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Roughing up the ISI-100A Scanning Electron Microscope

A project log for Open Source Freakin' Scanning Electron Microscope

You read that right.

adam-guilmetAdam Guilmet 12/03/2016 at 01:580 Comments

Now to get the vacuum system plumbed and get a roughing gauge hooked up. The scope originally had an 'Environmental Control Module' but the strange thing was that there was no way it could be actually connected. I think it must have be used with a matching vacuum deposition rig or something. So I just tapped a fitting on the anti-suckback valve that way I can actually save some trouble and just use the ECM's gauge and venting solenoid

Now all I have to do is turn it on and pray I didn't anger the vacuum gods somehow.

SUCCESS! I was dreading roughing this thing down for the first time, and NO LEAKS! That's some serious luck right there. Seems like the major surgery went OK. I don't want to test out the diffusion pump just yet, though. I first have to locate a high vacuum gauge and a known good low vacuum gauge because I have absolutely no idea how accurate this one is. Hopefully, it's not too far off. Damn, what a mess. Now to clean up and hope that I don't cause any leaks....

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