Way back in the late 70's I was a "Mr. Fixit" in a factory that made two way radios and the parts that went into them. Microelectronics and quartz crystals were done in our factory but the silicon die that went into the microelectronics was done in Texas and Arizona. We had CO2 and Yag lasers for various operations. The lasers were on my responsibility list. The CO2 laser had a gas mixing panel fed by 4 large tanks. CO2 was the dominant gas for "cutting" ceramic, but helium, neon, and argon were added to adjust the depth of penetration and focal point. The laser does not cut the ceramic since cutting would shatter the ceramic due to the intense localized heat. Instead a line of cone shaped depressions is made, then the ceramic can be broken along that line.
The gas mixture controls the spectrum of light that the laser makes. We operated in the IR region since that was best for cutting ceramic. A "CO2" laser can be adjusted for several different frequencies depending on the exact mixture of gasses. We had three CO2 lasers made by Photon Sources. The biggest was rated at 100 watts, but in pre Tubelab style I was getting nearly 200 watts out of it in the early 80's. I sat in on some of the meetings with Panasonic when we were about to buy a 500 watt CO2 laser. That beast could cover lots of different light frequencies depending on application and the "auxiliary gasses" being used. I left the Mr. Fixit job in 1984 for engineering, and the microelectronics operation left the USA shortly after that, so I have lost track of the current laser tech, but like everything else, it is constantly evolving to meet the finer geometry lithography used in todays chips.
Thanks for the story! I've been learning about lasers lately. Been looking at laser cutters / engravers in the $5,000 price range, nowhere near industrial units, just to see whats out there for the hobbyist. The frequency of the light I never knew had so much to do with what materials you can laser. CO2 lasers in this price point won't cut aluminum or metal but do many other materials, these are on an x/y gantry. Industrial CO2 can probably get the frequency right to cut metal. An affordable fiber laser even just 50 watts will cut and deep engrave aluminum with multiple passes, those are optically directed with mirrors, no gantry, open galvo. Then you have diode units that basically cut paper, craft engraving etc. using low wattage diode. Maybe dreaming, but they are getting close to the price of a good table saw.
As for tubes in Ukraine one has to consider many stashes and stocks of tubes are probably destroyed now and when Russia begins to revoke peoples property rights their basements will probably be cleared of cases of tubes to dumpsters. The human cost is the priority of course, but the thread discussion is tubes, and right now buildings are being blown up and probably become the property of the communist state unless the tide turns.
Russia has been very generous to me over the years. I have a bounty of inexpensive flouroplast and polystyrene capacitors and preamplifier vacuum tubes. I have been wavering for a couple years between a push-pull 300B or 6C33C amplifier and current events have helped resolve that dilemma. Interesting times indeed!
This isn't quite about vacuum tubes, but it shows "extreme UV" light (almost x-rays) generated indirectly by lasers for essential operations for making the latest, highest-density chips.
Well 'Uncle Kevin' has posted this today: https://upscaleaudio.com/pages/vacuum-tubes
I do find it a little ironic he calls out the availability of JJ and Chinese tubes as comfort...which he rarely or never sold before (he proudly claims he only sells what he likes...implying those tubes were not something he was interested in). And the 'panic buying' was people buying at the old, lower retail prices (in general). And while I hope he IS right that things get back to normal and there is a favorable outcome, it could be a very long time (VERY long) and there is no guarantee the New Sensor factory will be all fine and dandy with this (they could shut down, they could be taken over, etc.).
I do find it a little ironic he calls out the availability of JJ and Chinese tubes as comfort...which he rarely or never sold before (he proudly claims he only sells what he likes...implying those tubes were not something he was interested in). And the 'panic buying' was people buying at the old, lower retail prices (in general). And while I hope he IS right that things get back to normal and there is a favorable outcome, it could be a very long time (VERY long) and there is no guarantee the New Sensor factory will be all fine and dandy with this (they could shut down, they could be taken over, etc.).
That makes me laugh. I mean REALLY?! How much paper do you need FFS?
My partner and I took 16 months to use a 24 roll pack of Cottonelle Professional.
My partner and I took 16 months to use a 24 roll pack of Cottonelle Professional.
Better product, less money. Delivered to my door. What's not to like?
It was this but 24 rolls...
https://www.kcprofessional.ca/en-ca...essional-standard-roll-toilet-paper-srb/17713
It was this but 24 rolls...
https://www.kcprofessional.ca/en-ca...essional-standard-roll-toilet-paper-srb/17713
My brand of choice is... Member's Mark Brand from Sam's Club.
45 rolls last me a long long time.
45 rolls last me a long long time.
Nowadays, stuff like Cymer/ASML light sources don't use the laser directly to generate the light, instead they use a C02 laser to excite a droplet of sodium and turn it into a plasma. Eventually that creates very high energy photons -EUV- that are used as the light for the lithography.
Working with that stuff is fun, specially in R&D. It's like plumbing, electrics, electronics, wires, cables, lights, vacuums, pumps, etc... awesome.
The laser room... amazing. Pure amazing. If you like wires, cables, boxes, lights, loud sounds, pumps, valves, flashing lights... it's heaven.
Wow! To date I was convinced of this being an intrinsic German thing and the whole world is laughing at us 🤣 !
Best regards!
Because of the Upscale Audio guy yelling about PANIC BUYING.
And also because the internet...oh internet...
In a humorous way, I was relating the past toilet paper shortage to the Russian tube thing.
Just today I received this email from German tube supplier TAD:
(As of 16 March 2022) - GERMAN BELOW
Without a doubt, the current situation on the tube market can be classified as dramatic. In any case, for years, there have been only three noteworthy manufacturers of audio amplifier tubes such as 12AX7 / ECC83, EL84, EL34 and 6L6GC.
In August 2019, the largest manufacturer Shuguang closed its factory in order to move to a larger and more modern location. Unfortunately, the new production facility has not been granted permission for two years now. In the meantime, leading employees have left or have been compensated. This probably means the end of the Shuguang Electron Tube Factory.
The second major manufacturer in Russia, known mainly for the Sovtek, Electro Harmonix, Tung-Sol and Gold-Lion brands, can no longer export tubes since the Russian sanctions came into force.
This leaves only JJ as the smallest of the three big manufacturers. And their delivery time was already up to 18-20 months, even before the Russian sanctions.
REDBASE®
As we anticipated the development with Shuguang at a very early stage, we had already intensified a new cooperation with a small manufacturer in China in 2020. We knew that they had acquired the production facilities of another tube manufacturing plant that had been closed in the early 2000s, but had not yet used them for the types of tubes we required so urgently after Shuguang ceased production.
Working closely together, we facilitated a massive expansion and modernisation of the production facilities and started with the TAD 6L6GCM-STR REDBASE in spring 2021. This was followed by the TAD 6L6WGC-STR, the TAD EL34-STR, the TAD 12AU7A / ECC82 and the TAD GZ34-STR.
Currently, we are expecting the start of volume production of the new TAD ECC83WA, 7025WA, 12AX7A/7025, 12BH7A-STR and KT88-STR right now, followed by more models such as the 6V6GT-STR, 6550A-STR, 12AT7 / ECC81 and EL84-STR REDBASE series in the near future.
All REDBASE® tubes are individually tested, listened to and, if necessary, matched at TAD in Germany, thus replacing the obsolete TAD-STR and TAD-BLACKPLATE tube models.
The TAD REDBASE® series is manufactured independently of the three previous manufacturers and will significantly ease the supply situation for the mentioned tube types within the next few months.
Best regards!
Current Situation Regarding the Supply of Amplifier Tubes
(As of 16 March 2022) - GERMAN BELOW
Without a doubt, the current situation on the tube market can be classified as dramatic. In any case, for years, there have been only three noteworthy manufacturers of audio amplifier tubes such as 12AX7 / ECC83, EL84, EL34 and 6L6GC.
In August 2019, the largest manufacturer Shuguang closed its factory in order to move to a larger and more modern location. Unfortunately, the new production facility has not been granted permission for two years now. In the meantime, leading employees have left or have been compensated. This probably means the end of the Shuguang Electron Tube Factory.
The second major manufacturer in Russia, known mainly for the Sovtek, Electro Harmonix, Tung-Sol and Gold-Lion brands, can no longer export tubes since the Russian sanctions came into force.
This leaves only JJ as the smallest of the three big manufacturers. And their delivery time was already up to 18-20 months, even before the Russian sanctions.
REDBASE®
As we anticipated the development with Shuguang at a very early stage, we had already intensified a new cooperation with a small manufacturer in China in 2020. We knew that they had acquired the production facilities of another tube manufacturing plant that had been closed in the early 2000s, but had not yet used them for the types of tubes we required so urgently after Shuguang ceased production.
Working closely together, we facilitated a massive expansion and modernisation of the production facilities and started with the TAD 6L6GCM-STR REDBASE in spring 2021. This was followed by the TAD 6L6WGC-STR, the TAD EL34-STR, the TAD 12AU7A / ECC82 and the TAD GZ34-STR.
Currently, we are expecting the start of volume production of the new TAD ECC83WA, 7025WA, 12AX7A/7025, 12BH7A-STR and KT88-STR right now, followed by more models such as the 6V6GT-STR, 6550A-STR, 12AT7 / ECC81 and EL84-STR REDBASE series in the near future.
All REDBASE® tubes are individually tested, listened to and, if necessary, matched at TAD in Germany, thus replacing the obsolete TAD-STR and TAD-BLACKPLATE tube models.
The TAD REDBASE® series is manufactured independently of the three previous manufacturers and will significantly ease the supply situation for the mentioned tube types within the next few months.
Best regards!