It is a barium target (metal firing possible). The target is used under reactive conditions, which results in an oxide crust. This crust is loose, bursts off and Barium-oxide particles are deposited on the substrate. Careful cleaning with the vacuum cleaner is not enough to remove all barium oxide flakes from the target.
wear gloves, and simply take a fine sharp blade and scrape the oxide dust, it is removable.
Do not use any sandpaper or emery paper, tissue paper, to scrape the surface, or clean the surface. These kind of materials will definitely contaminate your target surface
Once the target is loaded into the sputtering system, try to have a shutter over the target, so that nothing gets deposited onto the substratte. Pre-sputter your target for some time, in pure argon, at low sputtering power wattage and obtain a clean surface of the Barium metal target. It is difficult to define how long and under what precise conditions you should do the Pre-sputtering cleaning treatment. A little bit of experience and hit and trials, may allow you to establish the conditions clearly to obtain a clean barium metal surface.
K. Sreenivas
Dear Rocco Leibschner,
In continuation with my above response, please take care of all the safety hazards while working with the Barium metal.
work in a glove box, Don't let water or water vapor come near,
while cleaning your target,
Because Barium reacts vigorously with water and water vapor.
Please rad all the chemical and safety hazards related to Barium before you do the planned claning job.
Prof. K. Sreenivas
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