Hello from the Bay Area in California

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Alex Vargas
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2018 7:12 pm
Real name: Alex Vargas

Hello from the Bay Area in California

Post by Alex Vargas »

My name is Alex Vargas and I'm a 22 year old undergraduate Physics student at San Jose State University in San Jose, California in the US. I'm currently working as a researcher in a Solid State Physics lab focusing on thin films. I'm currently trying to enroll in Master's programs with a similar focus or in condensed matter with a magnetism focus.

While working in my lab, we have used a diffusion pump which ended up breaking and I am currently trying to refurbish a Varian V550 pump to replace the diffusion pump. I am still new to the fusor scene but I am interested in using these forums to help me learn. This is both a personal interest and potential research interest.
Roberto Ferrari
Posts: 364
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2004 12:21 pm
Real name: Roberto Ferrari
Location: Argentina
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Re: Hello from the Bay Area in California

Post by Roberto Ferrari »

Welcome Alex!

Diffusion pumps mostly go dead by a open heater, easily replaceable.
Some brands use a glass window to monitor oil level and may go cracked.
I used to recover them grinding out the small flange that holds the glass and sealing the hole with a TIG welded plate and back to work.
Good luck!
Roberto
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Dennis P Brown
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Joined: Sun May 20, 2012 10:46 am
Real name: Dennis Brown

Re: Hello from the Bay Area in California

Post by Dennis P Brown »

Glad you are pursuing a physics degree but generally, unless you are not sure of an area to study, a master's degree is not useful (it carries no significant value as a terminal degree); mostly it just delays your real degree.

Mr. Ferrari is correct - diffusion pumps are very easy to repair since their failure modes are extremely limited and rather low cost/easy to repair; turbo's however, are rather difficult since they have many failure modes and not all can be repaired; and worse, often the repair parts/cost is almost as much as a used pump that works. If you are doing thin coatings and the diffusion pump does not have a cryo-trap, a turbo can offer far superior (cleaner) films.

There is a wealth of good information in each FAQ area and of course, many posts dealing with vacuum systems and even some thin film posts.
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