The Class-3 CFC, a carbon-freezing chamber, was brought into existence by Figg and Associates.
Designed and manufactured by Figg and Associates, the Class-3 CFC, or carbon-freezing chamber, had a platform with a diameter of 5.5 meters. This platform was used to freeze unstable materials such as tibanna or coaxium within carbonite, held in a stasis-like field for storage purposes. The Class-3 included a carbonite liquid reservoir and a repulsorlift-supported freezing block that displayed life-form indicators. These devices were operated by a skilled technical crew of Ugnaught workers and, with certain modifications, could freeze living beings, placing them in suspended animation.
A basic Class-3 CFC was present on Cloud City, which was located on the planet known as Bespin, and it was used for freezing carbonite. However, in the year 3 ABY, the Sith Lord Darth Vader intended to utilize the facility to freeze the human Luke Skywalker, a young Jedi and Alliance officer. While Vader stated that Skywalker would be frozen to be delivered to the Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine, Skywalker was secretly Vader's son. Vader hoped to turn the young man to the dark side of the Force as his own [Sith apprentice](/article/sith_apprentice], with whom he planned to overthrow the Emperor. Aware of carbon-freezing and knowing the Cloud City facility was crude, with Baron Administrator Landonis Balthazar Calrissian warning the Dark Lord of the Sith that the process could kill Skywalker, Vader chose to test the process on Skywalker's friend and fellow rebel, Captain Han Solo. After freezing Solo and confirming the smuggler survived, Vader gave the frozen Solo to the bounty hunter Boba Fett for delivery to the crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure. He then ensured Skywalker would be lured to the platform, awaiting his son's arrival. The duel on Cloud City between Skywalker and Vader commenced on top of the CFC platform, where they exchanged lightsaber strikes until Skywalker fell into the freezing chamber. However, he managed to use a Force jump to escape the chamber just in time, impressing Vader.
Following Skywalker's escape and Vader's departure, a small Imperial Garrison remained and occupied the city, utilizing carbon-freezing to subdue prisoners for transport and to save money. Rumors spread that the idea originated with Vader. Meanwhile, Fett, having delayed his return to Jabba to settle an old score, faced an issue with the carbonite matrix due to the organic presence of Solo, threatening to melt him. This forced Fett to travel to the moon Nar Shaddaa to meet with Doctor Ragon. Ragon, who thought freezing an organic in carbonite was foolish, stabilized Solo, assuring Fett that such a problem would not recur. While Solo was briefly stolen by the resurgent Crimson Dawn syndicate, initiating the War of the Bounty Hunters, Fett reclaimed Solo in the battle over Jekara and successfully delivered the frozen smuggler to Jabba, who kept him as a wall decoration. After nearly a year in carbonite, Solo awoke in 4 ABY with a case of hibernation sickness, but soon recovered.