The preparation chamber of SmartLab setup, is the one, among the others, aimed at the preparation and treatment of the samples. It is connected to a load lock pre-chamber, suitable to for inserting samples in vacuum, ensuring the integrity of the vacuum in the main chambers.

A 4-axes manipulator (three transaltion and the rotation around the longitudinal axis) allowes for hosting up to four sample-holders at the same time, driving the specimens in front the different equipments and towards the analysis chamber.

• Movement are driven by means encoded stepper motors

• A copper cold-finger allowes for sample cooling at LN2 temperature

A IQE 11/35 Specs Ion-gun, is equipping the chmaber. Argon gas can be flown throuhg the IQE by menas a dedicated, bakable, gasline, for ion bombardment.

• Emission current selectable among 3, 6 and 10 mA

• Ion energy tunable in the range 0 - 3 keV

• Ion current on the sample around 5 µA @ 1E-6 mbar Ar partial pressure

A heating stage EBH-150 by Specs is also embedded onto the manipulator. Samples are thus heated by means the IR emission of a W filament fed by current or via an electron bombardment (biasing the sample).

• Filament current 0 - 3.5 A

• Emission current 0 - 100 mA

• Bias voltage 0 - 800 V

• Max temperature achieved 1090 K @ 35 mA emission and 600 V bias

Smaple temperature can be monitored to feedback the heating filament by means a type K thermocouple mounted on a special sample holder or via an Optris CTlaser

• Temperature range 420 - 1270 K

• CF3 optics

• wavelength 2.3 µm

• emessivity tubavle in 0.1 - 1

A low-energy electron diffraction apparatus, Er-LEED 3000 D by Specs, is equipping the chamber to allow for surface symmetry monitor.

For in situ preparation of samples, a water cooled Inficon SQM-160 thickness monitor is available

A Kaufman source DC 3 cm model by Plasma Process Group is hosted in the preparation chamber.

Actually, Alkali metal dispenser by SAES getters and a Omicron focused Fe evaporator are available for sample treatments.

Other flanges (mainly 2.45 inch) are available for hosting other equipment

SmartLab offers some additional tools for sample preparation like a sonicator to clean sample plates and other tools (e.g. screwdrivers) that must be used for sample preparation, a spot-welder and a Keysigth E36231A power supply.