Thursday, August 14, 2014, 17:54

Target container consists of 240 discs of ThO2/Nb discs.  The container is not required to be wrapped with Ta-heat shields.  

One end cap is inserted on the left end (wrt to the ionizer pointing into the page).  

The chamber is currently being pumped down.  

TGHT will be heated up to 520A, ramping rate at 0.1A/min.

 Friday, August 15, 2014, 15:55

A sampling filter has been installed by RPG; this will be used to analyze any volatile particle releases out from the target. 

An alpha monitor is being install on the exhaust line; air sample will be collected for further analyzse.  

Vacuum has come down to 7.2 e-6 Torr.  

Target heat will be ramped up on Monday since it is coming late to the day.  

Chamber will continue to pump down.  

Next week, RPG will start taking the first air sample before the target is heated up.  More discussion on that later...

 Monday, August 18, 2014, 11:18

Chamber has been pumped down over the weekend. 

Pressure @ 2.67e-6 Torr. 

Note:  RPG decides not to take any gas sample since the filter installed in between the backing and turbo pumps is sufficient for the analysis.

TGHT stepped up to 30A.

 Monday, August 18, 2014, 14:17

TGHT stepped up further to 40A; Pressure stabalized >100min at 4e-6 Torr, bp @ 44mTorr.

Initiated auto-ramping.

 Thursday, August 21, 2014, 17:20

TGHT continues to ramp up and pressure is coming down - Currently @ 7.7-6 Torr.

Increased TGHT ramping rate to 0.5A/min. 

The sintering process will be complete by Friday (Aug 8, 21), and the chamber will be cooled down over the weekend.

By Monday, the chamber can be vented in air, and the target can be removed from the chamber.  Then RPG can remove the filter in the backing pump for the analysis.

 Friday, August 22, 2014, 08:57

TGHT has reached to 520A for just over 10 hrs.  Vac at 8.6e-6 Torr, BP @ 40mTorr.

Cooling initiated at 2A/min

 Friday, August 22, 2014, 16:52

Target was cooled to room temp and was removed from the chamber.

5 discs were removed from the target because it was shrunk up; the rest of the discs were fine.  

2 extra Nb foils and end cap were inserted. 

Target is stored in the Hotlab - awaiting to be assembled.