High Temp Heater Chuck – 200mm

A semiconductor equipment company in the Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) market approached BCE in need of a custom high temperature heater solution.  Their application involved a thin-film deposition using a sequence of various chemical processes.  Repeating these processes results in a thin film being slowly deposited. 

SCOPE

High Temperature Heater Chuck needed to satisfy the following:

• Temperature <700°C   
• Internal element must be able to withstand higher than 700°C
• Thermal break between flange and base reducing heat transfer to flange area 
• 316 Stainless steel base, sleeve, and flange must pass all required vacuum specifications
• 240Volt 1450Watt
• Built-in thermocouple type “K” inside internal element grounded with RF screening 

OUTCOME

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BCE produced a highly effective high temperature heater with exceptional uniformity.  The design was able to compress the internal element enough to allow for optimal temperature transfer.  The weld around the outside periphery of the base plate and the (3) lift–pin-hole-standoffs were essential in the design for vacuum integrity, ramp rate, and temperature stability. 

For more information, contact BCE. Call them at 510-274-1990 or visit their web site at https://bcemfg.com.

Fiber Optic Feedthrough

A company contacted BCE to design a fiber optic feedthrough for their new assembly. They required (4) x 100 inch single mode coupler fibers to reach a narrow area within their assembly. The customer had a difficult time finding a compatible solution due to the specific thread type and the long fiber length so they approached BCE to create a custom feedthrough. Due to the sensitive nature of fiber optic cable, a BCE Epoxy Feedthrough was the optimal solution.

REQUIREMENTS:

• 4x single mode Acrylate coated fibers
• ¾”-16 threaded 316 SS fitting
• Helium leak test: 5 x 10-8 atm-cc/s or better
• Temperature range: 0°C - 65° C
• Long lead length ~100”

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OUTCOME

The small outer diameter (245 µm with an 8 µm core) of the fibers and the long length, required the addition of Hytrel furcation tubing to prevent breakage by reducing the bend radius. This created a robust feedthrough to withstand a wide range of vacuum and temperature conditions. The fiber optic feedthrough exceeded expectations and achieved a 10 x 10-10 atm cc/s helium leak rate.

For more information, contact BCE. Call them at 510-274-1990 or visit their web site at https://bcemfg.com.

Mini Clean Flow - Stream Heater

Mini Clean Flow Heater

A biotechnology company approached BCE in need of a custom heating solution. Their application required that the media must be heated to 75 °C in order to eliminate any pathogenic bacteria that may be present. Their current system was not heating the medium efficiently requiring a high watt density solution causing heater failure and carbonization of the material.

SCOPE

The Mini Clean Flow - Stream heater needed to satisfy the following:

• Outlet of temperature of 75 °C (± 2 °C) to eliminate bacteria
• Ability to place heater in a series flow configuration if necessary
• Built in thermocouple for accurate temperature measurement
• 185 Watt, 120 Volt
• All wetted surfaces must be 304 Stainless Steel
• Watt density below 30 WSI to avoid damage to the fluid or system

OUTCOME

Test Results - Click for larger view.

BCE designed a double wall inline heater with exceptional heat uniformity and reduced heat losses. The Mini Clean Flow Stream heater was built with internal components designed to turbulate the medium to increase efficiency and minimize watt density. This compact, low mass heater had the ability to precisely control the inner temperature for either over-temp or process medium control. The Mini Clean Flow – Stream was the ultimate solution for this application resulting in a more efficient process to eliminate pathogenic material.

For more information, contact BCE by calling 510-274-1990 or visit their web site at https://bcemfg.com.