Abstract: A method for determining the element concentration in electron beam melting is used for the continous measurement during the melting process especially for melting alloys. According to the invention, the X-radiation generated during melting is utilized by concurrently measuring the intensity of the characteristic radiation of the element to be determined and the intensity of another portion of the X-ray spectrum from the same location of the melt. The quotient of both measurands then is a function of the concentration of the element to be determined.

Abstract: In a method for coating strip material by means of an electron beam line evaporator, deflecting in a time-invariant program the electron beam to a plurality of dwell points arranged along a path normal to the direction of strip travel, sensing film thickness in a time-variant programmed mode at a plurality of positions arranged along a course normal to said direction of strip travel and subsequent to said path in said direction of strip travel, controlling in accordance with said programmed mode the dwell of said electron beam at selected dwell points to provide uniform film thickness distribution on said strip.

Abstract: An electron beam line evaporator for coating heat-sensitive strips or substrates includes a magnetic trap overlying an evaporation crucible to prevent unpermissible heating and static electrification by back-scattered electrons, complemented with means to influence the injection angle of a dynamically deflected electron beam in such a manner that the beam enters the horizontal magnetic field of the trap at the same angle in each deflection phase independent of stray fields. Such means are arranged inside a gap of a pole shoe necessary for the horizontal magnetic field used by the trap and are operative to generate a vertical magnetic field variable in time and locally alongside the pole shoe.

Abstract: A high beam power electron gun of the axial type, particularly useful in large-scale vacuum metallurgy plants for melting, vaporizing and heat treating. The electron gun is controllable over its entire power range, i.e., from 10% to 100% of its nominal power, while the focal length of its beam guidance lens is maintained unchanged. This lens is downstream of a cathode, a focusing electrode and a movable anode, and is provided on its upstream side with a pole shoe to which the anode is fastened and which, together with the anode, is movable as a single unit in the axial direction for controlling the power.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for the disinfection of seeds, preferably those of grains, to prevent pathogenic organisms from being planted with the seeds, and to provide reliable disinfection without using toxic agents. The seed is irradiated by low-energy electrons with energy and dosage controlled so that the surface and regions close to the surface are exposed to the radiation with fungicidal effect. A beam of the low-energy electrons is provided by an electron gun aimed at a region within a seed-receiving chamber at which the seeds to be irradiated are caused to intercept the radiation repeatedly and on all sides. The chamber may be at atmospheric pressure or be evacuated, the latter condition requiring vacuum locks at seed inlet and outlet ports of the chamber.