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

[John Miles]

Of course, you'd hear the same thing if you asked the modern-day HP if they
could refurbish an inkjet cartridge. :)  Not the same thing, and not the
same company, I know... but still, HP had no incentive to try very hard to
develop a reconditioning process, at least before Datum started selling
replacement tubes.

One problem is, the job would have to be done under vacuum at every step, or
at least in an inert-gas atmosphere.  That means either some kind of glove
box or robotics.  If any oxygen were to enter the tube, the cesium that's
deposited everywhere would oxidize immediately and irreversibly ruin any
surface it's on.

My guess is that anyone capable of reconditioning a Cs tube at home would
also be capable of building one from scratch.  Easier to earn the $30K for a
new one at McDonald's, would be my guess.

-- john, KE5FX


> 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
>
>
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