[time-nuts] HP 5071A Electron Multiplier of Cesium Beam Tube

[J. Forster]

I wonder why? Cs oxide and many other Cs salts are very water soluable. It
might be that in the process of stripping the tube insides, some porous
ceramic material might become contaminated with a Cs salt and loose its
insulating properties.

I've seen a similar thing w/ the HP Zeeman Split HeNe lasers used for
precision metrology in Laser Interferometers. Those tubes very slowly leak
He and loose output power. There are rebuild companies, but I've studied
ways to rejuvenate them w/o breaking the tube seal.

Best,
-John

===========


> J. Forster wrote:
>> Cesium is pretty reactive and could likely be stripped off chemically
>> and
>> the CBT tube cleaned.
>
> The HP/Agilent CBT experts claimed they didn't know how to do this, at
> least
> for any economically viable cost.  They also said they have been
> asked this question approximately 2 gazillion times.
>
> Rick Karlquist N6RK
>
>