Patents Examined by Pip Patel
  • Negative electron affinity spark plug
    Patent number: 5550425
    Abstract: A spark plug having a positive electrode spark tip which is covered with a ery thin layer (.ltoreq.20 nanometers) of very hard NEA material having very large chemical binding energies such that most elements, including carbon and nitrogen, will not bind to its surface. The NEA material may be sapphire, or may be an n-type impurity-doped semiconductor material such as n-type AlN, cBN, or GaAlN having a bandgap exceeding 5.5 eV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Max N. Yoder