On 03/08/2017 08:15 AM, Paul Andrews wrote:
> OK, but how does it reduce sputtering?
>
Two mechanisms. First, its ionization potential is lower than neon so
the atoms have less voltage to accelerate them. Second and most
importantly, the mercury ion is MUCH heavier than neon and so
accelerate
Paul, as it was explained to me a long time ago by a forgotten physics
professor, mercury atoms are big, heavy atoms, much heavier than neon
or argon.
As I understand it, sputtering happens when energetic electrons or ions
knock metallic atoms off the surface of electrodes. If there happens
OK, but how does it reduce sputtering?
> On Mar 8, 2017, at 8:08 AM, Dekatron42 wrote:
>
> Here's one patent: http://google.ch/patents/US3944869 that says:
>
> "For many years, display devices such as NIXIE tubes have used mercury vapor
> along with the normal inert gas content to minimize cat
Here's one patent: http://google.ch/patents/US3944869 that says:
"For many years, display devices such as NIXIE tubes have used mercury
vapor along with the normal inert gas content to minimize cathode
sputtering"
There are more patents on the use of Mercury and Nixies that tells the same
stor
