We have three Multipurpose Vacuum Units VUP 5M from SELMI company.
The unit is intended for vacuum preparation of thin films by means of various deposition techniques. It has three thermal, three DC magnetron sputtering and two electron beam evaporators, one source for heating of the substrate. It is ideally covers the electron microscopy needs in preparation of carbon films, covering of samples with a conducting film, etching, ion polishing and thinning etc.
Application of VUP in scientific area is limited by an oil vacuum produced by diffusion pump. Therefore we have modified two instruments by replacing diffusion pumps to turbomolecular ones. Now we are able to use modified vessels for some kind of scientific experiments where the base pressure in the midst of 10-6 Pa is sufficient and for preliminary experiments. One of the units is connected to PC. This enables us to automate the process of measurements of properties of films during their deposition or thermal treatment, to control the deposition processes, etc.