Diffusion-bonded vacuum windows can exhibit severe deformation and stress after finishing. However, special applications require a high optical quality with diffraction-limited resolution. Mechanical post-processing or polishing of the optical window is not possible due to the flange geometry. In addition, the difficulty arises that additional stress can be built up after a bake-out process in the application, which will further deform the optical glass. We have developed a special process by which the stress of the window is drastically reduced and the surface topography as well as the transmitted wavefront can be optimized in the range from PV 2µm to PV 8.8nm (lambda/70). Later bake-out during the final optical application results in almost no further deformation. This is achieved by an alternating bake-out process with multi-stage IBF processing using a 5mm ion beam cross section and final fine correction with 2mm cross section.

For more information on IBF contract manufacturing please contact Dr. David Schäfer.

It was developed as part of the accelerator chain for the eponymous project for the conversion of radioactive fission products under the leadership of SCK CEN as part of the European funding programme MYRTE. The 4 m long vacuum tank made of aluminium houses a 4-rod resonator structure of almost the same length with a fundamental frequency of 176.1 MHz. It accelerates protons to 1.5 MeV with an electrode voltage of about 40 kV and a power requirement of about 100 kW. The structure was thermally designed for four times this power. This is entirely in line with the high reliability requirements for this project. It meets all specifications and thus forms a solid basis for the subsequent accelerator complex, which is currently under construction. NTG is also involved in this.

The complete report (in german language) from the Tagesschau can be found here: Belgium-Research Reactor-MYRRHA

If you have any specific questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Further information can be found on our homepage

CF cubes are often used for special applications in the UHV sector. Since aluminum is becoming increasingly popular in the vacuum industry due to its very low outgassing rate, low magnetizability and very good machinability, our bimetallic CF cubes can be applied here. The cubes are fully compatible with the industry standard CF flanges. These material properties combined with the stainless steel CF contour create a reliable solution for any UHV requirement.

Our bimetallic CF cubes are configurable as 3-, 4-, 5- or 6-way cubes. Different flange sizes on one cube are also feasible. Furthermore, they can be configured as double cubes.

An additional advantage is the significantly reduced weight compared to cubes made of solid material.

They can be heated and are suitable for pressures lower than 1 – 10-12 mbar. In many cases, 1.4301/1.4307 is sufficient, but for higher requirements, e.g. on strength or the lowest possible magnetizability, 1.4429 ESU is mostly used.

The following material combinations are possible:

– Aluminum: EN AW 5754

– Stainless steel: 1.4301, 1.4404, 1.4429 ESU

Helium leakage test:

Q < 1 x 10-9 mbar l/s

Applicable temperature range:

-196 °C to +250 °C

Permeability:

< 1,005

If you have any questions about CF cubes or a special application, please contact us.

Complete ROSE System available at NTG under license of GSI

The detector system ROSE, allowing to perform 4D emittance measurements on heavy ion beams independent of their energy and time structure, has been built and successfully commissioned in 2016 at GSI in Darmstadt, Germany. This method to measure the four dimensional emittance has then been granted a patent in 2017.

The inventors together with the technology transfer department of GSI have found with NTG an industrial partner to modify ROSE into a fully standalone, mobile emittance scanner system.

The electronics was commissioned at the ECR test bench of the Heidelberg ion therapy facility HIT in June 2019. The 4D software package is developed within the framework of a government founded Löwe project of the Hessenagentur. We can offer!

Here you can find more information about emittance measurement in our company.

If you are interested or have any questions – please contact us

NTG has fulfilled a long-cherished dream with the purchase of a vacuum brazing furnace. Our new addition to the machine park goes by the name of XVAC 4374, was created by the company XERION and follows the principle of a bell furnace. We enjoy the qualities of a very precise overall system that meets the desired specifications, consisting of a vacuum pump system, a double-walled water-cooled boiler with 5 heating zones, a voltage transformers, a control system and a chiller for the heat exchange to the ambient air. The available brazing volume is a vertical cylinder with a diameter of 850 mm and a height of 1000 mm, ideally adapted to the maximum possible dimensions in our ceramic segment. Of course, we do not want to limit the application range of the furnace to ceramics-metal joints only, but think in general of all applications that come into question for this joining process. Please do not hesitate to contact us!

Here are the key data:

Inner diameter 850 mm

Usable chamber height 1000 mm

Max. Mass 200 kg

Max. Temperature 1200°C

Temperature homogeneity +/- 2K

Heating elements Molybdenum

Vacuum level ~ 1e-5 mbar