phys138@canterbury (10/25/90)
Recently our SpectraPhysics 171 argon laser system failed with water vapour ingress into the glass tube and we are weighing up the merits of changing to a complete SpectraPhysics metal-ceramic argon laser system such as the 2045 model. A point of concern is the reliability of the ceramic tube technology as the principal motivation for switching is to gain increased reliability. Our funding is sufficiently limited for tube reliabilty to be quite a concern. Does anyone have any first-hand experience confirming or disproving increased reliability? Should any comments be wished to be made directly I can be reached by email to PHYS112@Canterbury.AC.NZ. Thanks in advance, Glynn JONES. Department of Physics, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND.