Book Reviews
|
MODERN VACUUM PRACTICE - Book Reviews
3rd edition Reviews (1) by Austin Chambers. Honorary Fellow, Department of Physics, University of York, UK Aimed at technical staff, engineers and scientists in laboratory and industrial environments, this is a new and fully revised edition of a book already highly regarded in its earlier versions. It is considerably enlarged, reflecting developments in the technology and its application in the last decade, and the introduction of some new features in its format that will enhance its value to the reader. The text is the outcome of the author's large experience in teaching the subject as Corporate Technical Training Manager at BOC Edwards, and his extensive knowledge of the many sectors of industry where vacuum technology is applied. The style of writing is direct and informative, backed up by the use of clear, well chosen diagrams. Three introductory chapters prepare the reader for the substantial middle part of the book which describes the gauging and pumps by which vacua are measured, characterised and produced. This is followed by descriptions of the additional hardware - vacuum components and valves - from which whole systems are made and leads naturally to the consideration of system design. Applications in the diverse and important subject of chemical processing are described. Chapters on leak detection and safety concerns, followed by a 'question and answer' section, a bibliography and various appendices, bring the book to a conclusion. As with the earlier versions the author has designed a path through the subject that does not employ the traditional mathematically rendered introduction to gas behaviour and other matters. It is an appropriate route that presents the essential concepts and quantities involved effectively, with good examples to which the reader can easily relate. Basic terms and units are clearly defined and numerical conventions and practices properly discussed. The inclusion of a table of significant dates in the history of the subject is a feature not only useful for reference but also with motivational value - conveying a sense of the role of this technology as a significant factor in general technological progress. The motivational aspect continues in chapter 2 in which the applications of vacuum are surveyed. A selection of them is discussed, in particular the methods and uses of vacuum coating for a wide range of consumer products, for example compact discs and architectural glass. Other applications, especially its importance in the semiconductor industry, emphasise the breadth of its role. Relevant physical concepts are the subject of the next relatively short chapter which deals with gases, vapours and related matters, the processes occurring at the surfaces that form the vacuum boundary, measures of flow and the molecular behaviour of gases. Figure 3.5, which relates pressure, number density, mean free path and monolayer formation time over the various ranges of vacuum is an excellent source of information and could perhaps have been more exploited qualitatively at this stage with benefit to later discussions, but this is a small criticism. At this point we reach the main subject matter of the book - the knowledge and understanding that underlies the practical means of creating, measuring and characterising a vacuum for a range of modem purposes that involve low to ultra-high vacuum. The chapters on vacuum gauges and gas identification are thoroughgoing and informative, with basic terminology defined, and the concept of active gauging introduced prior to a description of the various gauges in common use. How these work, their range, accuracy, operational 'do's and don'ts’ and suitability for particular purposes are dealt with in a way that should give the user confidence to operate them properly, with a good understanding of the significance of their readings, and a good basis of knowledge on which to choose a gauge for a particular purpose. Summarising tables reinforce the text. The chapter on gas identification, as well as describing the instruments available, has a discussion of the qualitative interpretation of spectra, which contains a useful table on possible sources of the more common individual components of the residual gas. The treatment of pumps is especially valuable and informative. Each principal type gets a chapter on its own. Oil-sealed rotary pumps, nowadays displaced to some extent by dry pumps, are still widely used in scores of applications. Their workings, oil preferences, accessories, performance and occasional maladies are dealt with in a way that is very helpful to the user. In semiconductor applications, the harsh conditions required for the handling of, for example, corrosive gases and gas-borne particulates proved very problematical for oil-sealed pumps and were a strong incentive to the development of oil-free pumps, or 'dry pumps,' as they are usually called. These are now used increasingly in a number of other applications, including those that require clean conditions uncontaminated by oil vapours, and the chapter devoted to them in a similar way gives describes the different types available, their characteristics, application, and operational concerns that arise. The development of these pumps has been one of the significant trends of recent years and it is good to have the authors succinct discussion. Pumps for high and ultra high vacuum - the diffusion pump and its accessories, turbomolecular pumps, their drag stages, cryopumps, and sorption and getter pumps are similarly treated in a way that explains their construction, action, performance, special requirements and matters of operational good practice. Maintenance and safety issues are dealt with and, most usefully, troubleshooting procedures for under-achieving systems. Summaries at the end of each chapter mean that comparisons between them can be made in considering the choice of pump for a particular purpose. The range of components and valves available is described with the aid of good diagrams and essential information about sizes, applications and the properties of vacuum compatible materials of construction and cleaning procedures. A chapter devoted to considerations in system design introduces the concept of conductance and the important effective pumping speed formula is derived. The changing nature of gas flow as pressure falls is discussed, though in quoting a pressure for the onset of molecular flow at a pressure below 10-3 mbar, a 50mm pipe size is implied, but not stated. Consistently with this, the 1mbar entries along the top line of figure 13.1 would be 0.1 mbar. Numerical examples of the use of conductance formulas, and the calculation of pumping speeds, outgassing loads and pressures achieved are given. The pump-down time formula is presented and discussed. A new feature, saving the labour of calculation, is the inclusion of easily used nomograms for determining molecular flow conductance of pipes, pump-down times and pressures achieved, once values of dimensions, pumping speeds and outgassing rates are assumed. Aside from its general interest, the chapter on the use of vacuum in chemical processing will be of considerable value to practitioners in that field. A thorough treatment of methods of leak detection in a book with this title is of course essential, and similarly strong guidance on the safe use of equipment. Both these subjects are addressed with authority in the final chapters. The book closes with various appendices, a good bibliography and index, and - a particularly valuable feature - a set of 90 short 'questions and answers' that range over the subject matter, to test and reinforce the learning. All in all this is a fine text that fulfils its aims. With its broad scope and detailed up-to-date information it is very good value for money and deserves a wide readership. March 2004 (2)
by Eur Ing Eur Phys Dr Steve Hoath, ADPhil Ltd, Cambridge, UK This third Edition of the widely used and valuable book for engineers, technicians and students in the vacuum community contains enough to warrant a purchase even to those still using earlier editions. The fully revised sections and new material now included, such as measurement unit conversion graphs and questions and answers, have extended the scope of the book without changing the book’s emphasis on clear line drawings and photographs, with some concise descriptions to help get the technical messages across. Practice is an important key-word: the trouble-shooting tables provide excellent guides, which means that the reader finds that they can solve issues they face very effectively. As a user of the earlier edition, I have found the lack of equations was rarely a drawback, because the book succeeds in painting a good picture of what is happening (or should be). The new sections on vacuum applications, chemical pumping and the much expanded section on helium mass spectrometer leak detection are very welcome additions to Modern Vacuum Practice, and thereby give the book an even more industrial flavour. There is also an important element of education about safety issues throughout the text, which of course extends to all vacuum users and importantly new workers in the field. I personally would have liked to see even more modern items included as well, such as mass flow controller and moisture sensor, and some more semiconductor related system examples, but such limits can always be overcome via the author’s website links. Nigel Harris is, once again, to be congratulated on a really significant achievement, and I will not hesitate to recommend your purchase of a Modern Vacuum Practice, 3rd Edition. February 2004 Reviews of the 1st edition from:
'The Vacuum Lab' 'Kurt J. Lesker' 'Amazon.com' 'Contemporary Physics' 'Vacuum' 'Current Engineering Practice' 'Basic Vacuum Technology' and 'Plant & Works Engineering' |
This book is for the beginner. The author not only knows that, but says so loud and clear with no pretensions or evasions. The experience garnered from years of teaching industrial vacuum training courses has allowed the author to distill the necessary communication concepts down into a non-daunting book that will be read, understood, and used.
A good part of the author’s communication concept is to ignore the traditional “textbook” approach in which an author assumes that the reader needs to firmly grasp the behaviour of gases in a mathematical fashion before getting into the rest of the technology. Instead, Harris starts with some basic information before launching into gauging and pumps. This approach shows a knowledge of the projected readership because he realises that the beginner’s mind will first fasten on the components that will need to be operated. Only later is it necessary to understand the complexity of the system that’s made up of those components. Additionally, he is then able to slip in bits of information that enable beginners to grasp some basic knowledge just when they are ready for it. For example, the concept of conductance and how to calculate and use the concept is held back until the subject of systems and system design has prepared the reader's mind during the discussion of components. There is a tendency to want to cover the whole of vacuum technology with mathematical detail along with applications, but this is an almost impossible task. Harris, though, is focusing on a single slice of the readership to provide a book that will not only teach but be useful day-to-day during the early part of the total experience package a vacuum technologist will require as he gets deeper into the subject. At some point in this cycle, this book will begin to be left behind as more detailed knowledge in specific areas becomes important, but it will likely remain as a quick review source for the basics during that time. It is decidedly not intended to remain the major source of vacuum information during an entire career, but it does provide a readable and relatively understandable introduction that is often lacking in other books on vacuum technology. This book fills an extremely important niche in the pantheon of available vacuum books. It is obviously not written to impress anyone, but it is written to teach on a rational level. It will no doubt become a standard and useful introductory book if it is distributed widely enough. It is highly recommended to the beginner no matter what the background. From “The Vacuum Lab” |
|
“Harris's book is the introduction every vacuum novice needs. Without mathematics or reference to the kinetic theory of gases, it is an excellent, practical guide, written in clear, if UK-version,English and full of clean, understandable drawings. It even has a series showing how to assembly an NW, KF or QF flange.
The central third of the book is an excellent description and comparison of the important rough and high vacuum pumps. The depth of explanation is good without being stodgy. Each pump has its own practical troubleshooting chart describing what might cause the observed, faulty system behavior when evacuated by that type of pump. These tables alone are worth the price of the book to the user or maintenance staff who are vacuum neophytes. A separate 26-page section on leak detection has to be one of the most comprehensive every written”. From “Kurt J. Lesker” |
|
From Amazon.com |
|
It must be a very rare occurrence for the experimental physicist to get to the end of their career without having had at some time to delve into the art of creating a vacuum. Indeed many experimentalists have spent a fair fraction of their careers experiencing directly the deficiencies of one vacuum system or another. Unfortunately, systematic expositions of the craft are rare – especially ones that give real details of what can go wrong and how to avoid these pitfalls.
This book goes a long way to correct the deficit. It is a godsend for somebody who wants to know how vacuum equipment of all types work, from the fanciest U.H.V. gear to the humblest of rotary pumps. The book gives lots of detail with examples of real systems. The book will be invaluable for someone who wants to learn about, and use, vacuum systems in a laboratory or industrial environment. There is a wealth of excellent diagrams showing real systems; how they are designed, constructed and operated. This volume must be required reading for a post-graduate student building their first system. It will also be very handy for the more experienced research worker who wants to consider more adventurous designs or move into unexplored vacuum territory. The price is reasonable for a lab textbook/handbook of this type and should certainly be seriously considered for purchase by any departmental library. Dr K Burnett (University of Oxford) from “Contemporary Physics” Volume 31, No.4, Page 289 With the increasing range of applications of vacuum technology, covering a very wide field, there is clearly a need for technicians, engineers and scientists involve to become familiar with the design principles and operation of vacuum systems. This has led to the establishment of a number of regular vacuum courses, both in connection with manufacturer’s training in vacuum technology and at technical colleges with which Nigel Harris has been involved for many years. Such courses are also often arranged as special sessions in association with national and international vacuum symposium and conferences, which have become increasingly popular. The aim of this book was therefore to provide a good background as well as a brief reference for technologists, technical assistant and development engineers working in establishment which require staff with vacuum experienced. The industries involved typically cover a wide range of applications, such as for example semiconductor product manufacture, freeze drying, vacuum metallurgy, vacuum coating and thin film deposition processes as well as all kinds of researching activities. The approach has been to providing a fundamentally non-mathematical treatment of the subject, assuming little of no prior vacuum knowledge or experience. It concentrates on methods of producing and measuring low pressures in the high vacuum range with a review of basic design principles, methods of construction and the operation of vacuum systems and their components. Following an introduction of the underlying physical concepts, the problems of vacuum measurement and the identification of gases present (including the operation of mass spectrometers) are briefly discussed. The emphasis is then on the most commonly used rotary and diffusion pump systems with brief discussions on turbomolecular pumps, cryopumps, sorption and getter pumps, vacuum system component, the design of systems as well as problems of leaks and their detection, and finally, safety aspects in the use of vacuum equipment. It will clearly serve as a useful first introduction to anyone, even with no prior knowledge of this field. A selective bibliography provides useful guidance for further reading on specific topics such as in the special edition: ‘Modern Vacuum Practice’ published in the Journal; Vacuum (1987) 37 (8/9), pp581-715, and other references to journals and books. The question arises of course, what should be the next step for anyone wanting to go deeper into the problems involved in the design and evaluation of new systems or to achieve improved performances. Clearly the more readily available extensive or detailed books and special publication will then need to be consulted. In addition to serving as a useful first introduction, the book will also be found to provide a reference for the user of vacuum equipment, with useful hints on system design and operational and maintenance problems, which may arise. W Steckelmacher (University of Sussex) from "Vacuum" Volume 40, No.4 Mr Harris has written one of the truly important books of our time and it richly deserves world-wide interest and attention. • The author’s comments on routine maintenance and safety deserve special hearing. • A wide audience of technicians, engineers and technologists using ‘vacuum’ as a tool in industrial...and research applications, are clearly fortunate if they have Harris’ volume for ready reference. • It may be said with absolute confidence that readers seeking something reliable and to the point to guide them through the wide-ranging aspects of modern vacuum technology need look no further. From “Current Engineering Practice” Volume 34, No.1 & 2, Page 76-79 There is probably no better general introduction to the subject from the practical point of view. The treatment is largely non-mathematical and the author's experience in teaching the principles and practice of the subject to those directly involved in using or maintaining vacuum equipment is evident throughout. A very good entry point to the subject for readers from many backgrounds and a valuable work of reference on practical matters. From 'Basic Vacuum Technology' 2nd edition, Page 178, by Chambers, Fitch & Halliday. IOP Publishing Ltd.
This is a very thorough work on high vacuum technology spanning the pump field from mechanical rotary pumps through diffusion, turbomolecular and cryopumps to sorption and getter pumps capable of achieving pressures down to 10-10 millibars. The essential physics of the subject are explained and the text is supported by numerous diagrams. It is written in language, which does not demand a high level of technical attainment, by the reader. No one working in the high vacuum field should be without access to a copy. Peter Osborn From “Plant & Works Engineering" |
