Technical
Brief #6- Storage And Handling Guidelines
BURLE is committed
to providing the highest quality products to our customers.
Following these brief instructions will ensure you the maximum
lifetime possible from your BURLE Long-Life™ MCPs.
Microchannel Plates
will readily absorb moisture from the environment as they are
hygroscopic. This process can cause plates with solid glass
borders to bow and ultimately crack. The hydration of MCPs is
both preventable and reversible. Long term optimal detector
performance will be maximized by proper storage. In order to
preserve the high performance characteristics of your BURLE
Long-Life Microchannel Plates and Advanced Performance Detectors,
the following handling and storage guidelines should be followed.
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Storage
of MCPs & MCP Detector Assemblies
BURLE has engineered
its method of shipment to ensure that your Long-Life Microchannel
Plates and Advanced Performance detector assemblies arrive intact.
However, these shipping packages are not designed for long-term
storage. Long-term storage in a clean oil-free vacuum or dry
nitrogen is necessary to ensure your MCPs will operate properly.
MCPs are shipped
inside a metal or plastic shipping container that is inserted
into a foil bag which has been back-filled with dry nitrogen,
evacuated and then sealed. Detector Assemblies are shipped inside
preformed cases and also back-filled with dry nitrogen, evacuated
and sealed. Either type package should be opened immediately
upon receipt in a clean room or inside a laminar flow station.
The product should be inspected for visible damage. If you receive
bare MCPs, they have probably been shipped to you in a metal
can with a top and bottom "spider" holding the MCP.
Inspect the MCP for cracks, remove and discard the top metal
"spider" and replace the cover on top of the can.
The can must now be stored in oil-free vacuum or dry nitrogen.
Storage with a dessicant is dangerous because the MCPs will
actually pull moisture out of the dessicant.
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Storage
of Channeltron Detectors
Channeltron detectors
are either shipped in a hermetically sealed bag or a plastic
pre-form case. Storage in vacuum or dry nitrogen is recommended
for periods longer than six months.
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Handling
of BURLE Products
Microchannel Plates
and Channeltron detectors can be degraded by exposure to various
types of hydrocarbon materials which raise the work function
of the surface, causing gain degradation. Operation in a clean
vacuum environment of 10-5 torr or better is necessary
in order to ensure the long-life characteristics of these devices.
These products
should be protected from exposure to particle contamination
including dust and cigarette smoke. Particles that become affixed
to the plate can be removed by using a single hair brush and
an ionized dry nitrogen gun. MCP contact with chemical vapors
should also be avoided. To handle the MCP’s use talc free,
clean room compatible vinyl gloves and clean, degreased tools
made of Ultra High vacuum compatible material. Make contact
only at the solid glass border (or for rimless plates, make
contact at the outer edges of the plate only). No object should
ever come in contact with the active area of the MCP.
Many years of productive
experiments with BURLE Long-Life Microchannel Plates can be
assured by following these simple instructions.
