Cleaning large beryllium windows?

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EricBall
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Cleaning large beryllium windows?

Post by EricBall »

Hi all,
I'm looking for some documentation on cleaning a large beryllium window on an Ortec detector. Do they provide any guidance beyond indirectly applied acetone, or another solvent that's compatible with their window epoxy? Can you swab a window beyond a certain size under internal vacuum? New to the beryllium windowed detector world and I'd like to avoid a mistake. Common tips and tricks are very appreciated.
Thanks,
Eric
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Richard Hull
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Re: Cleaning large beryllium windows?

Post by Richard Hull »

Does it really need cleaning? Ever heard of letting the sleeping dog lie?

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
EricBall
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Re: Cleaning large beryllium windows?

Post by EricBall »

Richard,
Unfortunately this 'sleeping dog' has fleas, or at least a very thin white residue under the plastic window cap. Coming from the usual surplus channels, I couldn't say what it is.
Eric
Frank Sanns
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Re: Cleaning large beryllium windows?

Post by Frank Sanns »

A thin white film on Be is most likely oxidation from being stored in a high moisture or corrosive environment.

It is transparent to X-rays just like elemental beryllium and is best left undisturbed. Organic solvents are not going to remove it and mechanical means can make it airborne which is not advisable for the severe health risks.

The window is thin and fragile. The oxidation has already compromised some of the base metal. Removing more is probably not the best direction.
Achiever's madness; when enough is still not enough. ---FS
We have to stop looking at the world through our physical eyes. The universe is NOT what we see. It is the quantum world that is real. The rest is just an electron illusion. ---FS
EricBall
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Re: Cleaning large beryllium windows?

Post by EricBall »

Frank,
That makes a lot of sense, thanks. Leave it alone it is.
Eric
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