Sputter resistant metals/materials

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Discussion Overview

The discussion focuses on the search for materials or metals that can resist sputtering under extreme heat and high electrical discharge conditions, particularly in the context of laser applications. Participants explore various protective strategies and materials to mitigate sputtering issues that affect laser tubes and optics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the existence of materials that resist sputtering under high heat and electrical discharge, noting that sputtering damages laser tubes.
  • Another participant mentions that simple metal shielding is commonly used for protection against back spatter in welding and cutting, while engineering-grade ceramics are suggested for more sophisticated applications.
  • A participant provides links to various ceramic materials and products, asking for more details about the specific problem being addressed.
  • One participant describes academic findings regarding sputtering issues on the negative energy side of lasers, suggesting the incorporation of a ceramic shield inside the plasma tube to protect the glass from sputter.
  • Another participant proposes the use of a magnet or a screen grid made of tungsten wire to allow electron passage while capturing ejected ions, referencing ion traps used in other technologies.
  • A later reply agrees with the idea of using a magnet or screen grid, noting that ceramics can be expensive and suggesting this approach may be easier to implement than baffled glass.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints on materials and methods for mitigating sputtering, with no consensus reached on a single solution or material. Multiple competing ideas and approaches are presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants discuss the limitations and costs associated with different materials, such as exotic metals and ceramics, without resolving the complexities involved in their application.

rppearso
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does anyone know if such a material/metal exists that will resist sputtering under extreme heat and high electrical discharge conditions (such as a 10-30kw laser). I have been reading that sputtering is a huge issue with destroying laser tubes.
 
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Protection against back spatter from all types of welding and cutting is usually just done with simple metal shielding .

In more sophisticated applications engineering grade ceramics are commonly used .
 
Last edited:
Hello Nidum,

I have been reading in academic papers that in lasers they have sputter problems on the negative energy side that coats the glass tubes and causes the tubes to short out which makes it so you are constantly replacing tubes (which are not cheap). I was thinking of incorporating a ceramic shield inside the plasma tube to keep the sputter off the glass as opposed to trying to coat the negative lead in some kind of exotic metal which likely will only reduce and not eliminate the sputter anyways (plus add tons of cost to the construction due to complications of trying to plate things like iridium or osmium to an aluminum substrate).

The sputter can also coat your optics which destroys them and creates even more costs and hassle. I was reading that the sputter was only created from the negative terminal so only one side has to be shielded which is good because it would be almost impossible to shield the eye side of the laser.
 
You might consider a magnet and/or a screen grid of tungsten wire to allow passage of electrons but to catch ejected ions.
I read somewhere about ion traps for use in CRTs, X-Ray tubes and Electron Microscopes.
Maybe start here; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_trap
 
Baluncore said:
You might consider a magnet and/or a screen grid of tungsten wire to allow passage of electrons but to catch ejected ions.
I read somewhere about ion traps for use in CRTs, X-Ray tubes and Electron Microscopes.
Maybe start here; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_trap

That is a very good idea and would be easier to make than baffled glass. Ceramics are still really expensive.
 
Last edited:

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