Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling electron flow within a plasma to produce a controlled electron beam is provided. A plasma is formed between a cathode and an acceleration anode. A control anode is connected to the plasma and to the acceleration anode via a switch. If the switch is open, the ions from the plasma flow to the cathode and plasma electrons flow to the acceleration anode. With the acceleration anode suitably transparent and negatively biased with a DC high voltage source, the electrons flowing from the plasma are accelerated to form an electron beam. If the switch is closed, the ions still flow to the cathode but the electrons flow to the control anode rather than the acceleration anode. Consequently, the electron beam is turned off, but the plasma is unaffected. By controlling the opening and closing of the switch, a controlled pulsed electron beam can be generated.

Abstract: An electron beam enhanced nitriding system that passes a high-energy electron beam through nitrogen gas to form a low electron temperature plasma capable of delivering nitrogen ions and radicals to a substrate to be nitrided. The substrate can be mounted on an electrode, and the substrate can be biased and heated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling electron flow within a plasma to produce a controlled electron beam is provided. A plasma is formed between a cathode and an acceleration anode. A control anode is connected to the plasma and to the acceleration anode via a switch. If the switch is open, the ions from the plasma flow to the cathode and plasma electrons flow to the acceleration anode. With the acceleration anode suitably transparent and negatively biased with a DC high voltage source, the electrons flowing from the plasma are accelerated to form an electron beam. If the switch is closed, the ions still flow to the cathode but the electrons flow to the control anode rather than the acceleration anode. Consequently, the electron beam is turned off, but the plasma is unaffected. By controlling the opening and closing of the switch, a controlled pulsed electron beam can be generated.

Abstract: This invention provides a means to deposit thin films and coatings on a substrate using an electron beam generated plasma. The plasma can be used as an ion source in sputter applications, where the ions are used to liberate material from a target surface which can then condense on a substrate to form the film or coating. Alternatively, the plasma may be combined with existing deposition sources including those based on sputter or evaporation techniques. In either configuration, the plasma serves as a source of ion and radical species at the growing film surface in reactive deposition processes. The electron beam large area deposition system (EBELADS) is a new approach to the production of thin films or coatings up to and including several square meters.

Abstract: An ion-ion plasma source, that features a processing chamber containing a large concentration of halogen or halogen-based gases. A second chamber is coupled to the processing chamber and features an electron source which produces a high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam is injected into the processing chamber where it is shaped and confined by a means for shaping and confining the high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam produced in the second chamber when injected into the processing chamber ionizes the halogen gas creating a dense, ion-ion plasma in the processing chamber that is continuous in time.

Abstract: An electron beam enhanced nitriding system that passes a high-energy electron beam through nitrogen gas to form a low electron temperature plasma capable of delivering nitrogen ions and radicals to a substrate to be nitrided. The substrate can be mounted on an electrode, and the substrate can be biased and heated.

Abstract: An ion-ion plasma source, that features a processing chamber containing a large concentration of halogen or halogen-based gases. A second chamber is coupled to the processing chamber and features an electron source which produces a high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam is injected into the processing chamber where it is shaped and confined by a means for shaping and confining the high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam produced in the second chamber when injected into the processing chamber ionizes the halogen gas creating a dense, ion-ion plasma in the processing chamber that is continuous in time.

Abstract: An electron beam enhanced nitriding system that passes a high-energy electron beam through nitrogen gas to form a low electron temperature plasma capable of delivering nitrogen ions and radicals to a substrate to be nitrided. The substrate can be mounted on an electrode, and the substrate can be biased and heated.

Abstract: A large area metallization pretreatment and surface activation system that uses an electron beam-produced plasma capable of delivering substantial ion and radical fluxes at low temperatures over large areas of an organic plastic or polymer material. The ion and radical fluxes physically and chemically alter the surface structure of the organic plastic or polymer material thereby improving the ability of a film to adhere to the material.

Abstract: An ion-ion plasma source, that features a processing chamber containing a large concentration of halogen or halogen-based gases. A second chamber is coupled to the processing chamber and features an electron source which produces a high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam is injected into the processing chamber where it is shaped and confined by a means for shaping and confining the high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam produced in the second chamber when injected into the processing chamber ionizes the halogen gas creating a dense, ion-ion plasma in the processing chamber that is continuous in time. A method for creating an ion-ion plasma continuous in time.

Abstract: This invention provides a means to deposit thin films and coatings on a substrate using an electron beam generated plasma. The plasma can be used as an ion source in sputter applications, where the ions are used to liberate material from a target surface which can then condense on a substrate to form the film or coating. Alternatively, the plasma may be combined with existing deposition sources including those based on sputter or evaporation techniques. In either configuration, the plasma serves as a source of ion and radical species at the growing film surface in reactive deposition processes. The electron beam large area deposition system (EBELADS) is a new approach to the production of thin films or coatings up to and including several square meters.

Abstract: A railgun having a composite insulator of laminated materials positioned between the rails. The composite insulator is comprised of a series of conducting layers oriented with the edges toward the bore, or barrel, of the railgun and their wide edges away from the bore. The laminate is layed lengthwise along the rails and is comprised of conducting layers of a high heat conductivity metal interleaved with an insulator material. The insulator material allows the composite insulator to stand off the voltages in a plasma armature even under high radiation flux conditions. Below the conducting material's ablation threshold the amount of ablation produced by the composite insulator is reduced by the reduction of insulator surface area exposed to the radiation. This allows better control of armature growth, mass acceleration by the plasma armature, secondary formation, and other factors normally found to retard projectile acceleration.

Abstract: A railgun having a composite insulator of laminated materials positioned between the rails. The composite insulator is comprised of a series of conducting layers oriented with the edges toward the bore, or barrel, of the railgun and their wide edges away from the bore. The laminate is layed lengthwise along the rails and is comprised of conducting layers of a high heat conductivity metal interleaved with an insulator material. The insulator material allows the composite insulator to stand off the voltages in a plasma armature even under high radiation flux conditions. Below the conducting material's ablation threshold the amount of ablation produced by the composite insulator is reduced by the reduction of insulator surface area exposed to the radiation. This allows better control of armature growth, mass acceleration by the plasma armature, secondary formation, and other factors normally found to retard projectile acceleration.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming plasma sheets of preselected planar curvature, which can be used as mirrors for X-Band microwaves and above. A plasma is created using a shaped cathode. Confining magnetic fields maintains the plasma in the shape of the cathode. Additional magnetic fields can provide additional curvature to the plasma sheet.

Abstract: A large area metallization pretreatment and surface activation system that uses an electron beam-produced plasma capable of delivering substantial ion and radical fluxes at low temperatures over large areas of an organic plastic or polymer material. The ion and radical fluxes physically and chemically alter the surface structure of the organic plastic or polymer material thereby improving the ability of a film to adhere to the material.

Abstract: An ion-ion plasma source, that features a processing chamber containing a large concentration of halogen or halogen-based gases. A second chamber is coupled to the processing chamber and features an electron source which produces a high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam is injected into the processing chamber where it is shaped and confined by a means for shaping and confining the high energy electron beam. The high energy electron beam produced in the second chamber when injected into the processing chamber ionizes the halogen gas creating a dense, ion-ion plasma in the processing chamber that is continuous in time. A method for creating an ion-ion plasma continuous in time.