Goembel Instruments Facilities

Until 2001 all of our instrument design was done without the benefit of a laboratory. In Winter 2001-2002 we performed preliminary tests of the prototype SCM in a laboratory at the Johns Hopkins University.

Goembel Instruments now owns a fully equipped electron spectroscopy laboratory for the continued development of the Spacecraft Charge Monitor. The Goembel Instruments laboratory has an oil-free vacuum system, a custom built vacuum chamber, a unique electron gun, and state-of-the-art support equipment. All of the SCM test apparatus has been designed with high performance, ease of use, and low maintenance in mind. Extensive tests of the SCM are ongoing to fully characterize the instrument before flight so that there will little uncertainty in its performance in space.

Below is a photograph of the vacuum chamber and electron optics controls that have been built to test the SCM in the Goembel Instruments electron spectroscopy laboratory.

Vacuum chamber and electron optics controls

Below is a photograph of our unique high energy-resolution electron monochromator (electron gun) that is mounted inside the vacuum chamber. The mount for the prototype SCM is also shown.

Electron gun