Materials Science Laboratory
Experimental Physics Building

The research of Prof. Alejandro L. Cabrera  is strongly oriented towards the study of thin films and their surface properties. Therefore, Prof. Cabrera's laboratories within the Material Science Laboratory are equipped to carry out such a work. There are several main pieces of equipment located in the Experimental Physics building (Building 308), Facultad de Fisica, P. Univ. Catolica de Chile, located at Campus San Joaquin, Vicuna Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago. Take line 5 of Metro (subway) and get off at Campus San Joaquin station.

 

Equipment

UHV for Thermal Programmed Desorption
An ultra-high vacuum system which  incorporates a 50 l/s Turbo pump and SRS 100 RGA mass spectrometer (100 AMU), a Perkin-Elmer argon sputtering gun and a custom made sample manipulator. The samples in the shape of foils 1x1 cm can be heated up to 1000 degrees C by a high current AC power supply. The base pressure of this system is around 5x10-9 Torr. This system can be used for change of resistance measurements for films exposed to gases but the chamber is small.

                
Details: Cahn Microbalance           

Cahn Microbalance
A Cahn 2000 micro balance system with furnace and accessories. This system can be used to obtain surface area and adsorption kinetic data by means of gravimetric measurements. Thermogravimetric data can be collected from the desorption of gas from powder materials. The system can be used for oxidation studies of metals and to monitor film deposition on solid substrates. This system is presently being used in several research projects for magnetic measurements of thin films exposed to gases . Funds obtained from Fundacion Andes, 1990
              

Quantasorb System
A Quantasorb dynamic flow gas sorption system. This equipment allows single or multipoint surface area analysis, adsorption and desorption isotherms, pore volume and pore size distribution. The system can be used to characterize roughness of films. The system is used to study adsorption of CO2 in several ferroelectric powder samples. Funds obtained from Fundacion Andes, 1990 


               

UHV System with Auger Electron Spectroscopy
UHV chamber with vibration isolation from the pumping system by means of  legs used in optical benchs was implemented. A combination pumping of Turbopump and Ion pump achieving base pressure of 1x10-9 Torr. The system was fitted with a DESA 100 Electron Spectrometer. Funds were obtained from Pontificia Universidad Catolica and MECESUP 2002.


Films Evaporator
Edwars bench top, turbo pump-operated high vacuum evaporator for deposition of metal films. This system incorporated e-beam system and  power supply for PVD evaporation, a shutter system, rotary fixture, steel jar and quartz crystal monitor. Funds obtained from UNDP, 1990  and Fundacion Andes 1997.
 

  
Micro-Raman System
Visible Light Raman Spectrometer with microscope attachment, LabRam 010 with scanning option from Instruments S.A.  Funds obtained from FONDEF, 1998
and Fundacion Andes 1997.