Ultrahigh Vacuum Technology

In order to prepare or modify surfaces, ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) systems may include evaporation sources, deposition monitors, sample heaters and temperature sensors, techniques to monitor surface crystallography and stoichiometry, and gas transport and/or plasma processing for sample growth or modification. Manipulators are required to position specimens inside the UHV chamber for various processes and measurements. Different gauges are used to monitor pressure inside the vacuum chamber. Besides the gas pressure inside the vacuum chamber, it is useful to know the composition of the residual gas molecules still present. For example, residual gas analyzer (RGA) detection of water vapor would signify the need for a bakeout in order to reach lower chamber pressures. An important capability for UHV chambers is the deposition of new material on the specimen surface. Deposition of thick metallic, insulating, and magnetic layers are either integral or connected to the UHV chamber.