I am opening this topic to gather and share the knowledge how much of spare parts used in Cameca SX100 SXFive(FE) could be cleaned or refurbished and used again. It is in particullarly more and more actual to those who plan to stay with SX100 and SXFive over the planned end of service timeline of Cameca.
Thus far I could get this list:
- Tungsten hairpin filaments
- beam regulation apertures (topic:Beam Regulation) (https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?msg=10147)
As For beam regulation apertures I was interested in that for long time, but hitherto everyone (Every field engineer) told me that it is practically impossible to clean. Dictated by necessity I tried disassembling and cleaning one yesterday, and installed and tested out it today - good as new. I concentrated my cleaning on two apertures only, then after washed all parts (except the base of regulator, the part with isolation, to be on safe side and do not ruin isolation with ultrasound, just in case) in ultrasound bath.
The trickiest part is assembling it back and centering using 4 screws - it however is not hard if done in correct order using optical light microscope equipped with both transmitted and reflected light. The setup is to have some transparent clean flat surface on which beam regulator is placed upside down, centered to optical axis of microscope, initially using reflected light: 1) Start with only 2 parts assembled (without graphite tube, middle aperture, and middle hollow screw) and use 4 screws to center the bigger top hole in regards to the inner walls of threaded shaft where other 3 parts later is placed. 2) add the graphite part - check if its hole and hole of top of aperture stays centered. 3) add middle aperture, which naturally is well centered to the center shaft of regulator, thus if step 1 was done correctly it will be well centered regarding the top aperture. There can be some small degree of misalignment, as far as transmitted light (use now transmitted light) path through middle aperture hole is not obstructed by top aperture (which is at the very bottom at this setup) - it should work when installed in EPMA. Just a reminder - middle aperture from one side is cone shaped, which should be oriented downward in final EPMA setup, thus in this upside down light microscopy setup (where assembly is upside down), place the coned aperture side with it facing up. 4) finally, add ring and hollow screw - do not over-tighten (this is general to any threads).
What about other apertures, especially ceramic ones, or graphite tubes? Any experience and hints for cleaning them? I think one of our carbon coaters (Quarum) have an option to clean apertures (I guess it uses the high current to burn contamination away or something like that). Any experience using something like that?