Torr Scientific recently supplied the Institute for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis based at Ulm University in Germany with a DN40CF demountable fused silica Brewster vacuum window. The demountable window uses FKM O-rings to make the vacuum seal, this allows the fused silica optic to be easily removed for cleaning or replacement. The accompanying photos show the viewport installed on the vacuum system.
The objective of the customers project is to investigate the mechanism of water splitting on surfaces using time-resolved pump-probe time-of-flight mass spectrometry (fs-ToF-MS). In order to better understand the processes taking place, a fundamental understanding of the elementary reactions involved in the interaction of water and a catalyst is required, which can be achieved using time-resolved laser spectroscopy. To enable a higher surface sensitive detection and to be able to ionize the expected reaction products (hydrogen, oxygen, etc.), an extreme ultraviolet (XUV) radiation source will be integrated into the existing femtosecond laser system for the pump-probe fs-ToF-MS measurements. This will make it possible to follow the time course of the formation of the various products and thus draw conclusions about the dynamics and mechanisms of their formation. The Brewster window offers a lossless entry into the vacuum chamber, especially for p-polarized light. They do not want to introduce s-polarized light as it causes destructive interference of the incoming and outgoing beam on surface experiments, disturbing the experiment.
If you’d like to talk about vacuum compatible Brewster windows, please contact us at sales@torrscientific.co.uk
There’s more on the science of Brewster Windows HERE.
