BEHAVIOR AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CARBON STRIPPER FOILS PREPARED BY DIFFERENT METHODS

Carbon stripper foils have been prepared by a variety of methods and tested in a special clean irradiation facility with 4.8 MeV Ar ions. The physical properties of the foils have been studied. The effects of irradiation induced shrinkage have been partially overcome by the use of a special mounting technique which has resulted in a lifetime ten times greater than that obtained with conventional carbon arc foils. Foils prepared by the cracking of hydrocarbon vapour in a glow discharge have greatly reduced shrinkage rate and preliminary measurements have indicated that the lifetime may be extended by a factor of at least twenty five. Finally an attempt is made to understand the mechanism of foil shrinkage and eventual rupture under heavy ion bombardment. © 1979.