Abstract: There is provided a detector for detecting conductive contaminants entrained in an airflow. The detector comprises first and second electrically conductive meshes mounted in a spaced apart relationship to provide an operational gap. Each of the meshes is sized to provide a relatively large surface for substantially intersecting the airflow and is sufficiently porous so as not to substantially attenuate the airflow. The meshes form part of an energizable electric circuit wherein the operational gap constitutes a discontinuity of the circuit. The detector includes a capacitor connected in parallel to the portion of the circuit containing the operational gap for releasing a charge stored in the capacitor through the circuit discontinuity when one of the conductive contaminants simultaneously contacts the first and second meshes. The detector further provides for indication of a discharge of the capacitor and thereby the presence of one of the airborne conductive contaminants entrained in the airflow.

Abstract: A metallic sheet for an electronic housing having a zinc coating on a steel base and a thin metal film, preferably a copper film, covering the zinc coating on one or both sides of the sheet, and a method of making the metal film. The metal film reduces whiskering of the zinc in the zinc coating. Whiskering can also be prevented on other metals anodic to copper such as, for example, tin and cadmium.

Abstract: A mass analyzer in which an ion signal, typically from a plasma, travels through an orifice into a vacuum chamber, and through a focussing system in the vacuum chamber into a mass spectrometer and ion detector. Drift of the detected ion signal, and differences in drift of the detected ion signal for different elements, are greatly reduced by a small shadow stop placed in the vacuum chamber immediately behind the orifice. The shadow stop and plate containing the orifice are both preferably grounded. The focussing system includes a Bessel box lens, and drift is further reduced by insulating the stop in the Bessel box lens from the barrel and biasing the Bessel stop differently from the barrel.