We have an oven that heats chunks of mettalic ytterbium (to about 450 degrees C) to generate an appreciable vapor pressure. The vapor escapes the oven through a nozzle of heated microtubes. Conventional wisdom dictates that the microtubes should be at a higher temperature (about 50 degrees higher) than the oven itself to avoid clogging. My question is: what happens at a moleculair level to the atoms that hit the side of the microtubes? Apparently they don't coat the sides. Does that mean they are reflected specularly or is it more of a diffuse reflection? Do they stick to the metal for some time before they get re-emitted? Does the material used to fabricate the microtubes make a difference?
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