Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for applying accelerated electrons to a gaseous medium by means of an electron beam generator, which has at least one cathode for emitting electrons and at least one electron exit window, wherein a) the at least one cathode is annular and the at least one electron exit window is in the form of an annular first hollow cylinder, the annular electron exit window in the form of the first hollow cylinder forms an inner wall of an annular housing of the electron beam generator, wherein the electrons emitted by the cathode are accelerated to the ring axis of the annular housing; b) an annular second hollow cylinder is arranged within the electron exit window in the form of the first hollow cylinder and delimits an annular space between the first hollow cylinder and the second hollow cylinder; c) a cooling gas is fed through the annular space between the first hollow cylinder and the second hollow cylinder; and d) the gaseous medium to which accelerated electrons are to be applied

Abstract: An annular apparatus is provided for generating accelerated electrons, wherein ions from a glow discharge plasma may be accelerated onto the surface of an annular second cathode and electrons emitted by the annular second cathode may be accelerated towards an annular electron exit window by a second electrical voltage applied between the annular second cathode and an annular second anode, wherein a housing is designed as a first cathode; a first anode comprises a number of wire-like electrodes which extend completely or partially through an annular evacuable space, and wherein a second reservoir contains a hydrocarbon-containing compound which may be admitted into the evacuable space through the at least one first inlet.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for applying accelerated electrons to a gaseous medium by means of an electron beam generator, which has at least one cathode for emitting electrons and at least one electron exit window, wherein a) the at least one cathode is annular and the at least one electron exit window is in the form of an annular first hollow cylinder, the annular electron exit window in the form of the first hollow cylinder forms an inner wall of an annular housing of the electron beam generator, wherein the electrons emitted by the cathode are accelerated to the ring axis of the annular housing; b) an annular second hollow cylinder is arranged within the electron exit window in the form of the first hollow cylinder and delimits an annular space between the first hollow cylinder and the second hollow cylinder; c) a cooling gas is fed through the annular space between the first hollow cylinder and the second hollow cylinder; and d) the gaseous medium to which accelerated electrons are to be applied

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for generating accelerated electrons, including a housing; an inlet for supplying a working gas; at least one first cathode; and at least one first anode, between which a corona discharge plasma can be generated. Ions from the corona discharge plasma can be accelerated onto the surface of a second cathode. Electrons emitted by the second cathode can be accelerated in the direction of the electron exit window by means of a second electric voltage applied between the second cathode and a second anode. The housing, the second cathode, and the electron exit window are ring-shaped. The ring-shaped space is divided into ring segments. Each ring segment has at least one wire-shaped electrode, which extends through the ring segment. At least one separate power supply device is associated with each ring segment, by means of which the strength of the electrical current is adjustable.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for generating accelerated electrons, including a housing; an inlet for supplying a working gas; at least one first cathode; and at least one first anode, between which a corona discharge plasma can be generated. Ions from the corona discharge plasma can be accelerated onto the surface of a second cathode. Electrons emitted by the second cathode can be accelerated in the direction of the electron exit window by means of a second electric voltage applied between the second cathode and a second anode. The housing, the second cathode, and the electron exit window are ring-shaped. The ring-shaped space is divided into ring segments. Each ring segment has at least one wire-shaped electrode, which extends through the ring segment. At least one separate power supply device is associated with each ring segment, by means of which the strength of the electrical current is adjustable.

Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one electron beam generator for generating accelerated electrons with which bulk material particles are impingeable during free fall. The electron beam generator has an annular design in which the electrons are emitted and accelerated by an annular cathode. The electrons exit from an electron outlet window in the direction of the ring axis. The annular electron beam generator is arranged in such a way that the ring axis of the electron beam generator is oriented perpendicular to, or at an angle of up to 45° from the horizontal. The apparatus may further include a device for separating bulk material particles arranged above the annular electron beam generator, the bottom wall of said device having at least one opening out of which the bulk material particles fall and, from there, fall through the ring which is formed by the electron beam generator.

Abstract: An apparatus for suppression of arcs in an electron beam generator including: a first module providing an operating voltage; a second module including a coil suitable for a voltage of at least 10 kV, and at least one free-wheeling diode connected in parallel to the coil; a third module including a first circuit component configured to detect a first actual value for electric voltage, and a first signal is producible when the first actual value falls below a first threshold value, a second circuit component by which a second actual value for electric current is detectable, and a second signal is generated when the second actual value exceeds a second threshold value, a control logic, which optionally links the first and second signals and a resultant output signal is producible; a semiconductor-based switch suitable for the voltage of at least 10 kV, which is opened based on the output signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for suppression of arcs in an electron beam generator including: a first module providing an operating voltage; a second module including a coil suitable for a voltage of at least 10 kV, and at least one free-wheeling diode connected in parallel to the coil; a third module including a first circuit component configured to detect a first actual value for electric voltage, and a first signal is producible when the first actual value falls below a first threshold value, a second circuit component by which a second actual value for electric current is detectable, and a second signal is generated when the second actual value exceeds a second threshold value, a control logic, which optionally links the first and second signals and a resultant output signal is producible; a semiconductor-based switch suitable for the voltage of at least 10 kV, which is opened based on the output signal.

Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one electron beam generator for generating accelerated electrons with which bulk material particles are impingeable during free fall. The electron beam generator has an annular design in which the electrons are emitted and accelerated by an annular cathode. The electrons exit from an electron outlet window in the direction of the ring axis. The annular electron beam generator is arranged in such a way that the ring axis of the electron beam generator is oriented perpendicular to, or at an angle of up to 45° from the horizontal. The apparatus may further include a device for separating bulk material particles arranged above the annular electron beam generator, the bottom wall of said device having at least one opening out of which the bulk material particles fall and, from there, fall through the ring which is formed by the electron beam generator.

Abstract: A method for forming an electrically conductive structure on a plastic substrate is provided. An ink, which contains electrically conductive solid particles, is printed on the plastic substrate, where copper particles are used as electrically conductive solid particles. After the printing of the ink, only the surface regions of the plastic substrate on which the electrically conductive structure is to be formed are swept over within a vacuum chamber by means of an electron beam having a first energy per unit length, causing sintering of the copper particles.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating a hollow cathode arc discharge plasma, including two plasma sources, each including a hollow cathode and an electrode which is associated with the hollow cathode and which has an opening that extends through the electrode, wherein the hollow cathodes of the two plasma sources are connected to a pulse generator which generates a bipolar, medium-frequency pulsed voltage between the two hollow cathodes. Here, in each of the two plasma sources, the hollow cathode is connected in an electrically conducting manner, directly or with interconnection of at least one current direction limiting component, to the associated electrode.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating a hollow cathode arc discharge plasma, including two plasma sources, each including a hollow cathode and an electrode which is associated with the hollow cathode and which has an opening that extends through the electrode, wherein the hollow cathodes of the two plasma sources are connected to a pulse generator which generates a bipolar, medium-frequency pulsed voltage between the two hollow cathodes. Here, in each of the two plasma sources, the hollow cathode is connected in an electrically conducting manner, directly or with interconnection of at least one current direction limiting component, to the associated electrode.