Corrosion Resistant Electrodes for Laser Chambers

Abstract

Corrosion resistant electrodes are formed of brass that has been doped with phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, or combinations thereof. The electrodes are formed of brass that contains about 100 ppm to about 1,000 ppm of phosphorus, arsenic, or antimony, and the brass has no visible microporosity at a magnification of 400×. The brass may be cartridge brass that contains about 30 weight percent of zinc and the balance copper. Corrosion resistant electrodes also may be formed by subjecting brass to severe plastic deformation to increase the resistance of the brass to plasma corrosion. The corrosion resistant electrodes can be used in laser systems to generate laser light.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrode, comprising:
 a body of the electrode having an elongated surface formed of brass that contains about 100 ppm to about 1,000 ppm of arsenic or antimony, the brass having no visible microporosity at a magnification of 400×, and the brass exhibiting increased resistance to plasma corrosion relative to cartridge brass that has not been doped with arsenic or antimony.   
     
     
         2 . An electrode, comprising:
 a body of the electrode having an elongated surface, the body of the electrode being formed of a material consisting essentially of 29.7 weight percent to 30.3 weight percent of zinc, 120 ppm to 370 ppm of arsenic or antimony, less than 100 ppm of impurities, and the balance copper, wherein the material has no visible microporosity at a magnification of 400×, and the material exhibits increased resistance to plasma corrosion relative to cartridge brass that has not been doped with arsenic or antimony.   
     
     
         3 . An electrode, comprising:
 a body of the electrode having an elongated surface formed of brass that contains about 100 ppm to about 1,000 ppm of arsenic or antimony, the brass having less than 30 inclusions per mm 2  and each inclusion has a diameter that does not exceed about 5 microns, and the brass exhibiting increased resistance to plasma corrosion relative to cartridge brass that has not been doped with arsenic or antimony.