News/Press Release

October 31, 2024
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA)
J-PARC

Newly developed ultralight and compact vacuum transfer case which does not require power supply
— Application of ultra-high vacuum technology in the society to accelerate the development of nanomaterials and semiconductor materials —

[Summary of announcement]
  • Since the surfaces of nanomaterials and semiconductor materials are easy to oxidize, it is required to transport samples between devices without exposing them to the atmosphere at the time of development. "Vacuum transfer cases" play an important role for that purpose.
  • However, since a conventional vacuum transfer case used to consist of a case, a vacuum pump, a power source, and a battery, there was an issue in terms of weight and size.
  • J-PARC invented a "ultra-high vacuum getter pump" technique by which containers themselves can maintain vacuum conditions. In this research, this technique was applied to develop light and compact vacuum transfer cases that do not require power supply.
  • It was demonstrated with a prototype that a ultra-high vacuum condition can be maintained without vacuum pumps and that nanomaterials and semiconductor materials can be transported without having a negative impact by the atmosphere on the surface of silicone substrates of semiconductor materials.
  • Since this product does not require traditional pumps, batteries, or power supply, it can be used for air transportation. Thus, vacuum transportation to other countries will be easier and faster, and this technique is expected to be applied in the development of new materials such as nanomaterials and semiconductors.
Figure 1: Vacuum transfer case developed by JAEA
[Information on article]

Junichiro Kamiya, et al., SRPES and XPS Analysis of Activation and Deterioration Processes for Ti-Zr-V NEG Coating, e-Journal of Surface Science and Nanotechnology 22, (2024)
https://doi.org/10.1380/ejssnt.2024-030

Junichiro Kamiya et al., Evaluation of Titanium Vacuum Chamber as Getter Pump, e-Journal of Surface Science and Nanotechnology 20, 107-118 (2022)
https://doi.org/10.1380/ejssnt.2022-017