VAT 54124-GE02 Ultra-High Vacuum All-Metal Angle Valve

Overview

The VAT 54124-GE02 is a rigorously engineered ultra-high vacuum (UHV) all-metal angle valve designed for mission-critical optical and particle-beam applications where hydrocarbon-free operation, long-term bake-out stability, and extreme leak integrity are non-negotiable. Unlike elastomer-sealed valves, the 54124-GE02 employs a precision-machined stainless steel (AISI 316L) body and seat with metal-to-metal sealing—typically implemented via oxygen-free high-conductivity (OFHC) copper or nickel-plated copper gaskets—to eliminate outgassing sources and ensure compatibility with UHV environments down to 1×10⁻¹⁰ mbar. Its compact right-angle geometry minimizes line-of-sight shadowing in optical beam paths while maintaining laminar conductance across the nominal DN 25 port. The valve’s kinematic design ensures repeatable seating force and zero hysteresis over >100,000 operational cycles, making it suitable for integration into synchrotron front-ends, ultrafast laser chambers, electron microscopy column isolation systems, and atomic physics vacuum manifolds.

Key Features

• Hermetically sealed all-metal construction compliant with ASTM E595 total mass loss (TML) & collected volatile condensable materials (CVCM) requirements for space-grade vacuum hardware
• Full-bake capability up to 150 °C without seal degradation; validated per ECSS-Q-ST-70-02C outgassing test protocols
• Modular actuation interface supporting manual lever, pneumatic double-acting cylinder (ISO 15552), or stepper/servo motor drives with position feedback (optional)
• CF 25 or ISO-KF 25 flange variants available; all flange surfaces finished to Ra ≤0.4 µm and certified per ISO 13485 cleanroom handling procedures
• Integrated helium-leak-tested assembly with documented leak rate ≤1×10⁻¹¹ mbar·L/s (per EN 1591-4 and ISO 15848-1)
• No internal lubricants or polymers—entire wetted path is passivated stainless steel or oxygen-free copper

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The 54124-GE02 is routinely deployed in optical instrumentation requiring radiometric purity and absence of hydrocarbon contamination—including cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) cells, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) interferometer beamlines, and quantum optics vacuum chambers housing single-photon detectors. It complies with ISO 10816-3 vibration severity standards for rotating equipment interfaces and meets EU Pressure Equipment Directive (PED 2014/68/EU) Category IV classification for high-risk vacuum service. All production units undergo individual residual gas analysis (RGA) screening post-bake to verify absence of H₂O, CO, and hydrocarbon peaks above detection thresholds defined in UHV system commissioning protocols.

Software & Data Management

While the base 54124-GE02 is a passive mechanical component, its motorized and pneumatically actuated variants integrate seamlessly with standard industrial control architectures. Optional VAT VACOM® digital position sensors provide real-time valve state (open/closed/intermediate) and cycle counter data via RS-485 Modbus RTU or EtherCAT. When deployed in GLP/GMP-regulated optical metrology labs, the actuator firmware supports audit-trail logging and 21 CFR Part 11-compliant electronic signatures through compatible SCADA platforms (e.g., Siemens Desigo CC, LabVIEW Real-Time). Configuration files and calibration certificates are stored in VAT’s secure cloud portal with traceability to Swiss national metrology institute (METAS) reference standards.

Applications

• Isolation of optical viewports and laser entry ports in UHV deposition systems (e.g., molecular beam epitaxy, pulsed laser deposition)
• Beamline shutters in soft X-ray and EUV lithography test stands
• Chamber segmentation in ultra-stable interferometric gravitational wave detector vacuum systems
• Gas injection manifold control in time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (TR-PES) endstations
• Redundant isolation for cryo-cooled optical filters and monochromators operating below 4 K

FAQ

Is the 54124-GE02 compatible with helium leak testing during system commissioning?
Yes—each unit is individually tested with helium mass spectrometry to ≤1×10⁻¹¹ mbar·L/s and supplied with a certified leak test report traceable to METAS.
Can this valve be baked in situ at 120 °C without disassembly?
Yes—the entire assembly, including actuator interface and flange gasket zones, is rated for continuous bake-out at 150 °C per VAT Technical Note TN-54124-01.
What flange standards does the 54124-GE02 support?
Standard configurations include ISO-KF 25 (DIN 28403) and CF 25 (ISO 3669); custom CF 40 or ConFlat variants are available under OEM agreement.
Does VAT provide documentation for FDA-regulated optical instrument validation?
Yes—full DQ/IQ/OQ documentation packages, including material certifications (EN 10204 3.1), surface roughness reports, and outgassing test summaries, are provided upon request for regulated medical device or pharmaceutical R&D applications.