idt
instrument design technology
Beamline Engineering Excellence
Vacuum Actuators & Stages
IDT have designed & built a range of monochromators with outstanding performing.
To achieve such excellent performance has required the development of a series of
high performance actuators & stages capable of operating in a high vacuum (HV) &
ultra-
The ability to operate actuators & stages in HV & UHV is dependent upon a variety
of factors as follows:-
- Use of vacuum compatible materials.
- Vacuum motors & wiring rated for correct vacuum level.
- Linear & angle encoders being vacuum compatible.
- Vacuum limit switches.
- Vacuum lubricants.
- Vacuum cleaning & bake out processes.
- Residual outgassing rates.
By employing good vacuum practice IDT ensure that our actuators and stages are of the highest quality and fully HV/UHV compatible, with the following used in manufacture & assembly:
- Vacuum step motors, HV or UHV grade.
- Aluminium alloys throughout.
- Stainless steel ball screws with ceramic balls & end support bearings.
- Machined screws with phosphor bronze drive nuts.
- Vacuum compatible limit switches.
- Vented silver plated screws.
- Optional encoders.
Additionally all our actuators and stages are tested and vacuum prepared to keep outgassing rates to a minimum:
- Fully tested and calibrated with our comprehensive metrology suite.
- UHV cleaning processing followed by bake out to 120°C. IDT operate several vacuum
bake-
out rigs for processing products to achieve HV & UHV. - RGA 0-
200amu gas scans to measure outgassing of products and rates of outgassing after bake- out.
The motor/gearbox is the limiting factor of actuator & slide vacuum performance:
- High Vacuum stepper motors are rated for 5×10-
8 mbar (after water bake). - Ultra High Vacuum stepper motors are rated to 10-
11 mbar.
Outgassing
Careful design and manufacture, plus the cleaning processes used throughout the build of any vacuum device leads to the highest quality product. It is important to realise that the nature of the system is such that in a HV or UHV environment the motorised stage or actuator will experience outgassing. Vacuum motors & stages will always outgas during initial commissioning which will reduce over time. All vacuum prepared actuators & stages will have residual out gassing during operation at HV or UHV. The vacuum preparation processing will keep this outgassing to a minimum suitable for HV or UHV operation but please note the products are not outgassing free.
