Aluminum is fast becoming the preferable vacuum chamber material especially at ultra high vacuum (UHV) levels. Aluminum has less hydrogen and carbon than stainless steel, and consequently has less H2, H2O, & hydrocarbon vapor at high vacuum (HV) & ultra high vacuum (UHV) levels (references). Atlas Technologies manufactures ultra high vacuum (UHV) aluminum vacuum chambers with a thin dense aluminum oxide. This serves as a resistive barrier reducing diffusion & desorption of high vacuum & ultra high vacuum contaminates.  Stainless chambers on the other hand are more permeable to hydrogen and have a comparably large quantity of carbon. 

Once baked Atlas' aluminum vacuum chambers generally cycle to high vacuum and ultra high vacuum levels faster than stainless chambers and require less pumping.  In addition they bake-out faster, and more uniformly even at lower temperatures (150 C) this is due to aluminum's high thermal conductivity (10 x that of stainless steel). For a more detailed comparison between aluminum vacuum chambers and stainless vacuum chambers take a look at our page on the Ultra High Vacuum Properties of Aluminum and Aluminum Vacuum Chambers Lower the Cost of Ownership page.

Atlas Flanges Stainless Face - Aluminum Body

For robust flange connections to aluminum vacuum chambers; Atlas has developed the Atlas Flange and Atlas AT-VCR.  These components have a rugged de-mountable stainless steel knife-edge or sealing face on an aluminum body for weld-up to an aluminum vacuum vessel.   They are standard size ConFlat and VCR type components that are capable of crushing either copper or aluminum gaskets.  Browse our Atlas CF Flange tm, Atlas Quick Disconnect Flange or our Atlas AT-VCR tm pages to learn more about these aluminum vacuum chamber sealing options.

In addition to aluminum's excellent vacuum properties it is also a more versatile material from a manufacturing standpoint.  Chambers can be machined 5x+ as fast as stainless steel and is less expensive. It can ordered in several foot thicknesses, it can be extruded, and can superplastic flow.  Al chambers can be also anodized to add additional chemical resistance. Take a look below at some of the vacuum chamber geometries we provide!

Historically stainless steel has been the de facto vacuum chamber material, and for many applications is still preferable.  Some of its advantages include its welding ease, its ruggedness, and for small tubular vessels where the flange price represents a large portion of the over all cost, it is less expensive.  Other advantages are that its strength can permit for thinner vacuum chamber walls than Al. This can be an issue in tight clearance applications. (However aluminum generally has a higher strength to weight ratio).  And for some chemical environments stainless is more corrosion resistant. 

In addition to our aluminum vacuum chamber manufacturing Atlas also manufactures stainless steel vacuum chambers.  Our considerable design, engineering and manufacturing experience in vacuum chamber fabrication can simplify and add unexpected benefits to your vacuum vessel.  Contact us about any of your vacuum chamber fabrication and vessel fabrication needs.

Copper vacuum chambers and copper alloy vacuum chambers can offer excellent performance for nonmagnetic, radio frequency (RF), and high thermal conductivity applications.  

Many of the advantages for Al chambers also apply to copper vacuum chambers.  Copper vacuum vessels can be extruded, have very little photo-desorption, have good thermal stability, are self shielding for some radiation and have low thermal expansion.

Our considerable design, engineering and manufacturing experience in vacuum chamber fabrication can simplify and surprise you with unexpected benefits.  Contact us about any of your vacuum chamber fabrication and vessel fabrication needs.

Atlas' also has design, engineering and manufacturing experience for exotic and specialty metal chamber fabrication.  Contact us to discuss what you would like to accomplish and your vacuum performance desires and we will work with you to make it a reality, we are unafraid challenges!