Patents by Inventor Ralf Blüthner

Ralf Blüthner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12274971
    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
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Gösta Mattausch, André Weidauer, Ralf Blüthner, Jörg Kubusch, Frank-Holm Rögner, Volker Kirchhoff, Rainer Labitzke, Burkhard Zimmermann
  • Publication number: 20250098058
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Applicant: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Gösta MATTAUSCH, Jörg KUBUSCH, Burkhard ZIMMERMANN, Ralf BLÜTHNER, Lars DINCKLAGE, Severin DOMINOK, Henrik FLASKE, Ludwig LORENZ, Björn MEYER, Michiel Top
  • Publication number: 20230010204
    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
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Gösta MATTAUSCH, André WEIDAUER, Ralf BLÜTHNER, Jörg KUBUSCH, Frank-Holm RÖGNER, Volker KIRCHHOFF, Rainer LABITZKE, Burkhard ZIMMERMANN
  • Patent number: 10806018
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: André Weidauer, Frank-Holm Rögner, Gösta Mattausch, Ralf Blüthner, Ignacio Gabriel Vicente Gabas, Jörg Kubusch
  • Publication number: 20190387605
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Applicant: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: André Weidauer, Frank-Holm Rögner, Gösta Mattausch, Ralf Blüthner, Ignacio Gabriel Vicente Gabas, Jörg Kubusch
  • Patent number: 6605312
    Abstract: Production of a thin-film system containing at least one ultra-thin film, preferentially in the film thickness range from 1 to 10 nm, which is deposited by plasma-aided chemical or physical vapor-phase deposition using magnetron discharges. The method is characterized in that in the course of deposition of the ultra-thin film the power output is introduced into the plasma in the form of a controlled number of power pulses and that the average power output during the pulse-on time is set higher by a factor of at least 3 than the averaged power output over the entire coating time during deposition of the ultra-thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaftt zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V., International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Torsten Winkler, Ralf Blüthner, Klaus Goedicke, Michael Junghähnel, Hans Buchberger, Manfred Müller, Arno Hebgen, Hans-Hermann Schneider
  • Publication number: 20020063053
    Abstract: Production of a thin-film system containing at least one ultra-thin film, preferentially in the film thickness range from 1 to 10 nm, which is separated by plasma-aided chemical or physical vapor-phase deposition using magnetron discharges. The method is characterized in that in the course of deposition of the ultra-thin film the power output is introduced into the plasma in the form of a controlled number of power pulses and that the average power output during the pulse-on time is set higher by a factor of at least 3 than the averaged power output over the entire coating time during deposition of the ultra-thin film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Torsten Winkler, Ralf Bluthner, Klaus Goedicke, Michael Junghahnel, Hans Buchberger, Manfred Muller, Arno Hebgen, Hans-Hermann Schneider