Immersed In Liquid Electrode Patents (Class 313/171)
  • Patent number: 8710726
    Abstract: An ignitron apparatus has an airtight tubular housing having a first sealed end and a second sealed end. An anode is connected at the first sealed end, projecting into the housing, and a recess at the second sealed and forms a well which contains a quantity of liquid gallium or gallium alloy making up the cathode. An ignitor projects through the liquid metal and into the housing. The inner surface of the housing includes at least one plating-reduction structure to prevent electrical shorting of the apparatus caused by plating of the liquid metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Kurt A Polzin, J Boise Pearson
  • Patent number: 7518134
    Abstract: A radiation source is disclosed that includes an anode and a cathode that are configured and arranged to create a discharge in a substance in a discharge space between the anode and the cathode and to form a plasma so as to generate electromagnetic radiation, the anode and the cathode being rotatably mounted around an axis of rotation, the cathode being arranged to hold a liquid metal. The radiation source further includes an activation source arranged to direct an energy beam onto the liquid metal so as to vaporize part of the liquid metal and a liquid metal provider arranged to supply additional liquid metal so as to compensate for the vaporized part of the liquid metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Vladimir Vitalevitch Ivanov, Vadim Yevgenyevich Banine, Konstantin Nikolaevitch Koshelev, Vladimir Mihailovitch Krivtsun
  • Patent number: 7479646
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet source with wide-angle vapor containment and reflux is described. In the optical output directions radiating from the source plasma there is an array of tapered buffer gas heat pipes, with wick structures in the walls. In directions toward the insulators separating the discharge electrodes there are disc-shaped buffered gas heat pipes that prevent metal vapor from condensing on these insulators. A preferred electrode configuration has three electrode discs that operate in the star pinch mode. Another electrode configuration comprises two electrode discs and supports a pseudospark discharge. The star pinch variant of this source has efficiently generated 13.5 nm radiation with lithium vapor and helium buffer gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: PLEX LLC
    Inventor: Malcolm W. McGeoch
  • Patent number: 4833363
    Abstract: An ignitron device is provided in which a permanent annular magnet at least partly surrounds the region between the ignitron anode and the surface of a mercury pool connected to the cathode terminal, the magnet being effective to create an axial magnetic field in the aforementioned region which tends to constrain the discharge arc of the device towards the center of the pool and away from the envelope walls of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: English Electric Valve Company Limited
    Inventor: Barry Jennis
  • Patent number: 4264839
    Abstract: Orientation independent ignitron 10 has a cooled cathode 28 which carries thin mercury film 58 which is held in place by surface tension forces so that it is independent of orientation. Ignitor 48 starts conduction which continues until mercury exhaustion or shut off by an external circuit. During nonconductive portions of the duty cycle, the mercury recondenses on the cooled cathode 30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1981
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: John R. Bayless
  • Patent number: 4173728
    Abstract: A metal vapor discharge lamp includes a cathode comprising a reservoir of liquid cesium. Metallic cesium which is eroded from the cathode surface by the action of the discharge is returned to the reservoir by the combined effects of gravity, evaporation, condensation, and diffusion to provide a highly stable, long-lived lamp.The intense infrared pulse output of cesium vapor discharge lamps of the present invention is well suited for triggering light-activated semiconductor switches through dielectric pipe networks and for pumping neodymium glass or neodymium-YAG lasers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1979
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Harald L. Witting
  • Patent number: 4060748
    Abstract: Surface breakdown igniter comprises a semiconductor of medium resistivity which has the arc device cathode as one electrode and has an igniter anode electrode so that when voltage is applied between the electrodes a spark is generated when electrical breakdown occurs over the surface of the semiconductor. The geometry of the igniter anode and cathode electrodes causes the igniter discharge to be forced away from the semiconductor surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1977
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: John R. Bayless