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Thread: Spectra Physics Argon Krypton high pressure or something else?

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    Default Spectra Physics Argon Krypton high pressure or something else?

    i have a sp-164 ArKr that has been sitting on the shelf a couple of years
    i started it today but i only got the 488 and 647 lines to work
    ran it at 30amps and it produced 1,1w (but only 647 and 488)
    what should i do to get the other lines back?

    /martin

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    You have the "RED BLUES", the tube is very high pressure and must be ran for a few hours a day. Krypton is pressure sensitive, and when the pressure builds the yellow and green lines stop working. This leaves the two very high gain lines, 647 and 488, to lase. The O-ring seal in the refill system leaks very slowly over time.
    Pressure has built up in the tube.

    Spend time retuning and cleaning the optics to be sure. Is the magnet working and set at the correct field?

    Do not leave it on the shelf at this point, unless you wish to ship it to Germany for re-pumping.

    Steve
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    Quote Originally Posted by teknofon View Post
    ..what should i do to get the other lines back?
    Simplest / first thing I'd try is clean yer brewster-windows (..and, if you've not done that before, please get someone who has, to help you.. a) dangerous, since you've to to work on it w/ an 'exposed' electrically-hot stem.. and b) you can make it worse - a lot worse - if you don't do it correctly.. If you have 'done it before', well.. ignore everything I just said.. Next, try the HR and OC clean, and also, re-tune..

    ..I'd also check to make sure yer Cathode is not 'sagging'.. This can be done by *taking the optics out* (..so you don't beam yerself in the eye.. and 'sight down the bore', w/ the PSU up-to V, ready to start (..but don't start it).. If the cathode is sagged, (..a telltale 'crescent-shaped glow' vs the nice, perfectly-round 'donut shape' glow..) you can 'clip' lines, and overall power will be down, also..

    ...But, with those lines being at 'opposite ends' of the tube-spectrals potential, it does sound like it might be more of pressure-issue as P'Fesser Steve is counceling.. Either way, after sitting so long, yer tube prolly needs needs a good brewster / HR/OC-clean / and a full-on tune-job, to eliminate those simple 'first-line causals', from the mix..

    Fwiw.. cheers..
    j
    ....and armed only with his trusty 21 Zorgawatt KTiOPO4...

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    thanks
    how many hours do you guess it needs 5 or 40h
    at how many amps (it's a 2w tube)
    can i clean the hr oc and Brewster-windows with "first contact" or do you recommend anything else?
    could i use the drop and drag method with isopropanol?
    the only thing that happens when adjusting the field setting is that i get the most power at the 55% mark
    something like 10mw more then at 0 or 100%

    /martin

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    Hey Sir Martin -

    Quote Originally Posted by teknofon View Post
    how many hours do you guess it needs 5 or 40h
    ..I'd run it at least 24, and see where yer at.. Full-bore...

    Quote Originally Posted by teknofon View Post
    can i clean the hr oc and Brewster-windows with "first contact" or do you recommend anything else?
    NO, NO, NO!! Spectroscoptic-grade Acetone and Methanol, ONLY!! Especially the HR and brewsters.. The cleanliness of those have a *huge* impact on your gain / output... 'First-Contact' is a great-product, but only-appropriate - imho - for 'optics' like second-order steering-mirrors, or dichros in a PJ..NOT for 'inner-cavity' / gain-optics, like the HR / OC and especially brewsters..

    ..If you absolutely-cannot find 'Spectro' or at least 'scientific-grade' Acetone, you can use 'regular' Acetone, like from a chemical-house or paint-shop, etc, but.. *Never* use anything like 'nail-polish remover', or other-such 'drug-store' Acetone.. they have all sort of additives / perfumes, keratin, etc, etc.. *Not* what you want to drag-across yer HR and brewsters..

    Quote Originally Posted by teknofon View Post
    could i use the drop and drag method with isopropanol?
    No, also, do-not use Isopropyl alcohol.. Too-much water (even 'pure' grade..) and it will leave a film and kill yer output / efficiency.. Usually, the best '1-2 method' is first, Spectro-grade Methanol, then Acetone, to remove the 'tracks' from the Meth.. And, if you just cannot-find Methanol, you can just-use Acetone..

    ..Also, go to a camera-shop, and get 'Kodak' (..if at all possible / available.. ...if not, Agfa and or Fuji may offer some-similar quality..) lens-cleaning paper.. the real stuff.. Don't 'cheap out' or buy anything with 'cleaner' added, or, any 'crinkly-tissue-style'.. etc..

    ..Steve, et al - does any one have the 'How to clean the HR/OC / Brewsters' section of an SP-manual scanned-in / digital? I've only got hard-copies, and no scanner, atm.. That info / pix would be very-helpful for Sir Martin, here.. Pretty-good 'tutorial', iirc.. ..The 'brewster-wipe' is a bit trickier ('drop and drag' is not really possible, with the 'inverted-side' Brew-stem..).. perhaps I can can try and video a 'quickie lesson'.. I'll see what I can manage, this weekend in the shop...

    fwiw..
    j
    ....and armed only with his trusty 21 Zorgawatt KTiOPO4...

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    Be gentle with brewster windows. I have seen those pop off before, a few times, due to of lack of care. It's a tragic sight (and sound too).
    If you're the smartest person in the room, then you're in the wrong room.

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    It would be great with a cleaning video for us noobs out there
    Time to buy some new acetone
    The only methanol i can buy in sweden has lots of additives like color and denaturation additives because people drink it
    At least the acetone is only denatured.
    You have to have a license to buy non denatured methanol and acetone
    in sweden
    I have a bottle of spectro grade acetone
    But it was opened three years ago so i guess it's contaminated with water.

    Thanks
    The video would be great for everyone

    /Martin

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    I'll see what I can do on scanning the manual.
    It does not scan well, the pictures are too "black".
    In a day or two I'll post them.

    No "First Contact" on Ion laser Optics Please, the 80-100 layer films on whitelight optics are too fragile. Same for the Brewster windows.

    One does not need a license if one finds a scientist, shows him/her a picture of the laser, a copy of the manual, and asks NICELY!

    You only need 50-100 milliLitres at most.

    Steve
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    Heya Martin -

    Quote Originally Posted by teknofon View Post
    ..I have a bottle of spectro grade acetone ...But it was opened three years ago so i guess it's contaminated with water.
    Mmm, Acetone is not particularly 'hygroscopic'.. Methanol, however, is.. Especially if the Acetone has been tightly-sealed, even if it's that-old, it will still be far, far-better for those sensitive intra-cavity optic-surfaces, than 'isopropyl'. And, again, 'First Contact' should not even be a consideration..

    ..if, however, 'Best Practices' have not been followed with the usage of the Ac (ie: 'dipping' a cotton-swab into the bottle, vs using a 'dropper', onto a swab / tissue, etc..) well-then, all bets are off... At least for those intra-cavity optics.. Should still be ok for 'second-orders' like dichros / steer-mirrs, etc..

    Quote Originally Posted by teknofon View Post
    ..The video would be great for everyone..
    Ya, I took a look at doing that, over the weekend, and right now, we've got no Ions (..well, that I'd wanna 'demo' this with..) in-shop, so.. I'm gonna suggest that we make a 'real, in-context vid' (ie: with a SP 168, etc..) of this, at 'SELEM', and then upload that, later on.. I've actually got a 'raw stem', with a brewster on it, that is used in 'live-training', etc, but.. it didn't make for easy 'demoing', in videolandia.. So, So, will-plan to shoot some vid, 'in-context', and upload a link, here.. Will let ya know when it's up, etc..

    cheers..
    j
    ....and armed only with his trusty 21 Zorgawatt KTiOPO4...

  10. #10
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    Thumbs up for the video
    It is actually honeywell chromatograph grade acetone and nothing been dipped in it

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