ELOG Evaporator

left at 300 A for 8 hours and pressure dropped. Restarted autoramp at 2A/30s and pressure was increasing until 425A where it peaked. Reduced autoramp to 1A/min and observed slow but definite pressure drop. Will go to 450A and leave there for 4 hours.

Currently 440A, 5.3V on TGHT and 1.28e-05 Torr on IGP1

Friday, January 20, 2023, 12:06

After 4 hours at 450A IGP1= 3.49e-06 Torr

TGHT = 450A 5.4V

Will drop to 425A and leave for 10 hours

Friday, January 20, 2023, 21:53

TGHT 425A, 5.2V

IGP1= 1.81e-06 Torr

autoramping to 0 A @ -2A/min

286

Monday, November 28, 2022, 05:59

Monday, November 28, 2022, 05:58

Left weekend to pump down

current IGPI= 7.23e-7 Torr

Material will be reduced in LP-SIS wrapped with 3 Ta foils.

a cap was installed to collect material coming out from the ionizer tube

Initial weight of target material plus cartridge was recorded

All relevant data and findings will be reported and added to docushare as document :

Good vacuum = 5e-4 Torr

Bad vacuum = 5e-2 Torr

Power desired 1900W as approximate power used online.

Will autoramp @2A/min to 30A, then slow down ramp to 1A/min to 120A.

After first pressure bump cleared, will ramp up to 400 A @ 2A/20s to 425A on TGHT. TBHT will be topped off at 230A.

from 425A, TGHT will be ramped at 1A/min and monitored for pressure behaeviour.

sytem will be left at reduction current for 4 hours. Then, the current will be dropped to 425 A and allow to run for 8 hours.

The cup will be collected and the system will be run again for two hours. at the same current until no material visible on cap. Then it will be run at 450A for increments of two hours until no significant mass change of target material.

Monday, November 28, 2022, 06:05

started initial heating to 30A at 2A/min on both TGHT and TBHT.

Monday, November 28, 2022, 08:46

was ramping at 6A/min (2A/20s) on both tGHT and TBHT but aborted due to pressure spike. will allow pressure to stabilize.

TGHT = 162A, 1.35V

TBH 162A, 1.9V

Monday, November 28, 2022, 08:51

Restarting the heating at 6A/min (2A/20s)

Monday, November 28, 2022, 09:21

Pausing heating @ TGHT= 323 A 3.0V

Allow pressure to stabilize to better spot reduction current

Monday, November 28, 2022, 09:49

Started heating TGHT at 2A/min so reduction current can be better resolved

Monday, November 28, 2022, 10:12

heating aborted to allow pressure to stabilize

IGP1> 5.0e-4 Torr

Monday, November 28, 2022, 11:31

IGP1= 1.5e-4 Torr start autoramp TGHT @1A/min

Monday, November 28, 2022, 11:51

paused heating. Second peak has been passed. Will let pressure drop before starting heating again to try and better observe reduction peak.

Monday, November 28, 2022, 12:46

start autoramp at 2A/min from 389A on TGHT

IGP1- 6.4e-6 Torr

Monday, November 28, 2022, 14:21

Pressure starts to drop at around 535A, but large bump observed around 386A.

Will leave four hours.

TGHT= 539A, 4.98V

TBHT= 229A, 2.9V

Monday, November 28, 2022, 18:19

Ramping down at 4A/min to 425A

Currently IGP1= 6.2e-6 Torr

TGHT = 539A, 4.98 V

TBHT= 230A, 2.98V

Monday, November 28, 2022, 22:23

425 A on TGHT reached at 6:50 pm. Will ramp down at 2:50 am . -2A/min TGHT and -1A/min TBHT

Tuesday, November 29, 2022, 09:34

Final IGP1 when TGHT and TBHT = 0A is 5.0e-7 Torr

Tuesday, November 29, 2022, 14:08

Weighed materials and reloaded

Currently at 1.1 e-05 Torr

Will initiate heat ramp at 2A/min to 425 A

@241A increase ramp rate to 4A/min on TGHT

Wednesday, November 30, 2022, 12:44

heating B finished and cartridge loading for heating C

Current pressure = 2.09 E-05 Torr. Will ramp up to 450A at 4A/min and regulate as needed.

Will heat at 450A TGHT for 2 hours, TBHT max= 230A

Wednesday, November 30, 2022, 16:30

Starting rampdown @-2A/min TGHT and -1A/min TBHT

Final heating was @ 450A, 4.0V TGHT and 230A, 2.7V TBHT

Friday, December 02, 2022, 09:00

IGP1= 7.2 e-07 Torr

Starting ramp at 2A/min to 450A on TGHT and 230A on TBHT

Friday, December 02, 2022, 10:02

pressure stated dropping. Will increase ramp to 4A/min (2A/30s)

Friday, December 02, 2022, 15:35

Starting ramp down at -2A/min TGHT and -1A/min TBHT

IGP1= 2.6 e-06 Torr

TGHT 450A 4.2V

TBHT 230A 2.9V

Attachment 1: Data_summary.png

287

Monday, December 19, 2022, 10:45

Monday, December 19, 2022, 10:38

Cartridge with 175 discs (including 5 analysis discs) loaded into a graphite cartridge.

To be reduced inside a Ta container tube. Tube wrapped in 3 Ta foil heatshields

Will keep at reducing current for 4 hours and then 10 hours @ 425A

Good Vacuum: 5.0e-04 Torr

Bad Vacuum: 5.0e-02 Torr

Initial pressure was 6.36 e-07 Torr

Autoramped to 56A @ 1A/30s

Outgassing bump observed starting at 50A and at 56A the maximum pressure was ~1.9e-05 Torr

Monday, December 19, 2022, 10:47

started autoramping at 1A/30s to 90A

Monday, December 19, 2022, 10:50

observed that pressure not increasing radically, therefore ramping up faster. 2A/30s

Monday, December 19, 2022, 10:58

Second pressure bump observed at 90A, 1.0V

leaving at this current until pressure drops

Monday, December 19, 2022, 17:15

ramped to 280A and left at 280 until pressure started dropping

ramping again to 500A @ 2A/30s

Monday, December 19, 2022, 17:26

Stopped at 330A due to pressure hike. Will allow pressure to drop then continue ramp.

Monday, December 19, 2022, 18:00

restarting ramp @ 2A/30s

Monday, December 19, 2022, 18:11

Pressure started dropping around 350A corresponding to additive gas-off. Will rampt to 500A @ 2A/30 seconds and then at 1A/30s to 530A

Final current was 548A, 6.7 V. Will test increasing current after 4 hours (11 pm)

Monday, December 19, 2022, 23:10

ramping down @ 2A/min to 425A . should be done by 12:00 am and cooling at9:00 am (includes 1 hour ramp down to 425).

Ramping down to zero @ -2A/min

Wednesday, December 21, 2022, 10:47

Final IGP1= 3.7e-07 Torr

284

Friday, October 07, 2022, 08:14

C-220928UCx conditioning experiments

Friday, October 07, 2022, 07:55

Cartridge-220928UCx was installed in the EVAP1 and pumped down yesterday.

Material will be reduced in LP-SIS wrapped with 3 Ta foils.

IGP1 = 2.1e-6 Torr

a cap was installed to collect material coming out from the ionizer tube

The initial weight of the cap 1 + small bag was recorded to be: 2.82 g Final weight of cap1 + small bag = 2.84g (see attached picture)

Good vacuum = 5e-4 Torr

Bad vacuum = 5e-2 Torr

Power desired 1900W as approximate power used online.

Will autoramp @2A/min to 30A, then slow down ramp to 1A/min to 120A.

After first pressure bump cleared, will ramp up to 400 A @ 2A/20s to 425A on TGHT. TBHT will be topped off at 230A.

from 425A, TGHT will be ramped at 1A/min and monitored for pressure behaeviour.

sytem will be left at reduction current for 4 hours. Then, the current will be dropped to 1900W and allow to run for 8 hours.

The cup will be collected and the system will be run again in increments of two hours.

*slight change from test plan to save time*

Friday, October 07, 2022, 21:55

A true pressure max was not observed. A max while current still rising. stopped at 560A on TGHT and 5.3V

will leave at the above conditions for 4 hours.

Suspect that the thinner Ta shields make a difference. Suggest to add a fourth shield and process the previous cartridge in a tube rather than a boat. Treat for four hours (pressure max) and then test increasing the current to see if there is a pressure bump. If no pressure bump then lower current to deposit 1900W for 8 additional hours.

After 4 hours at max current, the current was dropped to 450A (TGHT) and left for 8 hours.

Saturday, October 08, 2022, 09:26

start autoramp down @-2A/min for TGHT and -1A/min for TBHT

Cap+ bag = 2.82 g

final cap +bag = 2.84 g

Tuesday, October 11, 2022, 10:15

Today will switch end-cup. Will weigh new end-cup and place inside the evap1 glovebox. Then will remove used end-cap and install new end-cap. Used end-cup will be weighed on same balance as before. All mass measurements will be done with the same balance. Note, that a makeshift balance air isolation container was built to allow balance to not be affected by air currents.

Cap 2+bag initial weight = 2.80 g +/- 0.01 g

Cap 2+bag final weight = 2.81g +/- 0.01 g

No visible deposition on cap

Wednesday, October 12, 2022, 07:51

Start ramp up at 2A/min. TGHT to 450A, TBHT to 230A

IGP1= 6.7e-07Torr

Wednesday, October 12, 2022, 09:47

Ramping up @ 4A/min to same final settings: TGHT = 450A and TBHT = 230A

Wednesday, October 12, 2022, 11:15

@10:45am 450A, 4.15V were reached on TGHT

Will leave for 2 hours at 450A then ramp down, then switch cap.

Monday, October 17, 2022, 09:40

The second cap was taken out over the weekend (attachment number 2).

The final weight of this cap with bag = 2.81 +/- 0.01 g

Installed a nex cap (3) with initial weigh of cap +bag = 2.74 g

Allowed vacuum to settle over Sunday and will start ramping today

Will ramp to 470 A and hold for 2 hours. Ramp rate 2A /30s

IGP1= 4.6e-07 Torr

Monday, October 17, 2022, 11:39

ramping with no issues. will finish ramp around 12:03 pm and will start rampdown @ around 2:05 pm.

Monday, October 17, 2022, 12:03

TGHT= 470A, 4.5V

TBHT= 228A, 2.9V

IGP1= 5.6e-06 Torr

Monday, October 17, 2022, 14:05

Start rampdown at 2A/min TGHT and 1A/min TBHT to zero amp

current IGP1= 2.6e-06 Torr

TGHT = 470A, 4.5V

TBHT= 228.3A, 2.9V

Tuesday, October 18, 2022, 09:39

IGP1=4.4e-7 Torr

ready to dismount

Tuesday, October 18, 2022, 13:50

Cap 3 + bag initial weight = 2.74 g

Final weight of cap+bag = 2.74 g (no change)

no visible deposition on cap either

Attachment 1: Cap_1_221011.png

Attachment 2: Cap_2.png

Attachment 3: cap3.png

285

Wednesday, October 19, 2022, 12:28

C-220510 further conditioning

Wednesday, October 19, 2022, 10:27

Cartridge-220510Cx was installed in the EVAP1 and pumped down yesterday.

Material will be further conditioned at 450A for 4 hours.

The material will be conditioned inside a container tube with both ends open at the ends. Two springs are inserted at the ends of the graphite cartridge to contain the material as graphite caps not inserted.

IGP1 = 7.8e-07 Torr

Good vacuum = 5e-4 Torr

Bad vacuum = 5e-2 Torr

Will autoramp @2A/30s (4A/min) to 40 A and then to 120A. Fast ramp rate because material had previously been conditioned

Wednesday, October 19, 2022, 12:23

TGHT 450A, 5.2 V

Will leave for 4 hours and then begin ramp-down.

Wednesday, October 19, 2022, 16:21

IGP1= 3.1e-06Torr

450A, 5.2V

Start rampdown @- 2A/min

Thursday, October 20, 2022, 09:23

IGP1= 4.6e-7 Torr

Thursday, June 30, 2011, 12:42

Batch#2: UO2/C for carbonization

Before began the carbonization process, two cameras were setup in the hotlab for monitoring the evaporator and the power supply. On duty ISAC Ops also helps to monitor on a regular basis and to grab the striptools + cameras (twice/shift) and put this information in the ISAC Logbook with subject header: "UCx_2011_B 'date time'", for easy search.

P/S camera: http://isaccamera1, user/pw = admin

Evaporator camera: http://isac-cam01, user =admin, pw=yield

Thu Jun 30 12:24:31 2011

UO2 used = 50.29g

Green UO2/C = 71.96g, rolled up /w graphite sheet (15cm x 12cm), and put in the target boat, then wrapped with 3 Ta-heat shields. The target is installed in the evaporator and is being pumped down.

Thu Jun 30 12:45:39 2011: Currently Vac @ 3.75e-5, CG2 @ 0.045T.

Friday, July 01, 2011, 13:28: Vac @ 2.2-6 Torr. TGHT set at 10A yesterday.

Friday, July 01, 2011, 13:42: TGHT stepped up to 36A (panel 33A), 0.134V. No change in vacuum, 2.38e-6 Torr, CG @33mT.

Friday, July 01, 2011, 13:51: TGHT stepped up to 50A (panel 47A), 0.194V. Vac @ 5.7e-6 Torr, CG2 @ 33mT.

Friday, July 01, 2011, 14:09 : Vac was rising slowly. TGHT stepped up to 57A and the pressure started to increase faster. TGHT was brought back down to 30A, and vac is coming down gradually. (See attachment 1#2: Startup Vac/Current)

Friday, July 01, 2011, 14:16 : Auto ramping began. 0.1/min, max currently @ 525A. (see attachement #3: Parameter)

Monday, July 04, 2011, 12:33: TGTH @ 146.20A, Vac @ 4.74e-5 Torr. (see attachment#4: 3-day trend). Increase auto ramping rate to 0.5/min.

Monday, July 04, 2011, 13:01: TGHT @ 148A, Vac @ 5.20e-5 torr. Auto rampiing paused until vacuum goes down to 5.0e-5 torr. (see attachment#4)

Monday, July 04, 2011, 17:34: TGHT @ 220A, VAC started to come down, indicating the burning off organics was done. Increased heating rate to 1A/min.

Friday, July 08, 2011, 21:30: As per Peter Kunz, "I started the target cooldown sequence for IEVAP:TGHT1 at 20:35. The pressure came down to 4e-6 torr. The ramp down rate is 2A/min. Please check if the target heater current comes down to 0A. Then it can cool off over the weekend."

Monday, July 11, 2011, 12:17: Evap glove box flashed with Ar gas, set pressure ~100psi. Chamber also vented with Ar, set pressure @ ~5psi.

Attachment 1: startup_vac.jpg

Attachment 2: startup_current.jpg

Attachment 3: parameter.jpg

Attachment 4: UCx_2011_b_3days.png

Attachment 5: grab.S13888.png

Wednesday, May 25, 2011, 14:42

Batch#1: UO2/C mixing & carbonization

Wed May 25 14:39:31 2011: UO2/C cast was dried in the fumehood over the weekend. The cast was pilled off from the coated WD40 glass plate, rolled up and put in a target heating boat (/w TaC coating & sintered). The boat was wrapped with 3 Ta-heat shields, then installed in the evaporator which is currently being pumped down.

Thu May 26 11:40:06 2011: Vac @ 1.75e-6 torr, BP @ 0.032T. TGHT stepped up to 30A/0.092V (panel @ 27A), ; TGHT has been held for over 10 mins, no change in vacuum yet.

Thu May 26 11:46:48 2011: TGHT @ 40A/0.123V (panel @ 37A), Vac 2.3e-6 Torr, BP@0.032T.

Thu May 26 15:13:19 2011: TGHT has been at 40A/0.123V for sometime. Currently, Vac @ 4.39e-5 Torr, BP@ 0.27T. (See Attachement#1)

Thu May 26 17:28:36 2011: Auto ramping has begun. (see attachment#2). TGHT @ 40.60A, (panel @ 38A), vac @ 3.84 e-5 Torr.

Wed Jun 1 13:28:58 2011: TGHT currently at 395A/3.16V, vac @ 4.47e-5 Torr. Heating sequence changed for the increment from 4.5e-5 Torr to 5.0e-5 Torr.

Fri Jun 3 09:54:28 2011 : The organics burnoff and the carbonization process are complete (see Attachment#3 for the striptool). The cooling process will begin at a rate of 2A/min.

Tue Jun 14 21:24:41 2011 : The evaporator was about to be vented by argon on Jun 10 (Fri), but it was found that the argon cylinder was almost empty; a new one was replaced (see Attachment #4: Evaporator_Ar_flow). After the argon cylinder was replaced, the evaporator was purged with the gas and the vent valve was connected to the cylinder for venting of the evaporator. The target oven was removed and stored in the hermetic transfer vessel, then transferred to the glove box. (See attachment #5: UC2, Note: typo. Should read Ar gas, NOT N2). The flakes were stored in the jar labelled "Stock# 2011_A", with total weight of 35g.

Attachment 1: Screen_shot_2011-05-26_at_3.14.00_PM.png

Attachment 2: auto_ramping.png

Attachment 3: UCx_2011_A_carbonization.png

Attachment 4: Evaporator_Ar_flow.png

Attachment 5: UC2.png

289

Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 22:29

Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 22:29

Cartridge #9 loaded with 213 plus 3 analysi discs

To be reduced inside a Ta container tube. Tube wrapped in 3 Ta foil heatshields.

Reduction for 4 hours and then 8 hours @ 450A

Good Vacuum: 5.0e-04 Torr

Bad Vacuum: 5.0e-02 Torr

Initial pressure is 3.71e-06 Torr

Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 22:33

Autoramping to 400A @ 1A/min

Thursday, March 23, 2023, 06:57

Starting heating at 2A/min

Currently at 400A and 4.5V

IGP1= 9.6e-06 Torr

At around 500A, the reduction was observed. Current manually increased to 508 A and left there for remainder of four hours. 4 hours will be done at 1210 pm, then will ramp down to 450 and 8 hours

Thursday, March 23, 2023, 12:01

IGP1= 7.6 e-06 Torr

508 A, 6.0 V TGHT

Start rampdown to 450 @ -2A/min

Thursday, March 23, 2023, 20:27

IGP1= 2.36e-06 Torr

TGHT = 452A, 5.3A

Starting ramp down @-2A/min

124

Thursday, December 10, 2015, 10:59

1stepUCx project - round2

Thursday, December 10, 2015, 08:54

Filled graphite tube with 34 UO2/C discs cast onto graphite.

34 discs = 4.10g

graphite tube = 4.64g

IG1 = 2.8e-6 Torr.

Stepped up manually to 35A.

Waited ~1hr15, vacuum stable.

IG1 = 5.8e-6 Torr.

Initiating auto-ramp.

Target boat will be ramped up to 520A at the rate of 0.1A/min.

Vacuum limit stop at 5.0e-5 Torr, backing off at 6.0e-5 Torr.

Monday, December 14, 2015, 08:58

IG1 = 3.9e-6 Torr.

TGHT = 520A, 5.7

UO2/C reached 520A yesterday and has remained at max setpoint for ~12hrs.

Carbonization process is complete.

Initiating auto-cool at 2.0A/min.

Friday, December 18, 2015, 15:37

Vented in argon and removed from evap1

Graphite tube appears golden in colour [ see photo attached]

Materials spilled out of graphite tube, could be partially due to movement of target boat between evaporator and glove box and removal of heat shields.

Black graphite tube in weigh boat behind target is the graphite tube from the first round in evap1, shows a comparison in colour difference between the two rounds.

The difference between round 1 and round2:

-round1 contained 5 single discs packed together and a single 1cm/2cm square on the other end

-round2 contained 34 discs packed together consuming the whole graphite tube

All other parameters ie. max setpoints, were the same.

Attachment 1: image.jpeg

123

Friday, December 04, 2015, 15:06

1stepUCx project - round1

Wednesday, December 02, 2015, 14:08

UO2/C was cast onto a graphite sheet in the fume hood and let dry.

Initial UO2 powder used = 25.11g (Inventory R-00835A, UO2 + bottle = 243.44g before use)

Graphite powder used = 5.16g

A 13mm punch was used to punch out discs from an 11mm wide strip.

5 discs were packed into one end of the graphite tube and a single 1cmx2cm strip was placed in the other end.

graphite tube = 4.57g

5 x UO2/C discs = 0.62g

2cm x 1cm strip = 0.21g

the graphite tube is placed inside a target boat.

The Ta-target boat is wrapped with 3-layers of heat shield and installed in Evap1.

Pumping down overnight.

Thursday, December 03, 2015, 09:23

IG1 = 5.7e-6 Torr.

Stepped up manually to 60A.

Waited ~1hr45, vacuum stable.

IG1 = 6.3e-6 Torr.

Initiating auto-ramp.

Target boat will be ramped up to 520A at the rate of 0.1A/min.

Vacuum limit stop at 5.0e-5 Torr, backing off at 6.0e-5 Torr.

Monday, December 07, 2015, 10:45

UO2/C reached 520A yesterday and has remained at max setpoint for 15hrs.

IG1 = 5.2e-6 Torr.

TGHT = 520A, 5.35V

Carbonization process is complete.

Initiating auto-cool at 2.0A/min.

Wednesday, December 09, 2015, 10:09

Vented in argon and took the materials out yesterday.

Currently sitting in glove box.

All five discs and strip had fallen out of graphite tube and were sitting directly on the target boat.

^not sure if due to removal of heat shields [moving target boat around shook materials out of tube] or if this happened during carbonization process.

materials stuck to graphite foil fairly well, able to handle foils with tweezers and inspect without materials flaking off.

lightly scraped top of discs with spatula - no materials flaked off.

minor cracks are visible on discs.

graphite tube shows no visible changes.

156

Thursday, July 13, 2017, 12:49

Laura Lambert

Problems

*hot lab is HOT*

Thursday, July 13, 2017, 12:48

NOTE: hot lab reached 27degrees every day this week and went up to 28C today!

This is with the small portable fan running.

27C was reached even with both evaporators off.

When at 28C: evap2 = ~1500C and evap1 = 35A

Thursday, July 20, 2017, 15:58

Hot lab reached 30C today.

Small fan off - unsure if able to run due to contamination spread...

Both evap1 and evap2 were under vacuum but had not initiated ramping up yet.

Attachment 1: Capture.JPG

163

Thursday, July 27, 2017, 09:08

Laura Lambert

Problems resolved

*hot lab is HOT*

Laura Lambert wrote:

Thursday, July 13, 2017, 12:48

NOTE: hot lab reached 27degrees every day this week and went up to 28C today!

This is with the small portable fan running.

27C was reached even with both evaporators off.

When at 28C: evap2 = ~1500C and evap1 = 35A

Thursday, July 20, 2017, 15:58

Hot lab reached 30C today.

Small fan off - unsure if able to run due to contamination spread...

Both evap1 and evap2 were under vacuum but had not initiated ramping up yet.

Thursday, July 27, 2017, 09:06

There was a broken valve motor affecting all ISAC rooms - temporary fix in place.

Ventilation in ISAC hot lab has been increased.

Temperature back to a reasonable level - currently sitting at 22C!

130

Tuesday, April 19, 2016, 10:48

***ALL FUTURE UCx TARGETS***

Tuesday, April 19, 2016, 09:47

Temperature measurements have been taken in evap2 on target containers.

Previously all UCx targets have been conditioned in evap1 at 520A. The respective target containers TaC coating was sintered in evap2 at a different current.

All future UCx targets will now be conditioned in evap1 at the same current required to reach 1900C in evap2 when sintering the TaC coating on the container to be used for the respective target.

ie. If a container is being sintered in evap2 at 450A [1900C], this same container is used for UCx - then that specific UCx target will be conditioned in evap1 at 450A.

Confirm full carbonization has been achieved by following with the vacuum on the strip tool and make sure the final vacuum comes down at the end of the whole process.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011, 16:23

Organics burnoff & Sintering

Wed May 11 16:20:21 2011: The HP-FEBIAD (w.o#38481-8) was filled with SiC (8.5mm, 555 discs). The target is wrapped with 3 Ta-heat shields and is in the evaporator, which is being pumped down.

Thu May 12 10:52:48 2011: The evaporator ion gauge, IEVAPIG1 filament burnt out. The gauge comes in two filaments, so it is now running on the second one. The chamber has been pumped down overnight, currently it's @ 2.29e-6 torr.

Thu May 12 11:15:59 2011: TGHT was stepped up to 80A, vac @ 2.47e-6 Torr. Begin auto heating at 1A/min to 820A and will increase the rate to 2A/min if the vacuum is stable.

Thu May 12 12:27:35 2011: TGHT went up to 101A, and the vacuum started to reach close to the trip limit (8.7e-6 Torr). TGHT was auto ramped down but the vacuum kept rising and tripped off the heater @ 94A. TGHT was turned back on after 30mins, vac @ 8.7e-6 Torr. TGHT was tapped up slowly to 95A. The ramping rate has also decreased to 0.5A/min. (See attachment#1: high_vacuum)

Thu May 12 12:58:51 2011: Lowered TGHT to 90A. Vac stayed at 7.8e-5 Torr.

Fri May 13 15:47:42 2011: TGHT @ 128A, incrementing rate @ 1A/min, Vac @ 5.4e-5 Torr after 30 hrs. (See Attachment#2: current_pressure_30hrs)

Fri May 13 16:22:54 2011: THGT and vacuum over the past 12 hrs. (See Attachment#3: current_pressure_past12hrs)

Mon May 16 11:03:54 2011: THGT reached to 820A and held for over 12 hrs. (See Attachment#4_Sintering process).

Tue May 17 16:26:34 2011

Problem Occurred:

The end caps of the target got vaporized after the sintering process. (See Attachment#5: end_caps_vaporized)
The caps were not coated with TaC and a D-shaped graphite foil were used.

Solutions:

The caps were removed - No damage to the target oven. (See Attachment#6/#7: left_end/ right_end )
New caps were used and coated with TaC. Two circled-graphite foils were used on the both ends and then sealed with the TaC coated caps. (See Attachment 8: TaC_coated_endcaps)
Re-heating the target to 820A.

Tue May 17 16:35:13 2011: Target is wrapped with 3 Ta-heat shields. The target is in the evaporator which is being pumped down.

Tue May 17 19:34:55 2011: TGHT stepped up to 80A, Vac holding at 5.2e-6 Torr. Auto heating began after 25 mins later. Rate set at 2A/min to max 820A.

Tue May 17 22:02:36 2011: TGHT @ 382A, Vac @ 1.23 e-5 Torr. Increased ramping rate @ 3A/min. Cooling down process will begin at 04:00 of May18, 2011; ISAC Ops will help to start the auto cooling process.

Wed May 18 11:39:47 2011: The cooling down process ended; TGHT reached to zero. The camber will be vented.

Attachment 1: high_vacuum.jpg