Vacuum Cleaning for Stainless Steel Chambers & UHV Hardware

Kimball Physics chambers are UHV cleaned and baked in-house before shipping but our technical staff recommends that the chamber be re-cleaned and baked prior to being pumping down. Since the chamber was not shipped under vacuum contaminates may have been deposited onto the vacuum surfaces. The follow cleaning procedure is followed at Kimball Physics but there are many acceptable variations used in industry.

Vacuum Cleaning for Stainless Steel Chambers & UHV Hardware

1. Place part(s) into the appropriate size beaker, ice cube tray, or basket. Be sure parts won’t scratch or damage each other, if small scratches are undesirable. Parts should be placed so that any cavities are allowed to fill with the cleaning solution.

2. Add water/Micro-90 cleansing solution at ≈10:1 dilution to cover parts.

3. Place container in Ultrasonic bath for 10-15 minutes.

4. Cleaning solution can be reused if it is not too soiled; pour off into appropriate container. Some particles may settle and can be rinsed away.

5. If part had cavities that couldn’t be filled, turn part over and buzz in Ultrasonic again for 10-15 minutes.

6. Rinse part very well with tap water and then distilled water and place in Ultrasonic cleaner covered in distilled water for another 10-15 minutes.

7. If part had cavities that couldn’t be filled, turn part over and buzz in the Ultrasonic again for 10-15 minutes.

8. Inspect part and re-wash if necessary.

9. Wear clean gloves to ensure that contaminates do not come in contact with part. Blow dry thoroughly. No water droplets should be visible.

10. Place in clean dry glass dish and bake for at least 30 minutes at 150°C in preheated oven.

11. Remove from oven and allow to cool.