Sponsored by XEI ScientificMar 4 2021 In order to avoid progressive contamination of samples and vacuum chamber surfaces during analysis and characterization of nanocrystalline materials and nanostructures, in-situ plasma cleaning is essential. For effectively and rapidly eliminating hydrocarbon contamination from samples and vacuum chambers, a necessary accessory is a plasma cleaner. The Evactron plasma radical source operates at turbopump pressures and can generate a low temperature RF plasma using its unique RF hollow cathode, allowing it to create oxygen radicals when air is the feed gas. The pumping system removes gaseous phases formed by surface hydrocarbons combining with the oxygen radicals. Plasma cleaning has many benefits, including no damage to EDS detectors or x-ray windows due to oxygen radial generation, prevention of hydrocarbon deposition during imaging, improved image quality of serial block-face SEM volumetric sets and faster pump-down times.