On the possibility of producing alumina ceramic with a slight electrical conductivity

Antistatic alumina ceramic is desirable for certain particle accelerator applications. In general, highly insulating surface close to a charged particle beam must be avoided in order to prevent the formation of ion pockets and other unwanted electrical effects. For the AA vacuum chamber (UHV), an antistatic ferrite has been produced and successfully installed. The fabrication of antistatic alumina might be possible in a similar way. By using certain metal oxides in the cement, which holds the alumina particles together, a slight conductivity could be obtained after the firing and sintering process, without deteriorating the mechanical and outgassing properties of the alumina compound