Thursday, September 25, 2014, 17:32

Target boat is filled with Ta-coated endcaps.  The caps are stacked together.  In between each cap, a piece of graphite foil is used for separation so the Ta caps would not fused. 

See link for photos:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rydtdho6ggh4l3l/AAAYmvqT0mVQ_pnz4iecS4ksa?dl=0

The boat is wrapped with 3-layers of heatshields.  The chamber is currently being pumped down.

TGHT will be ramped up to 580A and the temperature will be measured.

Monday, September 29, 2014, 11:12

TGHt was stepped up to 40A on last Friday and chamber continues to pump down over the weekend.

Vac @ 2.56e-6 Torr, mp @ 19mTorr.

Ramping up TGHT 580A at 1.0A/min.

 Monday, September 29, 2014, 11:50

TGHT tripped off at 53A.  Reduce ramping rate to 0.5A/min for now.

 Monday, September 29, 2014, 16:17

Vacuum is coming down to 9.5e-7 Torr.  Increased ramping rate to 1.0A/min.

 Tuesday, September 30, 2014, 11:59

TGHT reached to 580A/10.18V.  Target has been heated at that current for almost 12 hrs. Vac @ 4.9e-7 Torr.

Local temp measured with Mikron = (1500C + 250 C correction) = 1750C

Cooling down at 2A/min.

 Thursday, October 02, 2014, 11:13

The coating is fully sintered; no sign of any damage on the endcaps.  

Process is successful.