AVS 56th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Vacuum Technology Monday Sessions
       Session VT-MoM

Invited Paper VT-MoM1
Silicon-based Surface Treatments for Improved Vacuum System Throughput, Inertness, and Corrosion Resistance

Monday, November 9, 2009, 8:20 am, Room C1

Session: Vacuum Contamination and Pumping
Presenter: D.A. Smith, SilcoTek Corporation
Authors: D.A. Smith, SilcoTek Corporation
B.R.F. Kendall, Elvac Associates
Correspondent: Click to Email
Tests of stainless steel components with a silicon-based deposition have shown significantly lower outgassing rates when compared with stainless steel components without a surface deposition. A variety of experiments illustrate the beneficial aspects of a silicon-based deposition in process vacuum systems. For outgassing performance, experimentation was developed for comparing otherwise identical samples having various surface treatments and/or coating types. The samples are heated and cooled in turn while the outgassing rates are recorded at temperatures up to 250 degrees C. For inertness performance, chromatographic and gravimetric data will illustrate the lack of adsorptive and catalytic behavior of a substrate with a silicon-based deposition. These depositions can also serve as an anti-corrosive barrier for processes hindered by frequent maintenance after exposure to environments that are corrosive to base materials. ASTM corrosion testing methods will be presented and discussed to better understand the anti-corrosive nature of these deposited surfaces. Process vacuum systems requiring rapid pumpdown, minimal metallic substrate exposure and contamination, and/or reduced corrosive attack may benefit from the characteristics capable with silicon diffusion coatings.