title: Note: mounting ultra-high vacuum windows with low stress-induced birefringence.
abstract: We have developed a way to mount ultra-high vacuum windows onto standard ConFlat(®) vacuum systems with very low stress-induced birefringence. Each window is sealed to a stainless steel flange with a compressed indium wire, and that flange is connected to a vacuum chamber with another indium seal. We find that deformation of a standard ConFlat flange during indium sealing dominates the stress on the window, so an extra-rigid flange is needed for minimal birefringence. With this mounting scheme, the typical residual birefringence is Δn = 2.3 × 10(-7) and is unchanged by a 120 °C bake.
authors: 104 Davey Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
authors: Neal
authors: N
authors: Solmeyer
authors: Kunyan
authors: K
authors: Zhu
authors: David S
authors: DS
authors: Weiss