1. BioRad Sputter Coater  Instructions for gold coating a SEM sample.  NO, it’s not your eyes. This image is out of focus

2. Overview

3. Step 1 -- Argon On  Check to see if the Argon tank (bottle) main valve is on.  Do NOT turn the pressure adjust needle valve on the regulator.

4. Vent Specimen Chamber  Normally the specimen chamber is left under vacuum.  Turn on Power (red button illuminates)  Press Vent button (illuminates) Allow 30 seconds or so for the chamber to vent  Press the Vent button again after chamber is vented

5. Vent Chamber #2

6. Open Sample Chamber  Open chamber by lifting the Target Assembly. Do not place your fingers on the target.

7. Place samples in chamber  Load samples on stage  Close Chamber top making sure that the top is seated properly on the glass jar.  DO NOT DROP THE TOP.

8. Pump chamber  Press Pump button (illuminates)  Let chamber pump down to 2 – 4 10 -1 mbar. Then press Pump button (light out).  Press Vent button (illuminates). This will purge the chamber of air. The press Vent button again (light out).  Press Pump button (illuminates) and pump down. Chamber pressure should reach 6 – 8 x 10 -2 mbar. This takes about 15 minutes.

9. SETUP FOR SPUTTERING  Chamber pressure should reach 6 – 8 x 10 -2 mbar.  INT/LOCK – SET HT Button should be illuminated.  Press the FTM – TIMER Button (illuminates); sputtering is done by time; FTM does not work.

10. LEAK ARGON  Press the LEAK BUTTON (illuminates) – DO NOT ADJUST THE LEAK VALVE The pressure in the chamber should spike and then drop back down to about 8 10-2 mbar.

11. Sputter Gold -- 1  Set the time on 30 sec.  Press the start button on the timer unit.  Slowly increase the kV (turn the knob)until the Plasma current is about 25 mA. The kV knob will be at about the 1 o’clock position.

12. Sputter to desired thickness  Reset the timer to the desired time. This will vary depending upon the thickness of the coating that you want. Try 60 seconds for a start.  Remember that you can always put more on but it doesn’t come off very easy.  Recommend that you try very light coating and build up to your needed thickness. This is a trial and error process.

13. Take Out the Samples  Turn the kV knob to zero  Press the LEAK Button (light out)  Press PUMP button (light out)  Press VENT button (illuminates)  Let the chamber vent (takes about 30 seconds)  Open chamber top and remove samples.

14. Shut down  Close top (target assembly) making sure it is seated properly  Press VENT button (light out)  Press PUMP button  Turn off valve on top of Argon bottle  Press POWER Button (light out)  Sign In/Out