New Carbon Coater for SEM/EDX Applications

Ted Pella Inc , introduces a new compact desktop automatic carbon coater for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) applications.

The special equipment (SE) version of the compact desktop 108C auto carbon coater has a large 6" sample chamber which can accommodate either an optional rotary-tilting or a planetary-rotary-tilting stage. This will give improved control over the uniformity of the carbon coating and allows either large or multiple sample coating. The flexible height adjustment on the chamber ads enhanced control over the carbon layer thickness. Fully automatic or fully manual control in continuous and pulse mode are incorporated in the new system.

Standard features on the 108C auto/SE carbon coater are choice of auto or manual, a feedback control loop for stabilized carbon evaporation, fast pumping speed and short cycle times. The use of high purity carbon rods gives superior carbon coating quality and avoids any debris on the surface. The stepped carbon rods also allow for multiple evaporations and a controlled amount of carbon to be deposited. The thickness of the carbon coating can be monitored to an accuracy of 0.1nm with the high resolution MTM-10 thickness monitor. Precise thickness control gives better reproducibility and improves quantitative EDX results.

The main application for the 108C auto/SE carbon coater is analytical SEM/EDX work on non conducting samples like paper, textiles, ceramics and plastics. Specimen with a highly topographic surface of complex structure will especially benefit from a more uniform coating using the multi-angle rotary planetary tilting stage.

The new Cressington 108C auto/SE is positioned between the standard 108C auto carbon coater and 208C high vacuum turbo carbon coater.