ligo-ex ligo-ds
  Richardson Lab Experimental Log, Page 10 of 10  Not logged in ELOG logo
New entries since:Wed Dec 31 16:00:00 1969
ID Date Authordown Type Category Subject
  306   Tue Jan 16 16:11:41 2024 AidenUpdateVAC 
[Aiden,Luis]

Below is the data for the most recent bake. I believe the chamber is cleaner than it is actually showing as the RGA data was still getting lower while the data was being taken. I will take the data again tomorrow just in case. Still, the data shows that the chamber is basically as clean as it was before bake 10 and this means further power testing can proceed.

Helium leak tested the chamber again today to check if the sealant changed anything. The two primary target flanges from last time have improved significantly with the flange from the RGA on the cross now being below 2e-14. While the turbo pump flange was leaking at a rate of 4e-13. Much better than what it has been before.

Attachment 1: bake10_240116_Elements_ArO.png
bake10_240116_Elements_ArO.png
Attachment 2: bake10_240116_Elements_ArC.png
bake10_240116_Elements_ArC.png
  307   Wed Jan 17 15:47:49 2024 AidenUpdateGeneralResistors for Heater Elements
Power Res (Ohm) RTD Res (Ohm)

Heater 1= 73.6; 81.8

Heater 2= 70.4; 82.1

Heater 3= 71; 84.5

Heater 4= 71.5; 80

Heater 5= 70.5; 81.7

Heater 6= 72; 79.4

Heater 7= 69.2; 78.2

Heater 8= 71.1; 84.2

  308   Thu Jan 18 15:13:37 2024 AidenUpdateVACVAC Heating System Update
[Aiden]

Took more data today and the chamber and elements are showing an even lower HC level than we have gotten before. It is safe to say that the elements are not contaminated and out gassing HC into the chamber.

Attachment 1: bake10_240118_Elements_ArO.png
bake10_240118_Elements_ArO.png
Attachment 2: January_18_Ar_Open_Elements_Analyzed.png
January_18_Ar_Open_Elements_Analyzed.png
  314   Fri Feb 2 19:08:20 2024 AidenUpdateVAC1st Hot Element RGA Scan
Here are the measurements for the RGA scan of the elements while on at around 160C. The pressure of the chamber during the test was 4.12 e-8 torr.
Attachment 1: bake10_240202_Elements_ArC.png
bake10_240202_Elements_ArC.png
Attachment 2: bake10_240202_Elements_ArO.png
bake10_240202_Elements_ArO.png
  316   Mon Feb 5 14:17:52 2024 AidenUpdateVACHeater Element RGA Scan
Here are the new RGA scans for the powered Heater elements. The pressure at the time of taking data was 2.88 e-8 torr. The HC levels are at 40 e-10 torrl/s which is not bad but still higher than the lowest we have recorded.
Attachment 1: bake10_240205_Elements_ArO.png
bake10_240205_Elements_ArO.png
Attachment 2: bake10_240205_Elements_ArC.png
bake10_240205_Elements_ArC.png
  319   Thu Feb 8 17:37:48 2024 AidenUpdateVACHeater Element RGA Scan
Took more RGA data now that the heaters are powered by 18V. The pressure of the system during the data taking was 3.8 e-8 torr. The RGA scans seem to have gotten worse as well with this power increase.
Attachment 1: bake10_240208_Elements_ArO.png
bake10_240208_Elements_ArO.png
Attachment 2: bake10_240208_Elements_ArC.png
bake10_240208_Elements_ArC.png
  320   Mon Feb 12 17:35:47 2024 AidenUpdateVACHeater Element RGA Scan
Took more RGA data before and after increasing the heater elements to 300 degC and before heating them up.

Started Bake 11 as well to hopefully prevent any hydrocarbons from getting captured by the room temperature walls of the chamber. The PID controllers were set to 100C.
Attachment 1: bake10_240212_Elements_ArO.png
bake10_240212_Elements_ArO.png
Attachment 2: bake10_240212_Elements_ArC.png
bake10_240212_Elements_ArC.png
Attachment 3: bake10_240212_Elements_300C_ArC.png
bake10_240212_Elements_300C_ArC.png
  325   Tue Feb 13 12:34:04 2024 AidenUpdateVACVAC Heating System Update
Here is an overlay with for all the heating steps done with the heater elements.
Attachment 1: bake10_240118_Elements_ArO.png
bake10_240118_Elements_ArO.png
  328   Mon Feb 19 14:17:50 2024 AidenUpdateVACHeater Element RGA Scan
Three days after the completion of Bake 11, the Heater elements RGA scan looks much cleaner. The HC level is back down to 33 e-10 torrl/s with the pressure at 2.13 e-8 torr. I could not take a= scan with the Argon closed as it was left open during the bake and not closed since then.
Attachment 1: bake11_240219_Elements_ArO.png
bake11_240219_Elements_ArO.png
  332   Tue Feb 20 18:08:24 2024 AidenUpdateGeneralDegassing the RGA
I took an RGA measurement before and after degassing the RGA. Both data was taken with the Argon open. The pressure before taking data was 2.39 e-8 torr in the main volume. Note that the main chamber was fully valved off for the degas and the main chamber pressure quickly rose to e-6 torr. Further investigation of this rise should be done as this might be the main culprit for the leaking.
Attachment 1: bake11_240220_Elements_postdegas_ArO.png
bake11_240220_Elements_postdegas_ArO.png
Attachment 2: bake11_240220_Elements_predegas_ArO.png
bake11_240220_Elements_predegas_ArO.png
  340   Mon Feb 26 15:15:39 2024 AidenUpdateGeneralVacuum Chamber Baking Update
Started Bake 12 on Wednesday Feb. 21 and turned the bake off on Saturday Feb. 24. This was a normal low temp bake with the PID controllers set to 110 degC.
  348   Fri Mar 15 16:58:55 2024 AidenUpdateVACVacuum Chamber Frosti Testing
[Luke, Luis, Aiden] On Thursday, March 14 - Took preliminary RGA scans of the empty chamber to compare later on. Vented the chamber and placed the FROSTI into the chamber. Plugged in the DB-25 connectors into the feed through port and checked the connection to make sure there were no shorts before closing the chamber and starting the pumps again. On Friday, March 15 - The pressure in the chamber has come down to 7 e-6 torr. It seems to be coming down much slower despite the little time the chamber was left open for. This may be due to the FROSTI being out on the table for so long and a bake may be needed to bring the pressure down to near UHV.
Attachment 1: bake12_240314_Empty_ArC.png
bake12_240314_Empty_ArC.png
Attachment 2: bake12_240314_Empty_ArO.png
bake12_240314_Empty_ArO.png
  350   Tue Mar 19 15:22:27 2024 AidenUpdateClean & BakeFROSTI Legs Clean and Bake
[Aiden, Luke]

Cleaned and baked the Cal Tech FROSTI legs and showed Luke the procedure on how to clean parts.

  352   Sun Mar 24 11:49:27 2024 AidenUpdateGeneralFROSTI RGA Scan
Took RGA data 1 day after the conclusion of Bake 13. Bake 13 ended on Saturday March 23, the RGA data shown was taken on Sunday March 24. The scan shows that the FROSTI is very clean with no outgassing. The HC levels are at 25 e-10. The pressure in the chamber was also a 1.64 e-8 Torr.
Attachment 1: bake13_240324_FROSTI_ArC.png
bake13_240324_FROSTI_ArC.png
Attachment 2: bake13_240324_FROSTI_ArO.png
bake13_240324_FROSTI_ArO.png
  353   Sun Mar 24 11:50:37 2024 AidenUpdateClean & BakeCal Tech FROSTI Parts
Bagged the FROSTI legs and feet after the conclusion of the clean and bake. They are double bagged and sitting in the flow bench.
  367   Mon May 13 14:48:27 2024 AidenUpdateVACNew Vacuum Chamber Design
I created a new model for the vacuum chamber based on the ideas from last week's meeting.

It should be noted that we can not have the zero length reducer and the gate valve on the same arm as they both have blind tapped holes. We need to decide if we want the gate valve or not as if we do, we will need to use the 3 inch long reducer.

Important Measurements:

From the back of the flange to the back of the RGA: 25.25 in

Height from bottom of the blank to the bottom of the chamber: 2.75 in

Attachment 1: VaccumChamberAssembly__Redesign_v5.jpg
VaccumChamberAssembly__Redesign_v5.jpg
  372   Mon Jun 3 09:24:48 2024 AidenUpdateVACVacuum Chamber Rendering
Here is a new render of the vacuum chamber that includes the 2.75 tee to place the Argon leak right next to the RGA. The conical reducer under the spherical cube was also replaced with a 4.5 blank. The height from the bottom of the blank to the bottom face of the chamber is 5.45". With the chamber now on 1" standoffs, we will need a support with a height of 6.45".
Attachment 1: VaccumChamberAssembly__Redesign_with_tee.jpg
VaccumChamberAssembly__Redesign_with_tee.jpg
Attachment 2: VaccumChamberAssembly__Redesign_with_tee_top.png
VaccumChamberAssembly__Redesign_with_tee_top.png
  87   Mon May 1 17:10:25 2023 Julian, CaoPhysicsVACInstalling Pirani gauge and RGA probe onto to vacuum chamber

[Julian, Cao]

  • 03:00 pm: Particle count
    1. : Zone 3
      • 0.3 um: 498
      • 0.5 um: 124
      • 1 um: 124
    2. : Zone 4
      • 0.3 um: 748
      • 0.5 um: 457
      • 1 um: 374
  • 03:32 pm: Installing Pirani gauge onto pump line
  • 03:51 pm: Finish installing Pirani gauge, start installing RGA probe
  • 04:03 pm: Finish installing PRGA probe, start routing cable from gauge controller to Pirani gauge
  • 04:30 pm: All ethernet cables are routed and connected to gauge controllers
  • 04:48 pm: Power gauge controller up, all gauges are recognised and readout shows atmospheric pressure as expected (1000 mbar)
  • 04:51 pm: End-of-work particle count
    1. : Zone 3
      • 0.3 um: 1413
      • 0.5 um: 872
      • 1 um: 623
    2. : Zone 4
      • 0.3 um: 374
      • 0.5 um: 166
      • 1 um: 166
We also closed all the valves so we can start testing vacuum pump down of isolated volume tomorrow.

Attachment 1: PXL_20230501_225241491.jpg
PXL_20230501_225241491.jpg
Attachment 2: PXL_20230501_235854958.jpg
PXL_20230501_235854958.jpg
Attachment 3: PXL_20230501_234750795.MP.jpg
PXL_20230501_234750795.MP.jpg
ELOG V3.1.3-7933898