High-Vacuum Ion Milling System Setup and Commissioning
Complete setup, calibration, and operation of a Kaufman Ar ion milling system for precision surface processing.
In this project I have done:
- The complete setup, calibration, and commissioning of a high-vacuum ion milling system for advanced material processing and ferromagnetic thin-film research.
- I was solely responsible for the mechanical assembly of the CF flanges, vacuum configuration, and operational testing of the entire system — including pump integration, Ar flow control, and ion beam source tuning.
- I acknowledge AMNSTC Lab manager (Drew Sellers) for helping out with troubleshooting.
System overview: Left – Vacuum chamber setup in progress; Middle – CF flanges and HiPace300 turbo and dry pump installed; Right – Completed setup with Kaufman KDC-40 Ar ion gun and control panels.
⚙️ System Specifications
| Component | Specification / Model | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ion Source | Kaufman & Robinson KDC-40 | Argon ion source for material etching and surface modification |
| Ion Source Controller | KRI KSC-1202 | Power supply and control of beam and discharge parameters |
| Turbo Pump | Pfeiffer HiPace300 | High-speed turbomolecular pump (1000–1005 Hz normal operation) |
| Backing Pump | Edwards Dry Pump | Supports turbo pump during chamber evacuation |
| Chamber Base Pressure | ~5 × 10-6 Torr | Achieved using turbo + dry pump configuration |
| Gas Flow System | MKS Mass Flow Controller (MFC) | Controls Ar flow rate and pressure stability |
| Ar Source | High-purity Argon Cylinder | Supplies controlled Ar flow to the ion gun |
| Valves | CF, GV valves (manual) | Isolation of chamber, turbo, and venting lines |
| Sample Holders | Custom 3D-printed (Fusion 360) | Designed for precise sample mounting and alignment |
| Control & Monitoring | KRI Beam Controller, MKS Readout | Full control over beam discharge and Ar flow |
🧩 My Role & Achievements
- Full System Setup: Assembled, and aligned the vacuum chamber, turbo, and ion source.
- Vacuum Commissioning: Achieved stable base pressure below 5×10-6 Torr.
- Custom Sample Fixtures: Modeled and 3D-printed holders in Fusion 360 for accurate sample positioning.
- Standard Operating Procedure: Authored a detailed SOP covering operation, safety, and maintenance (including ion filament replacement).
- Safety & Maintenance: Implemented proper valve sequencing and pump protection to avoid overpressure damage.
Custom sample holders: Left – CAD model in Fusion 360; Right – installed in the vacuum chamber.
🧠 Learned Skills
- High-vacuum system design, operation, and troubleshooting
- Ion beam physics and ion milling process development
- Integration of vacuum pumps, flow control, and beam power systems
- 3D CAD-based mechanical design (Fusion 360)
- Writing and implementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
— System commissioned and operated by Muntasir Mahdi (April 2023)
Points of contact: Drew Sellers (jas0149@auburn.edu) · Mike Hamilton (mchamilton@auburn.edu)