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

[J. Forster]

Out of curiosity, what do the Datum tubes sell for? Are they any good?

-John

==============


> 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