LOW-TEMPERATURE EMISSIVITY OF THIN AL2O3 LAYERS DEPOSITED ON COPPER SUBSTRATE

摘要

Copper is commonly used in cryogenic systems due to its high thermal and electrical conductivity along withexcellent solderability. Very low emissivity values of copper surface also reduce in cryogenic systems heatload transferred by thermal radiation. These values may be, however, enhanced by a prospective coating,deposited usually in order to prevent chemical changes on highly reactive copper surface. This paper focuseson protective layers of Al2O3 with thicknesses up to 28 nm, deposited on polished copper. We measured totalhemispherical emissivity at cryogenic temperatures before and after the coating process. Contribution of Al2O3layer to original copper emissivity increased with rising temperature of the layer and with the layer thickness.However, emissivity of the coated copper stayed below 2%, allowing usage of the coated copper in systemswhere low heat load by thermal radiation is needed. Preliminary tests with oxygen plasma shows that depositedlayers can effectively protect the copper surface against oxidation and maintain the original thermal-radiativeproperties.