Sigma SQM-160 manual

SQM-160 Rate/Thickness Monitor User’s Guide Version 2.0 © Copyright Sigma Instruments, Inc. 2000 Σ Σ Sigma instruments[...]

Safety Information Read this manual before installing, operating, or servicing this equipment. Do not install substitute parts, or perform any unauthorized modification of the product. Return the product to Sigma Instruments for service and repair to ensure that safety features are maintained. Safety Symbols W ARNING : Calls attention to a procedur[...]

Warranty Information This Sigma Instruments product is warranted against defects in material and workmanship for a period of 1 year from the date of shipment, when used in accordance with the instructions in this manual. During the warranty period, Sigma Instruments will, at its option, either repair or replace products that prove to be defective. [...]

Table of Contents Chapter 1 Quick Start 1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 Installation ..................................................................................................................... 1-4 1.2 Front Panel ...................[...]

Chapter 5 Maintenance 5.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 Fuse Replacement ...................................................................................................... 5-1 Appendix A. Material Parameters B. Specifications C. I/O Connec[...]

Chapter 1 Quick Start 1- 1 1.0 Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the SQM-160 Deposition Rate/Thickness Monitor. The SQM-160 is an easy-to-use instrument for measuring many types of thin film coatings. This chapter will help to get you up and running quickly. Please review the entire manual for detailed operational, programming, and s[...]

Chapter 1 Quick Start 1- 2 1.2 Front Panel Front Panel Controls Display 1 Displays rate and thickness in normal operation. Displays setup parameter name in program mode. Display 2 Displays deposition time in normal operation. Displays setup parameter value in program mode. Control Section Zero thickness reading. Toggle Display 1 between Crystal Lif[...]

Chapter 1 Quick Start 1- 3 1.3 Rear Panel Rear Panel Connections Sensor 1 & 2 Connection to quartz crystal sensor remote oscillator. See Section 1.4 for detailed hookup. RS-232 Connection to computer serial port for programming and data acquisition. Relay I/O Connects 4 relays and 4 digital inputs to external equipment for process control. See [...]

Chapter 1 Quick Start 1- 4 1.4 System Connections The diagram and table below identifies typical vacuum system components and their function. System Components Sensor Holds the quartz crystal used to measure rate and thickness. Crystals must be replaced occasionally. In-Vac Cable A coax cable, typically 30” long, that connects the sensor to the f[...]

Chapter 1 Quick Start 1- 5 1.5 Film Setup This section will help you setup the SQM-160 to measure a film. Refer to Chapter 2 for detailed film programming instructions. Note: User actions with front panel controls are indicated by a B ox . Results shown on displays, are indicated by a D ashed Box . Enter Program Mode If the Crystal Life display is [...]

Chapter 1 Quick Start 1- 6 1.6 Depositing a Film If you have followed this Quick Start chapter, you are ready to deposit a film. Follow the procedure below to begin deposition. Verify Sensor Operation Verify that the Crystal Status LED for the measuring sensor is lit, and not flashing. Display Rate/Thickness D isplay 1 should be displaying Rate on [...]

Chapter 2 Operation 2- 1 2.0 Introduction This section details the operation of the SQM-160 menus and front panel controls. It is arranged by common user tasks. Note: User actions with front panel controls are indicated by a B ox . Results shown on displays, are indicated by a D ashed Box . 2.1 Menu Selection Two menus provide control of the SQM-16[...]

Chapter 2 Operation 2- 2 2.2 Film Parameters Setup The Film Parameters Menu programs the SQM-160 for the materials that will be deposited as thin films. Nine films can be stored, but only one film is active at any time. To program film parameters: 1. Press P rogram to enter program mode. 2. Use the C ontrol Knob to scroll to the desired Film # (1-9[...]

Chapter 2 Operation 2- 3 The diagram and table below detail the parameters available in the Film Parameters Menu: Display Description Range Default Units DENSITY Density of the material being deposited. 0.5 – 99.99 1.00 gm/cc TOOLING Overall tooling Factor for this film. See the Sensor Tooling section of this chapter for information on setting to[...]

Chapter 2 Operation 2- 4 2.3 System Parameters Setup The System Parameters Menu sets values that pertain to the overall functioning of the SQM-160, and to your vacuum system’s setup. System parameters are constant for all films. 1. Press P rogram to enter program mode. 2. Press P rev to enter the System Parameters Menu 3. Use N ext and P rev to m[...]

Chapter 2 Operation 2- 5 Display Description Range Default Units TIMEBASE Time required to take a single measurement 0.15 – 2.00 0.25 sec SIM MODE Simulates sensors. On/Off Off FRQ DISP Toggles between Rate/Thickness and Frequency Displays On/Off Off RATE RES Display resolution of Rate Hi/Low Low RATEFILT Number of readings averaged for rate calc[...]

Chapter 2 Operation 2- 6 Display Description Range Default Units xTOOLING Tooling value assigned to each sensor. See the Sensor Tooling section of this chapter for information on setting tooling values. 10 – 399 100 % FMIN/MAX Sub-Menu to select Crystal Frequency Limits FREQ MIN Minimum Crystal Frequency 4.00 – 6.00 5.00 MHz FREQ MAX Maximum Cr[...]

Chapter 2 Operation 2- 7 2.4 Sensor Selection The SQM-160 comes standard with two sensor inputs. Four additional sensors are available by adding a Sensor Option Card. The sensors can each be assigned to a different film, or multiple sensors can be averaged for a single film. The averaging option provides more uniform coverage of the deposition area[...]

Chapter 2 Operation 2- 8 2.5 Sensor Min/Max Frequency The Sensor Min/Max frequencies establish the operating range for the sensing quartz crystals. Both values are used to determine the % life that is displayed in Xtal Life mode. When the sensor frequency drops below the minimum, the SQM-160 indicates a sensor failure by blinking the Crystal Status[...]

Chapter 2 Operation 2- 9 2.6 Sensor Tooling Sensor Tooling adjusts for the difference in deposition rate between the sensor and the substrate being coated. It is an empirically determined value that matches the sensor readings to your vacuum system. Substrate Substrate Tooling Over 100% Tooling Under 100% The first Tooling is set in the Film Parame[...]

Chapter 2 Operation 2- 10 2.7 Rate/Thickness or Frequency Display The SQM-160 determines deposition rate and thickness by measuring the frequency shift of a crystal oscillator over time. In some applications, the actual crystal frequency is desired. Displaying crystal frequency can also be useful in troubleshooting sensor operation. To select Rate/[...]

Chapter 2 Operation 2- 11 2.9 Zero Thickness Before starting each film deposition, you will probably want to reset the SQM-160 Thickness value to zero. To zero Thickness: 1. Press the Z ero switch in the front panel Control section. In addition to zeroing Thickness, pressing the Zero switch has these effects: 1. The Time display is reset to its pro[...]

Chapter 3 Options 3- 1 3.0 Introduction The SQM-160 has two slots to accommodate option cards. The Option A slot holds a Four Sensor Card, which expands the SQM-160 inputs to a total of six quartz crystal sensors. The Option B Analog Output Card provides Rate and Thickness outputs for connection to strip chart recorders. 3.1 Installation W ARNING :[...]

Chapter 3 Options 3- 2 3.2 Four Sensor Card The SQM-160 automatically detects the presence of the Four Sensor Card. Refer to System Connections in Chapter 1 for sensor hookup information. Refer to Chapter 2, Sensor Selection , to assign Four Sensor Card sensors to a film. 3.3 Analog Output Card Once the Analog Output Card is installed, the SQM-160 [...]

Chapter 4 MonComm Software 4- 1 4.0 Introduction Included with the SQM-160 is a Windows 95/98 program, MonComm. MonComm is used to setup instrument parameters, graph, and save instrument readings. 4.1 Installation 1. Insert installation Disk 1 into your computer’s A Drive. 2. In Windows 95/98 select Start, then Run. Type A:Setup, then click OK. [...]

Chapter 4 MonComm Software 4- 2 4.3 Add and Delete Films To add a new film to the Films List: 1. Click the New Film button. 2. A film named NewFilm# will be added to the end of the films list. 3. Click on this film to highlight it. 4. Change the name of the film - up to eight characters are allowed. 5. Select the material for the film from the Mate[...]

Chapter 4 MonComm Software 4- 3 4.4 Download Films To add or replace a film in the Download List: 1. Highlight the desired film by clicking on it in the Films list box. 2. Highlight the desired position for the film in the Download List box. 3. Click on the Add Film button. If there is already a film in the selected position in the Download Films b[...]

Chapter 4 MonComm Software 4- 4 4.5 Graph Data The SQM-160 graphs are accessed by clicking the Graph button. Two graphs of data from the SQM-160 can be displayed. The first displays the average rate of all active channels versus time. The second graph displays each individual channel’s rate versus time. To the right of the graph average rate, ave[...]

Chapter 4 MonComm Software 4- 5 To Adjust the Graph’s Scope: 1 Select the Configure menu followed by the Graph sub menu item to display the graphs configuration form. 2. Adjust the graph minimums and maximums as desired. The X and Y divisions determine the number of ticks between graph numerical markings and grid placement for each axis. The X an[...]

Chapter 4 MonComm Software 4- 6 4.7 Edit System Parameters System Parameters are accessed by clicking on the Config menu item followed by the System sub menu. All of the system parameters, except Baud Rate, are available for edit. The system parameters are downloaded to the SQM-160 by clicking on the Update Parameters button. The parameters can be [...]

Chapter 5 Maintenance 5- 1 5.0 Introduction W ARNING : There are no user adjustments, or serviceable parts, inside the SQM-160. For maintenance or repair, contact Sigma Instruments 1318 Duff Drive Fort Collins, CO 80524 USA 970-416-9660 5.1 Fuse Replacement W ARNING : Remove the power cable before replacing the fuse. The SQM-160 is shipped with a ?[...]

Appendix A. Material Parameters Material Density ZFactor Material Density ZFactor Aluminum 2.73 1.08 Manganese 7.2 0.377 Aluminum Oxide 3.97 1 Manganese Sulfide 3.99 0.94 Antimony 6.66 0.766 Mercury 13.46 0.74 Arsenic 2.9 0.966 Molybdenum 10.2 0.257 Barium 3.5 2.1 Neodymium Fluoride 6.506 1 Beryllium 1.87 0.543 Neodymium Oxide 7.24 1 Bismuth 9.8 0.[...]

Appendix B. Specifications Measurement Number of Sensors Frequency Range Frequency Accuracy Frequency Resolution Rate Accuracy Rate Resolution Thickness Accuracy Thickness Resolution Measurement Filter Measurement Period 2 standard, plus 4 optional 4.0MHz to 6.0Mhz .01% @ 2 rdgs/sec. .1 Hz .5% typical .01/.1 Å /s .5% typical 1 Å 1 to 20 readings [...]

Appendix C. I/O Connections A 15-pin female D-sub connector is included with the instrument to connect digital I/O to the SQM-160 Relay I/O connector. The figure below shows the solder side pin assignments for the connector. Relay I/O Connector Rear View Relays are rated for 125VAC or 30VDC, 2A maximum. Inputs can be activated either by connecting [...]

Appendix D. Declaration of Conformity Manufacturer’s Name: Sigma Instruments Manufacturer’s Address: 1318 Duff Drive Fort Collins, CO 80524 USA declares that the product: Product Name: Rate/Thickness Monitor Product Model: SQM-160 Product Options: All Options conforms to the following Product Specifications: Safety: IEC CSA UL EMC: CISPR IEC IE[...]