Hi,
We are purchasing a Gatan PIPS II precision ion polishing system for TEM specimens. It comes with a 80 L/s turbo drag vacuum pump; argon gas is used to provide the ions. Specimens are typically treated for 10's of seconds, typically for a minute or less, according to the mfg. I can't imagine we would actively use this for more than an hour at a time; typical time would probably be 30 minutes. The vacuum pump has the oil on fllter disks, so there is no free liquid.
Anyone have one of these (or a similar model by Leica, or ...) and have exhaust/ventilation issues? We would not be using a gas other than argon; the samples are silicon.
Many thanks!
Margaret
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Margaret A. Rakas, Ph.D.
Lab Safety & Compliance Director
Clark Science Center
413-585-3877 (p)
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