XEI Scientific, Inc.
RF Plasma Cleaning Systems for Electron Microscopes
and High Vacuum Systems

The EVACTRON® Anti-Contaminator and De-Contaminator
Stops Artifacts and Removes Hydrocarbons and Organics.

Updated March 2008

What's New?

April 2008: XEI Scientific visited the Society of Vacuum Coaters Technical Conference. We introduced the new Evactron 55 De-Contaminator for large chambers at the show and received a great deal of interest for various Evactron applications beyond electron microscopy. Our Application Scientist, Dr. Gabe Morgan, gave a presentation about our products in a Technical Session on Plasma Processing.
P-17 Low Power Remote Plasma Cleaning .pdf
Another interesting presentation was by Elisabeth Strein, an undergraduate researcher working with Prof. David Allred at Brigham Young University. She presented surface ellipsometry data and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) showing that significant amounts of adventitious carbon can be deposited on substrates in as little as six hours of storage in air. She also reported that using an Evactron C attached to her XPS antechamber helped make sure that the carbon deposits she observed were not from contamination in her XPS system.

February 2008 NIST publishes new contamination specifications using the Evactron^® RF Plasma Cleaners. XEI Scientific attended the SPIE Advanced Microlithograpy Convention and we have a New paper published:
Contamination Specification for Dimensional Metrology SEMs (Abstract 6922-41, page 75 of SPIE's 2008 Advanced Microlithography Technical Abstract Summaries) by András E. Vladár, K. P. Purushotham and Michael T. Postek. Evactron^® RF Plasma Cleaner prevents erroneous readings of etchings in integrated circuits, due to electron microscope contamination.

October 2007 XEI introduces our exciting Evactron^® 25 Tabletop model De-Contaminator (D-C) which works the same way as the Rackmounted Evactron^® 45 (D-C) model!

Aug. 1, 2007 XEI introduced our exciting new Rackmounted Evactron® 45 De-Contaminator (D-C) and 40 which operates via PC control. For cleaning scanning electron microscopes. We're pushing the frontiers electron microscope cleaning technology to improve resolution and imaging time for 21st century needs. Evactron^® D-C cleaning uses a unique, cutting edge process for remote plasma production of oxygen radicals that flow downstream through your system, removing hydrocarbons. These new user friendly Evactron^® D-C models optimize remote plasma cleaning perfectly to the needs of the user.

Aug. 10, 2007 One Piece ORS for Evactron 45, 40, and 25 Models The One Piece ORS (Oxygen Radical Source) is an extra cost option for the Evactron^® 45 and 25 model series of Evactron Decontaminators. It has been designed for use where a cleaner look, fewer O-rings seals, and a compact space are requirements. Made of all stainless steel with VCR fittings for the gauges and valve it is suitable for operation to pressures down to 10-8 Torr in high vacuum equipment. All metal seals are used in the CF version except for viton valve seats in solenoid valves. VCR fittings are used for the Mini-Pirani gauge and to connect the valves. The external fitting is CF 2.75" or KF40..pdf

Feb. 6, 2007 Zyvex and XEI settle patent dispute. Ronald Vane and XEI Scientific have agreed to licence the Evactron® Patents to Zyvex Corporation for the Zyvex Optimizer^™. Zyvex will sell the Optimizer only to Zyvex nanoprober users, and will begin to buy a new Evactron D-C model when it is available to replace the Optimizer. This settlement allows both companies to specialize in the areas of expertise and to end their expensive lawsuit

To: Evactron® Users
Re: EVACTRON^® NEWS FROM XEI Scientific

Dear Colleagues,

We attended SPIE Advanced Microlithograpy Convention February 2008 and have a new paper published Contamination Specification for Dimensional Metrology SEMs (Abstract 6922-41, page 75) by András E. Vladár, K. P. Purushotham and Michael T. Postek. In this specification, use of the Evactron^® RF Plasma Cleaner prevents erroneous readings of etchings in integrated circuits, due to electron microscope contamination.

October 2007, Introducing our new Evactron^® 25 D-C Tabletop model. It works exactly the same way as the Rackmounted model Evactron^® D-C 45, but offers another option.

At the M&M 2007 we introduced our new Evactron^® 40 & 45 remote RF Plasma Cleaner models, the Evactron^® 40 & 45 D-Cs, for removal of hydrocarbon contamination in SEMs, TEMs, and FIBs. The new microprocessor controlled Evactron^® 40 & 45 D-Cs allow you to pre-set variable RF power, pressure, time and purge settings for remote plasma cleaning of hydrocarbon deposits. Evactron^® 45 D-C is rack mounted and operates either from a front panel display or from a PC interface via serial port. Evactron^® 40 D-C operates only through a PC interface. In electron microscopes, hydrocarbons in the atmosphere leave deposits on your sample leading to image distortion and interference with examination of specimens at the nanometer level. The Evactron^® D-C cleans electron microscope equipment by producing oxygen radicals using an RF plasma and room air.Oxygen radicals react with the hydrocarbon contamination to make H₂O, CO, and CO₂ which get continuously purged and swept out of the way leaving a clear view of your sample. Both Evactron^® 40 & 45 D-Cs also come with error and operational logs.

Dr. Christopher "Gabe" Morgan has joined the XEI Scientific applications lab as of Jan 26, 2007. Gabe will be studying how to improve Evactron Cleaning for our users and will be presenting Scientific Papers on contamination contol at scientific conferences. Gabe has his Ph.D. from U.C. Santa Barbara in Physical Chemistry and has done extensive work with oxygen radicals.

Mike Muniz has joined XEI Scientific on August 6, 2007 as our new accounting and office manager to replace Debbie DeMarco who's moved on to another job.

XEI Incorporates
We incorporated XEI at the beginning of 2005 so we could better share the growth of XEI with our employees. We have also moved into expanded manufacturing and research facilities and increased production and engineering staff.

CE and RoHS:
XEI has completed the CE certification process for all Evactron Models, is in the process of complying with the RoHs, "Reduction of Hazardous Substances" initiative, or lead free initiative required for continue sales to Europe after July 1, 2006.

XEI Warrants Moxtek UTW Windows Against Evactron Cleaning Damage
We are now confident that Evactron Cleaning causes no significant damage to Moxtek UTW EDS windows based on our extended in-house exposure tests and field experience with over 250 Evactron units since 1999. XEI will now make the following warranty beginning in 2006:"XEI Scientific Inc. will pay for Moxtek UTW replacement on SEM and FIB systems equipped the Evactron D-C if Moxtek shows that the window or vacuum seal failure was due to corrosion damage by the Evactron Cleaning process. This warranty is limited to the window replacement cost and repair of the EDS system, and does not cover the cost for loss of use of the systems. Windows judged by Moxtex to have failed from other causes or that reached the limit of their normal expected lifetime are not covered."

Microscopy and Microanalysis 2008 Poster session
In 2008 XEI will continue our efforts to improve the effectiveness of Evactron cleaning and to scientifically study the effectiveness of Evactron contamination control.

To this end, a Poster session (A207) at M & M Aug 2007 in Ft Lauderdale was organized by Ronald Vane of XEI and Andras Vladar of NIST on "Contamination Control in Electron Microscopy and Ion Microscopy".

Abstracts are due Monday Feb. 18, 2008
We are planning studies on the oxidation rates of contaminates exposed to Evactron cleaning and RGA studies of Hydrocarbon removal. Please consider contributing your own paper on Evactron cleaning experiences to this conference. XEI support is available for those needing instrumentation or financial help to perform this research.