Used E-Beam Evaporator Buying Guide: Temescal, CHA, and Kurt Lesker Systems

This guide is for: Thin-film process engineers who need metal deposition capability without the $800K+ cost of a new e-beam system.

I walked into a lab in Phoenix last year and found a Temescal BJD-1800 that had been converted into a paperweight. The buyer paid $125,000 for it on a surplus auction site. Looked clean in the photos—shiny chamber, all the e-gun pockets present. What the photos didn't show was the chamber wall thinning from years of gold evaporation. The chamber had 40% material buildup, flaking off during pump-down and contaminating every subsequent deposition. They'd run 47 wafers through it, all scrap. I've moved 89 e-beam evaporators in my career. The pattern is consistent: buyers obsess over the e-gun and ignore the chamber history.

Get this wrong and you're out $100K–$300K with a deposition tool that makes expensive scrap. E-beam evaporators aren't plug-and-play like sputtering tools. The chamber has memory. Every metal ever deposited leaves residue. Gold, platinum, titanium—they all behave differently when they flake. A chamber that ran gold for years will shed particles for months after you switch to aluminum. I've seen fabs lose $50,000 in wafer value because they didn't budget for a proper chamber reconditioning. The hidden costs are in the chamber liner replacement, the cryo pump regeneration schedule, and the e-gun filament inventory you'll need to keep on hand.

Temescal vs CHA vs Kurt Lesker: Real Prices, Real Histories

Don't buy based on brand reputation from the 1990s. Each has specific quirks that matter for your process:

• Temescal BJD-1800/BJD-2000: The workhorse for compound semiconductor fabs. $95,000–$165,000 used depending on chamber size and pocket configuration. The 1800 handles up to 6-inch wafers; the 2000 does 8-inch. The six-pocket e-gun is the main attraction—lets you deposit multi-layer stacks without breaking vacuum. But here's the issue: Temescal chambers are steel, not stainless. They rust if not properly maintained. I inspected 12 BJD units last year; 4 had significant rust on the chamber walls. That's a 33% defect rate on a fundamental component. Chamber replacement costs $45,000–$65,000. Check for rust with a borescope before you buy.

• CHA SE-600/SE-800: The R&D favorite with better automation. $110,000–$185,000 used. The SE series has a load-lock option that's worth the premium if you're doing production work. Opening the main chamber every load costs you 45 minutes of pump-down time. With a load-lock, you're depositing in 12 minutes. But CHA systems have proprietary e-gun power supplies that are getting hard to find. I brokered an SE-600 in 2023 where the power supply failed six months later. The buyer spent $28,000 and 14 weeks sourcing a refurbished unit. Ask for the power supply model number and check parts availability before you commit.

• Kurt Lesker PVD 75/SPECTROS: The modern choice with better software. $135,000–$220,000 used. Newer units have touchscreen controls and recipe management that actually works. The chamber is stainless, no rust issues. But Lesker e-guns use a different filament geometry than Temescal or CHA. Filaments cost $180 each and last 8–12 hours of deposition time. On a production tool running 16 hours/day, that's $270/week just in filaments. Factor this into your operating budget. I've seen buyers shocked by their first filament invoice.

The Chamber History Question You Must Ask

Every used e-beam evaporator listing should include a chamber history. Not just "cleaned"—specifically what metals were deposited and for how long. Here's why:

• Gold and platinum form thick, flaky coatings that shed particles
• Aluminum and titanium create thinner, more adherent films
• Switching from noble metals to reactive metals without a full reconditioning guarantees contamination

A proper chamber reconditioning—ultrasonic cleaning, bead blasting, re-polishing—costs $15,000–$25,000 and takes 3–4 weeks. If the seller can't provide a detailed metal history, budget for reconditioning. I tell buyers: assume the worst and negotiate accordingly. One buyer in Texas got a $40,000 discount on a BJD-1800 because the seller "couldn't recall" the chamber history. Smart move. The chamber needed full reconditioning.

Cryo Pump Condition: The Make-or-Break Component

E-beam evaporators need serious vacuum—typically 10^-7 Torr or better. That requires cryo pumps, not just turbos. A used Temescal BJD-1800 typically ships with a CTI Cryo-Torr 8 or 10. Here's what to check:

• Regeneration frequency: Should be every 2–3 weeks in production
• Helium leak rate: Must be <5x10^-9 mbar·L/s
• Cold head age: CTI cold heads last 12,000–15,000 hours before rebuild

A cryo pump rebuild runs $8,000–$14,000. A replacement cold head is $6,500–$9,000. I've seen buyers get "great deals" on evaporators only to discover both cryo pumps needed immediate rebuild. Their $95,000 purchase became a $125,000 project overnight.

E-Gun Pocket Configuration: Match Your Process

The six-pocket e-gun is standard, but pocket geometry matters:

• Standard pockets: Good for aluminum, gold, general metals
• Deep pockets: Required for materials with high vapor pressure like magnesium
• Crucible liners: $45 each, plan on 50–100 per year for production work

Check that all pockets rotate smoothly and the indexing mechanism works. A stuck pocket means opening the chamber to fix it—45 minutes of downtime plus risk of contamination. I inspected a CHA SE-600 where pocket #3 wouldn't index. The seller claimed "minor issue." It needed a $3,200 motor replacement.

FAQs Real Engineers Are Searching

"Temescal BJD-1800 used price" $95,000–$165,000 depending on chamber condition and e-gun configuration. Add $15,000–$25,000 if chamber reconditioning is needed.

"E-beam evaporator chamber reconditioning cost" $15,000–$25,000 for ultrasonic cleaning, bead blasting, and re-polishing. Takes 3–4 weeks.

"CHA SE-600 power supply parts availability" Spotty. CHA proprietary power supplies are 15–20 years old. Budget $20,000–$30,000 and 10–14 weeks lead time for replacement.

"CTI cryo pump rebuild cost" $8,000–$14,000 for a full rebuild. Cold head replacement runs $6,500–$9,000.

"Kurt Lesker e-gun filament cost per hour" $180 per filament, 8–12 hours life. Budget $270/week for production operation at 16 hours/day.

Your Next Move

Don't browse auction sites looking for "deals." Don't trust photos. Do this:

1. Define your metal stack—noble metals, reactive metals, or both?
2. Demand the chamber metal history and a borescope video of the interior
3. Get cryo pump model numbers and check helium leak rates
4. Budget $15,000–$25,000 for chamber reconditioning unless history proves it's clean
5. Test the e-gun indexing on all pockets before final payment

I watched a buyer skip step 2 and discover their "clean" chamber had 3mm of gold buildup flaking into every deposition. Six months of process development, contaminated. Save yourself the pain. Verify the chamber history.

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Related reading: Used Sputtering Equipment PVD Buying Guide | Dry Pump Buying Guide

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Last updated: May 2026. Information on semiconductor equipment availability and pricing reflects current secondary market conditions.

Page last reviewed May 2026. Pricing and availability reflect current 2026 secondary market conditions.