Systems and methods for ex-situ bakeout of differentially pumped vacuum chambers

A system comprising:

• an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber including a differential aperture;
• a high vacuum chamber, wherein the UHV chamber is configured to be removably disposed on the high vacuum chamber, such that the UHV chamber is in fluid communication with the high vacuum chamber via the differential aperture;
• a high vacuum pump configured to produce a high vacuum pressure in the UHV chamber;
• a bakeout chamber, wherein the UHV chamber is configured to be removably disposed on the bakeout chamber, such that the UHV chamber is in fluid communication with the bakeout chamber via the differential aperture;
• a bakeout vacuum pump configured to produce a vacuum pressure in the bakeout chamber and the UHV chamber with the UHV chamber disposed on the bakeout chamber;
• a heating element configured to heat the UHV chamber and desorb water vapor from the UHV chamber with the UHV chamber disposed on the bakeout chamber, wherein the bakeout vacuum pump or the high vacuum pump is further configured to extract the water vapor from the UHV chamber;
• and
• a gas source configured to supply a backfill gas to the UHV chamber disposed on the bakeout chamber, and the high vacuum pump is further configured to extract the backfill gas from the UHV chamber with the UHV chamber disposed on the high vacuum chamber.