Osmium Plasma Coater: OPC-60A

Overview

The Osmium Plasma Coater OPC-60A is a fully automatic bench-top instrument that deposits osmium metal coatings onto SEM specimens, using osmium tetroxide sealed in glass ampoules as the coating source. Because the deposition cycle is entirely automatic, the instrument can coat large numbers of samples in relatively short periods of time, and the running cost is minimal since a single 0.1 g ampoule can supply 10 to 15 coating runs depending on the film thickness required. The osmium metal films it produces are amorphous, structureless, and featureless, making them well suited to high-resolution SEM imaging of biological and other beam-sensitive specimens. Unlike the OPC-80T, the OPC-60A cannot deposit carbon and is dedicated solely to osmium coating. The instrument is designed for straightforward self-installation, with SPI's in-house technical staff and select worldwide distributors trained to provide support without requiring a service engineer visit.

Automatic Osmium Deposition

The OPC-60A automates the entire osmium coating cycle, allowing a laboratory to process large batches of samples with minimal operator intervention. A 0.1 g ampoule of osmium tetroxide is enough for roughly 10 to 15 coating runs, keeping the running cost of each coating cycle very low.

Sample Stage Options

The sample stage can be configured to accept one of three mount sizes: 9.5 or 10 mm diameter cylindrical SEM mounts in 7 positions, 15 mm diameter mounts in 4 positions, or a single 32 mm diameter mount. Pin-type SEM mounts require an appropriately sized adapter mount. The OPC-60A offers a larger coating area and more robust electronics than the earlier OPC-60N model it replaces.

Installation and Support

Like other SPI-manufactured systems, the OPC-60A is designed so that a laboratory can unpack it, follow the setup instructions, and be operational within a few hours without a costly service engineer visit. The unit requires no cooling water and needs only a solid tabletop surface and a conventional rotary vane mechanical vacuum pump, which is priced separately since many laboratories already own a suitable pump.

Common Specifications