McPherson has introduced extended lifetime deep and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) wavelength spectral test systems. The VUV instruments are ideal for analysing doped crystalline materials, deep UV optics, and coatings. They directly measure absolute transmission and variable angle reflectance, while a gas cell attachment is used for high sensitivity absorption.
The systems operate with inert gas environments rather than high-vacuum for enhanced stability. Gas purge inhibits formation of organic films from residual contaminants in evacuated systems improving both lifetime and stability. When high repeatability is required over weeks or months, the McPherson purged VUVAS is an impressive metrology tool. For spectroscopy or quality control measurements that demand faster time resolution (< 1 minute) vacuum systems may still be preferable. According to McPherson, its CCD-VUVAS systems achieve the fastest acquisition times, on the order of 20 milliseconds.
McPherson VUVAS spectrophotometers are available for long-life purged or vacuum operation. Some systems are available with both options, allowing users to select operational mode for the application at hand. The long-life VUVAS systems enable research and quality control measurements of diverse samples to wavelengths as short as 120 nanometers.
The dedicated software package controls the instrument and is easy to use. Users can specify wavelength range and wavelength increments with software commands. Hardware homing insures calibrated performance over time for reliable spectral data in the deep UV. The VUVAS provide a very powerful tool for direct optical measurements from 120 to 350nm. Many optional accessories such as light sources, detectors, and flow cells are also available.
For deeper UV measurements, below 120nm, windowless metrology systems are available. By using all reflective optics and optical designs tailored to high throughput efficiency, McPherson offers systems for transmission, reflection and emission measurements that work to wavelengths as short as one nanometer in the soft x-ray region.