[time-nuts] Lifetime of Cesium tube

Richard (Rick) Karlquist (N6RK) richard at karlquist.com
Thu May 12 12:11:16 EDT 2005


> The end of life can be due to several things, but most notable is 
> a shortage
> of cesium ions to send hurling down the length of the tube, and an excess

1.  Cesium atoms, not ions, are launched down the tube.  They
then get ionized by the hot wire ionizer.

2.  My understanding talking to the CBT people is that
there is plenty of cesium in the tube to last its expected 
life.  In most cases, the tube will fail for other reasons
long before the cesium is exhausted.  

> of other molecules for the cesium ions to run into.  Either 
> condition results
> in a shortage of cesium molecules for the detector to detect.

Atoms not molecules

> 
> A c-beam is essentially a notch filter.  The beam is modulated 

No, it's a bandpass filter.

Rick Karlquist
 



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