Abstract: An ion source is capable of generating and/or emitting an ion beam which may be used to deposit a layer on a substrate or to perform other functions. In certain example embodiments, techniques for reducing the costs associated with producing ion sources and/or elements thereof are provided. Such techniques may include, for example, forming the inner and/or outer cathode(s) from 1018 mild steel and/or segmented pieces. Such techniques also or instead include, for example, forming the ion source body from a single steel U-channel, or from segmented pieces making up the same. These techniques may be used alone or in various combinations.

Abstract: A multi-directional dispenser cathode has a cathode body that supports a plurality of electron emitters which spanning open portions of the cathode body. Each electron emitter has an inward facing surface and an outward facing surface wherein the inward facing surfaces and an interior wall of the body define an interior volume that contains a heater. To selectively accelerate emitted electrons, an electrically distinct biasing electrode is in spaced relationship to the outward facing surface of each electron emitter and coupled to a biasing power supply effective to provide an intermittent positive voltage potential to the biasing electrode. The distinct biasing electrodes are provided with a positive voltage potential at different times thereby causing an intermittent burst of electrons. Among the applications for intermittent bursts of accelerated electrons are to generate radiation from a particle accelerator.

Abstract: A closed drift ion source which includes a channel having an open end, a closed end, and an input port for an ionizable gas. A first magnetic pole is disposed on the open end of the channel and extends therefrom in a first direction. A second magnetic pole disposed on the open end of the channel and extends therefrom in a second direction, where the first direction is opposite to the second direction. The distal ends of the first magnetic pole and the second magnetic pole define a gap comprising the opening in the first end. An anode is disposed within the channel. A primary magnetic field line is disposed between the first magnetic pole and the second magnetic pole, where that primary magnetic field line has a mirror field greater than 2.

Abstract: A switch for switching large currents and large charges includes an anode separated from a cathode with a cylindrical trigger electrode located around the anode and the gap. The cathode is of a metal such as zinc, cadmium, tin or magnesium. During operation, a suitable potential applied to the trigger electrode causes a main discharge to occur between the anode and the cathode.

Abstract: A gas discharge tube for regulating the flow of high power direct current, and a method for its use. The tube is provided with pairs of secondary electrodes flanking the current path from the anode to the cathode, and with solenoids for generating a magnetic field perpendicular to the current path from the anode to the cathode and also perpendicular to a transverse direction defined by the secondary electrode pairs. This magnetic field diverts part or all of the primary current, flowing from the cathode to the anode, to the secondary electrodes.

Abstract: A plasma switch is provided which can limit fault currents to a range that is elecrostatically interruptible by a control grid. The switch includes magnets that generate a first magnetic vector which cooperates with an electric field to generate a plasma, the density of which is a function of the magnitude of the first magnetic vector. A stalling coil is arranged to generate a second magnetic vector that opposes and cancels a portion of the first magnetic vector in response to a fault current through the switch. This establishes a stalling condition in which the plasma density falls and a plasma potential gradient is set up in the switch. In this unstable condition, the plasma current is interruptible by the control grid.

Abstract: A plasma switch employs a cold cathode which yields secondary electrons to sustain a plasma within the switch. The cathode is provided with a series of perturbations which increase the effective cathode surface area exposed to the plasma and increase the average effective path lengths of secondary electrons emitted from the cathode and the probability of such electrons having ionizing collisions with gas molecules within the switch. The interior cathode surface is provided with a coating formed from chromium or a chromium mixture. Chromium combines a high rate of secondary electron emission with low sputtering and other advantageous properties for plasma switch operation. Various types of chromium-plated perturbations are described.

Abstract: An ignitron device is provided in which a permanent annular magnet at least partly surrounds the region between the ignitron anode and the surface of a mercury pool connected to the cathode terminal, the magnet being effective to create an axial magnetic field in the aforementioned region which tends to constrain the discharge arc of the device towards the center of the pool and away from the envelope walls of the device.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus usable for ionizing a gas comprising a cathode serving as a hot or cold cathode and to a process for using this apparatus. The apparatus includes a facing cathode and anode, the gas to be ionized successively traversing the cathode and the anode. The apparatus is characterized in that the cathode is formed by a first and second cylindrical half-electrode in face-to-face relation, the gas to be ionized passing between the half-electrode and a conductive filament connected by a first end to the first half-electrode and by a second end to the second half-electrode and located between the half-electrodes. The invention applied to all apparatuses used for ionizing a gas, such as electric arcs, unoplasmatrons and duoplasmatrons.

Abstract: It is desirable not only to switch between circuits or circuit elements carrying relatively large currents but also to effect the switch-over operation extremely rapidly. Conventional thyratrons can be used to switch on the current, but they cannot easily be switched off so quickly.The invention seeks to solve this "switch-off" difficulty by using the principle of plasma particle diversion together with a new thyratron design which can be used as a "switch-over" device. As can be seen from FIG.

Abstract: Electron multiplier tube, comprising along the principal axis an electron-emitting surface, several dynode stages with distributed structure, capable of reflux secondary electron emission, and an electron-receiving surface, as well as means producing an electron-accelerating electric field generally oriented along the principal axis, from the electron-emitting surface to the electron-receiving surface. With it is associated coil means producing a magnetic field generally oriented along the principal axis of the tube.Particular example is a photomultiplier with high spatial resolution.

Abstract: A cross-field discharge plasma is used to supply charge carriers for a grid controlled cold cathode discharge device. A dc magnetic field is employed to sustain the crossed-field discharge when the source grid is active. The device comprises an anode, a cathode, a source grid, and in alternate embodiments, additional control grids. Preferably the magnetic field exists only in the source grid-cathode space and penetrates only weakly, or not at all, into other electrode gaps or spaces. The source grid-cathode plasma is effectively a source of charge carriers, electrons or ions, controlled by the source grid current, the anode current being an approximate linear function of source grid current within limits, and/or controllable by adjustment of control grid potentials.

Abstract: A circuit interrupter which can be used as a high voltage d-c breaker or fault current limiter transfer switch or the like contains a pair of cooperable contacts disposed in an evacuated container. One of the contacts also serves as the cathode of a magnetically modulated vacuum arc discharge device. This cathode is spaced from an anode disposed in the wall of the evacuated housing. The anode is surrounded by a winding which is capable of producing a magnetic field which can increase the impedance of the arc plasma between the cathode and anode in order to decrease the arc current and extinguish the arc. The cooperable contacts within the interrupter serve to carry load current and also serve to create the inital arc which is transferred between the anode and cathode structures.

Abstract: A high voltage interrupter consists of a cathode disposed centrally along the axis of an annular anode ring. The anode ring is a part of the wall of an evacuated container and is enclosed by a magnetic coil. Current flows through an arc plasma struck between the cathode and anode and this arc current is controlled by a magnetic field produced by the external coil which varies the impedance of the arc and causes the arc to extinguish. The anode contains a plurality of parallel metal vanes which extend into the interior of the evacuated housing to increase the current capability of the device and to control the rate of change of the current during switching operation.

Abstract: A circuit interrupting device for providing protection against surge currents is constructed to operate very rapidly. A surge current generates a magnetic field in coils which deflects an electron beam which normally travels from a cathode to an anode to complete an electric circuit.

Abstract: Three electrodes define two gaps in the crossed-field tube so that while one gap is holding off high voltage the other can be ignited to turn the tube on with high voltage applied. The three electrodes act as anode, cathode and control electrodes and define the main and ignition gaps. The intermediate electrode is gridded and the control electrode is connected to one of the other electrodes through an impedance to prevent hollow cathode discharge.

Abstract: In addition to the anode and cathode electrodes which define a low pressure gas filled main gap therebetween and a magnetic field to lengthen the electron path, the crossed-field switch device has a control electrode defining a second gas filled control gap in communication with the first, main conducting gap. An auxiliary voltage supply can be connected to the control gap to ignite a low pressure discharge, and the ionized plasma of this discharge leaks into the first gap to start a discharge in the glow mode.

Abstract: A multipole magnetic well for plasma confinement includes a plurality of current-carrying coils placed on planes corresponding to the facets of a regular polyhedron that can be symmetrically circumscribed about a sphere. The direction of current in the coils is such as to minimize the flux density at the center of the polyhedron, thereby providing a confinement well with three-dimensional symmetry having an increasing flux density in all directions from the center.

Abstract: An apparatus with an increased efficiency, for ion bombardment machining operations at voltages not exceeding some few thousands of volts, is provided. It comprises an ion source whose plasma is extracted across grids forming cylinders of revolution about one and the same axis, for example a vertical axis. The specimens for machining are arranged in a ring around the ion source. The ion beam, of radial type, is highly uniform within a cylindrical space defined between two parallel planes, for example horizontal planes. It is possible to limit the apertural angle of the beam by the use of a mask arranged against one of the grids.