both a baseplate and a feedthrough collar. They provide the functionality of both components while replacing one vacuum seal with a weld joint.  A bell jar consists of a cylindrical main body with a domed or spherical end.  Bell jars are available in glass, metal or plastic. Standard diameters for bell jars are 12", 14", 18" and 24".  Specialty chambers are customized or designed shapes or port openings for a specific manufacturing process or analysis application.  Surface analysis or universal chambers are often the starting point for a custom configured chamber design.  Gloveboxes and weld chambers are specialized chambers for manual or experimental melting, welding or processing of titanium, zirconium, or other atmosphere sensitive materials.  Feedthrough collars are a transition component between the baseplate and the bell jar or chamber.  Feedthrough collars provide additional height and more feedthrough ports. A load lock chamber is a specialized, small chamber that is built onto a main chamber to allow movement of samples, wafers or process components from atmosphere to high vacuum without breaking the main vacuum.  Surface analysis or universal chambers are often the starting point for a custom configured chamber design.

Vacuum ranges for vacuum chambers and components can be rough or low, (< 760, > 1 torr), medium (< 1, >10^-3 torr), high vacuum (< 10^-3, >10^-8 torr), ultra-high vacuum (< 10^-8 torr), and elevated pressures (> 760 torr).  The nominal size, width or outer diameter of the chamber is the most important dimension specification. Standard diameters for bell jars and cylindrical chambers are 12", 14", 18" and 24".

Features common to vacuum chambers and components are flange and fitting choices, polished or electro-polished surfaces, openings or feedthrough ports, heaters, and cooling options.

• Bell Jars Systems
  MDC stainless steel bell jars are designed for use with MDC baseplates, base wells and feedthrough collars. A dovetail groove in the jar's base flange holds a Viton® elastomer gasket, which makes the...
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• Chamber Geometry
  MDC is equipped to build custom vacuum chambers of virtually any complexity. Vacuum vessels can be built to your exact specifications from a rough hand-sketch, detailed engineering drawings or...
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• Load-Lock Systems Introduction
  Load-lock systems are atmosphere to vacuum sample staging and entry systems typically mounted to larger research or process systems. They are a convenient and practical method for transferring samples...
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