JP2013020471A - Temperature controller and temperature control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a temperature controller and a temperature control method capable of performing the cooling for a long period of time and reducing a used amount of liquid nitrogen.SOLUTION: A temperature control unit 2 (a temperature controller) controls a temperature of a vacuum device 100 including: a vacuum vessel 1 capable of sealing a sample 10 and reducing a pressure; a heat exchanger 5 capable of cooling by feeding liquid nitrogen 4 (a cooling medium); a Peltier module 6 capable of heating/cooling the sample 10; and a heater 7 capable of heating the sample 10. The temperature control unit includes: a Peltier module control circuit; a heater control circuit; a temperature setting part for setting a target temperature of the sample 10; a cooling/heating selecting part for selecting the cooling or the heating of the sample 10; and an arithmetic part capable of rewriting the setting of the temperature control. The temperature control unit can switch the cooling from the cooling by the cooling medium to the cooling by the Peltier module 6.

Description

  The present invention relates to a temperature controller and a temperature control method for a vacuum apparatus.

  In a vacuum apparatus (depressurized container), there is a situation in which the temperature of an object enclosed inside must be controlled. When performing temperature control, cooling by a Peltier module, a cooling gas, or heating by a heater or the like is performed.

  In this case, in order to accurately control the temperature, a temperature controller corresponding to each control object is required.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a vacuum apparatus that performs temperature control by conduction from a liquid nitrogen container provided in a vacuum chamber and control of a heater.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a vacuum apparatus that uses a temperature meter to measure the temperature of an object to be measured that has been conducted to the outside through a support member attached so as to be partially exposed to the outside of the vacuum vessel. Yes.

  Patent Document 3 discloses a liquid crystal injection apparatus using a Peltier element as a cooling means in a liquid crystal supply apparatus housed in a vacuum chamber.

  Patent Document 4 discloses a cooling device that uses a vacuum vessel incorporating two Peltier elements and a heater for the purpose of cooling a plurality of articles to different temperatures.

  Patent Document 5 discloses an adiabatic calorimeter including a Peltier element and a heater inside a vacuum vessel.

JP-A-8-318151 JP 2003-50161 A JP 2009-42427 A International Publication No. 2004/088216 JP 2010-133811 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a temperature controller and a temperature control method capable of cooling for a long time and reducing the amount of liquid nitrogen used.

  The temperature control of the vacuum device of the present invention is characterized in that the cooling can be switched from the cooling by the cooling medium to the cooling by the Peltier module.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, temperature control can be flexibly performed with respect to the use environment and application of a vacuum apparatus.

  Further, according to the present invention, in the vacuum apparatus, cooling to the target temperature can be performed with a cooling medium such as liquid nitrogen, and the temperature can be maintained with the Peltier module. Thereby, the sample in a vacuum apparatus can be cooled over a long time, and the usage-amount of a cooling medium can be reduced.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, when the sample is taken out, it can be heated to room temperature by the heater and the Peltier, so that it is possible to prevent the sample from being condensed.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows the example of the vacuum apparatus provided with the temperature controller. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the modification of the vacuum apparatus provided with the temperature controller. It is a block diagram which shows the example of the temperature controller of the vacuum device provided with the Peltier module. It is a block diagram which shows the example of the temperature controller of the vacuum device provided with the Peltier module and the heater. It is a flowchart which shows the temperature control by a temperature controller.

  The present invention relates to a temperature controller for performing temperature control in an apparatus including a vacuum vessel. Specific examples of the apparatus include an ion milling apparatus.

  Hereinafter, a temperature controller and a temperature control method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  The temperature controller includes a vacuum vessel that can be depressurized by enclosing the sample, a heat exchange unit that can be cooled by supplying a cooling medium, a Peltier module that enables cooling and heating of the sample, and heating of the sample. A temperature controller that controls the temperature of a vacuum device including a heater that is enabled, and selects Peltier module control circuit, heater control circuit, temperature setting unit for setting target temperature of sample, and cooling and heating of sample A cooling / heating selection unit and a calculation unit capable of rewriting temperature control settings, and switching from cooling by a cooling medium to cooling by a Peltier module is characterized.

  It is desirable that the temperature controller further includes an analog / digital conversion unit that transmits the measured temperature to the calculation unit.

  In the temperature controller, the vacuum device preferably has a configuration in which two or more Peltier modules are connected in series.

  In the temperature controller, it is desirable that the sample, the heat exchange unit, the Peltier module, and the heater are connected by a heat conducting member.

  The temperature control method includes a vacuum vessel that can be depressurized by enclosing a sample, a heat exchange unit that can be cooled by supplying a cooling medium, a Peltier module that enables cooling and heating of the sample, and heating of the sample. A temperature control method for a vacuum apparatus including a heater capable of detecting a remaining amount of a cooling medium or a temperature of a heat exchange unit or a sample, and switching from cooling by a cooling medium to cooling by a Peltier module To do.

  The temperature control method includes a vacuum vessel that can be depressurized by enclosing a sample, a heat exchange unit that can be cooled by supplying a cooling medium, a Peltier module that enables cooling and heating of the sample, and heating of the sample. A temperature control method for a vacuum apparatus including a heater that enables cooling, and after the temperature of the sample is decreased by cooling with a cooling medium, switching from cooling with a cooling medium to cooling with a Peltier module is characterized.

  In the temperature control method, it is desirable to heat the sample with at least one of a heater and a Peltier module before taking out the sample from the vacuum vessel.

  Hereinafter, it demonstrates using drawing.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an example of a vacuum apparatus including a temperature controller.

  In this figure, the vacuum apparatus 100 includes a vacuum container 1 and a temperature control unit 2. On the wall surface of the vacuum vessel 1, a heat exchange unit 5, a Peltier module 6 and a heater 7 are installed. These are connected to heat conducting members 12, 13, and 14, respectively. The heat conducting members 12, 13, and 14 are connected to the sample cooling / heating unit 9.

  The sample 10 is placed in contact with the surface of the sample cooling and heating unit 9 and placed on the sample table 8. The sample 10 can be heated or cooled via the heat conducting members 12, 13, and 14. A temperature sensor is installed in the sample cooling and heating unit 9, and temperature data can be sent to the temperature control unit 2 through the temperature signal line 11. The heat exchanging unit 5 can be cooled by supplying liquid nitrogen 4 (cooling medium) from the liquid nitrogen container 3 (cooling medium container).

  In the vacuum apparatus 100 shown in the figure, when the sample 10 is rapidly cooled, the liquid nitrogen 4 is used, and the temperature of the sample 10 is adjusted by the Peltier module 6 when the temperature of the sample 10 approaches the target temperature. Further, when the temperature of the sample 10 is lower than the target temperature, the sample 10 is heated using the heater 7. Thereby, when the temperature of the sample 10 is kept constant, the liquid nitrogen 4 is not wasted. In addition, when the temperature of the sample 10 is kept constant for a long time at night or the like, the temperature can be controlled without using the liquid nitrogen 4, so that the room where the vacuum apparatus 100 is installed is prevented from being filled with nitrogen. can do.

  Further, the sample 10 is heated using the heater 7 before the sample 10 is taken out. Thereby, it can prevent that dew condensation arises on the surface of the sample 10 in air | atmosphere.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a modified example of the vacuum apparatus including the temperature controller.

  In this figure, the Peltier module 6 and the Peltier module 21 are connected in series. That is, the heat dissipation surface of the Peltier module 6 and the heat absorption surface of the Peltier module 21 are connected so as to contact each other. Thereby, the sample 10 can be rapidly cooled by the Peltier modules 6 and 21, and the temperature of the sample 10 can be made lower than the example shown in FIG. Three or more (three or more stages) Peltier modules 6 and 21 may be connected in series.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a temperature controller that controls the Peltier module.

  In this figure, the vacuum vessel 1 includes a temperature measuring unit 117 and a Peltier module 118. Further, the temperature control unit 2 (temperature controller) includes an A / D conversion unit 111 (analog / digital conversion unit), a Peltier module control circuit 112, a heater control circuit 113, a calculation unit 114, a temperature setting unit 115, cooling / heating. A selection unit 116 and a temperature control start / stop switch 120 are provided.

  The Peltier module 118 can be switched between cooling and heating depending on the direction of the current flowing. For this reason, temperature control can be performed by adjusting the direction and amount of current by the Peltier module control circuit 112 of the temperature control unit 2.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a modification of the temperature controller of FIG.

  In this figure, the vacuum vessel 1 is further provided with a heater 119, and the heater 119 is controlled by the heater control circuit 113 of the temperature control unit 2. In addition, two temperature measuring units 117a and 117b are provided to enable more precise control.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing temperature control by the temperature controller. In the following description, the components shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are also used.

  In FIG. 5, the temperature control unit 2 (temperature controller) first selects the temperature control by the Peltier module 118 or the temperature control by the heater 119 at the cooling / heating selection unit 116 (S20). Next, cooling or heating is selected (S21). Next, the measured temperature is fetched from the temperature measuring unit 117, converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 111, and the set temperature is also fetched from the temperature setting unit 115 to the calculating unit 114 (S22), and the temperature is displayed (S23). . At this time, if the measured temperature shows an abnormal value, the vacuum device is stopped. The temperature is constantly monitored, and the vacuum device is stopped whenever an abnormal value is detected.

  Next, temperature control is started by the temperature control start / stop switch 120 (S24). Then, the measured temperature is compared with the set temperature (S25, S27), and a cooling process or a heating process is performed (S26, S28).

  The above process is performed to determine the end of temperature control (step 29). If the temperature control is completed, a process for returning to room temperature is performed (S30), and the temperature controller is stopped. If the temperature control is not yet finished, the process returns to S25 and the temperature control is repeated. When aiming at cooling the vacuum device, the heat treatment is performed at S30. When the purpose is to heat the vacuum apparatus, the cooling process is performed in S30.

  For example, in the case of a vacuum apparatus in which cooling is performed with a cooling medium such as liquid nitrogen and temperature control is performed with a heater 119 as in Patent Document 1, the cooling medium has a high cooling capacity but is limited in amount and can be cooled. Is limited. In such a case, if the temperature of the heat exchanging unit 5 (cooling part) in FIG. 1 is monitored by the temperature measuring part 117 and the temperature of the cooling part rises, switching to temperature control by the Peltier module 118 will result in a long-term temperature. Control becomes possible.

  A temperature control method of the vacuum apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, selection of temperature control by the Peltier module 118 or temperature control by the heater 119 is performed by the cooling / heating selection unit 116 (S20). Initially, temperature control is performed by a heater. When it is determined by the temperature measurement units 117a and 117b of the cooling part that sufficient cooling cannot be performed, the control target is switched to the Peltier module 118 in the calculation unit 114, and the temperature control is performed as in FIG.

  That is, when the remaining amount of the cooling medium (liquid nitrogen or the like) becomes small, or when the temperature of the heat exchange unit or the sample rises, this is detected and the cooling by the cooling medium is switched to the cooling by the Peltier module. .

  The effects of the present invention will be further described below.

  According to the present invention, the temperature of the sample can be controlled by the Peltier module even when liquid nitrogen or the like as a cooling medium is exhausted.

  It is also effective when liquid nitrogen or the like is not desired. In this case, a low temperature can be maintained by using two or more Peltier modules connected in series (two or more stages).

  According to the present invention, the amount of liquid nitrogen or the like used can be reduced. Thereby, running cost can also be reduced.

  In addition, according to the present invention, the sample can be heated to room temperature with at least one of the heater and the Peltier module before the sample is taken out from the vacuum vessel, so that condensation of the sample can be prevented.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, the remaining amount of liquid nitrogen or the like can be detected, and preparation for substituting temperature control with the Peltier module can be advanced before the liquid nitrogen or the like runs out.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, the temperature can be rapidly cooled with liquid nitrogen or the like, and the temperature can be finely adjusted with the Peltier module. Further, by using liquid nitrogen or the like together with the Peltier module, further rapid cooling becomes possible.

  1: Vacuum container, 2: Temperature control unit, 3: Liquid nitrogen container, 4: Liquid nitrogen, 5: Heat exchange unit, 6, 21: Peltier module, 7: Heater, 8: Sample stand, 9: Sample cooling heating unit 10: sample, 11: temperature signal line, 12, 13, 14: heat conducting member, 100: vacuum device, 111: A / D converter, 112: Peltier module control circuit, 113: heater control circuit, 114: calculation 115, temperature setting unit, 116: cooling / heating selection unit, 117, 117a, 117b: temperature measurement unit, 118: Peltier module, 119: heater, 120: temperature control start / stop switch.

Claims (9)

  A vacuum vessel that can be depressurized by enclosing the sample, a heat exchange unit that can be cooled by supplying a cooling medium, a Peltier module that can cool and heat the sample, and heating the sample A temperature controller that performs temperature control of a vacuum device including a heater, and selects a Peltier module control circuit, a heater control circuit, a temperature setting unit that sets a target temperature of the sample, and cooling and heating of the sample A temperature controller comprising: a cooling / heating selection unit; and a calculation unit capable of rewriting temperature control settings, wherein the cooling by the cooling medium can be switched to cooling by the Peltier module.   The temperature controller according to claim 1, further comprising an analog / digital conversion unit that transmits a measured temperature to the calculation unit.   The temperature controller according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vacuum device has a configuration in which two or more Peltier modules are connected in series.   The temperature controller according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sample, the heat exchange unit, the Peltier module, and the heater are connected by a heat conducting member.   The temperature controller according to claim 1, wherein the cooling medium is liquid nitrogen.   A vacuum vessel that can be depressurized by enclosing the sample, a heat exchange unit that can be cooled by supplying a cooling medium, a Peltier module that can cool and heat the sample, and heating the sample A temperature control method for a vacuum device including a heater, wherein the temperature of the cooling medium or the temperature of the heat exchange unit or the sample is detected and the cooling by the cooling medium is switched to the cooling by the Peltier module. Temperature control method.   A vacuum vessel that can be depressurized by enclosing the sample, a heat exchange unit that can be cooled by supplying a cooling medium, a Peltier module that can cool and heat the sample, and heating the sample A temperature control method for a vacuum apparatus including a heater, wherein the temperature of the sample is lowered by cooling with the cooling medium, and then the cooling by the cooling medium is switched to cooling by the Peltier module. .   The temperature control method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein heating is performed by at least one of the heater and the Peltier module before the sample is taken out from the vacuum vessel.   The temperature control method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the cooling medium is liquid nitrogen.

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