Dear Clemente, Bruce and others,

Interesting to hear about these window problems. But another factor may
give you some more teething pains - the use of ClF3 as fluorination
agent in a laser system. ClF3 decomposes by irradiation of the laser
wavelength and gives you a relatively large quatity of F2 with your O2
after freezing the other products by liq-N2.
I think best fluorination agent is F2 with the Asprey salt (as Bruce
mentions to use), and alternatively also BrF5, which is more stable, can
be used - there the problems are rather where to get it (China?) and
safity regulations (I wonder if F2 is not giving similar problems for
safity regulations?).

Can anyone comment on this fact of decomposing ClF3 in laser systems? I
remember once I heard Chris Harris at UCT had terrible problems with
ClF3 - is that true and can you tell more about it Chris?

Best wishes,
Pier de Groot.

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Dr. P.A. de Groot
University of the Witwatersrand
Economic Geology Research Unit
Department of Geology
Private Bag 3
2050 Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel. +27 11 7162564
Fax. +27 11 3391697
E-mail <[log in to unmask]>

Visit the combined HOME-PAGE of EGRU-Geology on the Internet:
  http://www.wits.ac.za/science/geology/index.htm
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