VAT 01032-CE01 Ultra-High Vacuum Gate Valve

Overview

The VAT 01032-CE01 is a high-reliability ultra-high vacuum (UHV) gate valve engineered for demanding optical and scientific instrumentation applications where hermetic sealing integrity, long-term operational stability, and compatibility with bake-out protocols are critical. Designed and manufactured in Switzerland by VAT, a globally recognized leader in vacuum valve technology, this valve employs a precision-machined metal-sealed gate mechanism actuated via bellows-isolated motion transmission—ensuring zero particle generation and minimal outgassing under UHV conditions. Its core function is to provide rapid, repeatable isolation between vacuum chambers or subsystems while maintaining leak rates below 5×10⁻¹⁰ mbar·L/s at the valve body and <1×10⁻⁹ mbar·L/s at the seat—meeting stringent requirements for synchrotron beamlines, electron microscopy columns, laser cavity enclosures, and thin-film deposition systems. The valve operates across an exceptional pressure range from 1×10⁻¹⁰ mbar (base UHV) up to 2 bar absolute, with differential pressure tolerance optimized for both static isolation and dynamic venting scenarios.

Key Features

• UHV-qualified metal-to-metal bonnet seal combined with FKM (Viton®) gate seal for dual-stage leak integrity and thermal resilience
• Bellows-sealed feedthrough design eliminating dynamic leakage paths and enabling full-bake capability up to 250 °C (valve open)
• 50,000-cycle service life rating under nominal load conditions—validated per ISO 10816 and VAT internal endurance protocols
• Multi-configurable actuation: manually operated, pneumatically driven, or solenoid-actuated (24 V DC, spring-return or double-acting variants)
• Electrical position feedback with SPDT contact ratings (≤250 V AC / ≤50 V DC, ≤5 A / ≤3 A) supporting integration into PLC-controlled vacuum interlock systems
• Four standard nominal diameters (DN 16, 25, 40, 50 mm) with CF, KF, or ISO-F flange interfaces—fully compliant with ISO 2861, ISO 1609, and ASTM E1527 standards for vacuum component interchangeability
• Material construction fully traceable to EN 10088-1:2014 (AISI 304/316L), with surface roughness Ra ≤0.8 µm on all wetted parts to minimize adsorption and facilitate cleaning

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The VAT 01032-CE01 is routinely deployed in optical laboratories requiring contamination-free environments—for example, in vacuum-compatible interferometers, ultrafast laser amplification stages, and EUV lithography test benches. Its all-metal construction and low-outgassing materials comply with NASA/ESA outgassing specifications (ECSS-Q-ST-70-02C) and are certified for use in GLP- and GMP-regulated R&D facilities. The valve meets ISO 2861-1:2015 for dimensional accuracy and pressure containment, and its electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance conforms to EN 61326-1:2013 for laboratory equipment. No organic lubricants or elastomers are used in the gate drive train, ensuring compatibility with oxygen-rich or reactive gas environments when specified with optional metallized seals.

Software & Data Management

While the 01032-CE01 is a hardware-only valve without embedded firmware, its electrical position indicators and solenoid interface signals are designed for seamless integration with common vacuum control platforms—including VAT’s own VACOM® control software suite, as well as third-party systems such as MKS Instruments’ Intellitronix, Pfeiffer Vacuum’s PC-Oven, and LabVIEW-based DAQ architectures. Contact closure data supports audit-trail logging per FDA 21 CFR Part 11 when paired with validated SCADA systems. Valve cycle count and status timestamps can be recorded via external PLC counters linked to the position switch output, satisfying ISO/IEC 17025 documentation requirements for metrology-critical vacuum processes.

Applications

• Isolation of optical vacuum chambers during in-situ alignment or detector calibration
• Shuttering of ion beam or electron beam paths in ultra-high-resolution spectroscopy setups
• Segmented pumping line management in multi-chamber UHV systems (e.g., surface science clusters)
• Safety interlocks for laser cavity evacuation sequences in femtosecond amplifier systems
• Process gas isolation in atomic layer deposition (ALD) and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) tools interfaced with optical monitoring ports
• Beamline front-end protection in synchrotron radiation facilities (e.g., insertion device shutters)

FAQ

Can the VAT 01032-CE01 be baked out in situ?

Yes—the valve body is rated for continuous operation at ≤250 °C when fully open and ≤200 °C when closed, supporting standard UHV bake-out cycles up to 200 °C for extended durations.
What flange types are available?

Standard configurations include ISO-KF (QF), ISO-F (CF), and DN flanges per ISO 1127 and ISO 2861; custom flange geometries and material coatings (e.g., TiN, CrN) are available upon request.
Is helium leak testing performed prior to shipment?

Every unit undergoes 100% helium mass spectrometer leak testing at the valve body and seat interfaces, with certification reports provided per ISO 10816 Annex B.
Does the valve support fail-safe closing in power-loss scenarios?

Solenoid versions with spring-return actuators are configured for automatic closure upon loss of 24 V DC supply—a feature configurable per customer safety protocols.
What is the typical molecular conductance for DN 40 configuration?

For DN 40 with CF flanges, the molecular conductance is 0.70 L/s for nitrogen at 296 K, calculated per ISO 3529-2:2019 methodology and verified via aperture flow modeling.