Ion Current Monitor

Telemark ICM Controller

The Telemark Ion Current Monitor (ICM) provides REAL TIME Monitoring of Ion Flux throughout ion assisted deposition processes.

The Ion Current Monitor provides essential deposition information for most ion-based process. The ICM monitors the flux of positive ions and outputs the beam current in units of amps per square centimeter. Three amplifier ranges are provided to adequately cover the flux density output from a wide range of commercially available ion beam sources. An adjustable bias voltage is provided to reject negatively charged particles (electrons).

The Sensor Head.

The sensor head incorporates a revolutionary patented design that allows for the continuous monitoring of the ion beam flux even during the evaporation of dielectric materials.

The sensor head is designed to be ultra-low maintenance and is constructed from materials to be compatible with UHV applications. The head can safely operate at temperatures compatible with deposition processes to a max. 350°C

Auto-ranging of the Output Signal

Three auto-ranging ion current ranges provided:

10µA/volt – 100µA/volt – 1000µA/volt

The output signal is displayed in any of the following formats:

  • A front panel Digital LCD panel displays the RMS digital ion current signal complete with appropriate units of either microamps or milliamps
  • A bar graph display provides visual representation of the RMS ion current signal
  • The digital RMS signal is available through a connector on the rear panel. The signal can be viewed on a remote voltmeter or signal logging facility.
  • The real-time AC signal can also be output to a cathode-ray oscilloscope (CRO) using a front-panel BNC socket