Acceleration Patents (Class 315/111.61)
  • Patent number: 6593566
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for accelerating and a decelerating particles based on particle surface interactions. In particular, in some embodiments, particles traveling away from a surface are made to travel at either a higher or lower speed than that with which they approached the surface. This change in velocity is effected by prompting the particles to undergo atomic transitions during their interaction with the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Inventor: Fabrizio Pinto
  • Patent number: 6583544
    Abstract: An ion source (10) for an ion implanter is provided, comprising: (i) an ionization chamber (14) defined at least partially by chamber walls (12), and having an inlet (45) into which a sputtering gas may be injected and an aperture (18) through which an ion beam (B) may be extracted; (ii) an ionizing electron source (44) for ionizing the sputtering gas to form a sputtering plasma; and (iii) a sputterable repeller (100). The sputterable repeller both (a) repels electrons emitted by the electron source, and (b) provides a source of sputtered material that can be ionized by the electron source. The sputterable repeller (100) comprises a slug (108) of sputterable material, and further comprises mounting structure (102, 104) for removably mounting the slug within the ionization chamber (14), so that the slug is made removably detachable from the mounting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas N. Horsky, Tommy D. Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 6580084
    Abstract: An accelerator system which can be implemented in a small size at low manufacturing cost and which can nonetheless ensure a high utilization efficiency of the ion beam. The system includes an ion source for generating an ion beam, pre-accelerators for accelerating the ion beam generated by the ion source, an radioisotope producing unit for irradiating a target with the ion beam accelerated by the pre-accelerators for producing radioisotopes, a synchrotron into which the ion beam accelerated by the pre-accelerators is injected and from which the ion beam is ejected after acceleration, and a selector electromagnet for introducing the ion beam accelerated by the pre-accelerators into either the radioisotope producing unit or the synchrotron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Hiramoto, Hiroshi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 6559610
    Abstract: A continuous wave electron-beam accelerator that accelerates a continuous wave electron beam having a large average current includes an electron beam generator, an electron-beam accelerating unit using a radio-frequency electric field having a frequency of approximately 500 MHz to accelerate an continuous wave electron beam, and electron-beam bending units located across the electron-beam accelerating unit and that bend the continuous wave electron beam a number of times. Each electron-beam bending unit includes divided magnets having identical-polarity magnetic fields, and controls the continuous wave electron beam so that the beam passes through the electron-beam acceleration unit a number of times on almost the same path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirofumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6555831
    Abstract: An ion implanting apparatus is provided with a control apparatus 22 for controlling the filament current passing to the respective filaments 6 in accordance with the beam current IB measured by a plurality of beam current measuring instruments 18.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Nissin Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Konishi, Shuichi Maeno, Yasunori Ando
  • Patent number: 6554968
    Abstract: A method for producing film thickness control of ion beam sputter deposition films. Great improvements in film thickness control is accomplished by keeping the total current supplied to both the beam and suppressor grids of a radio frequency (RF) in beam source constant, rather than just the current supplied to the beam grid. By controlling both currents, using this method, deposition rates are more stable, and this allows the deposition of layers with extremely well controlled thicknesses to about 0.1%. The method is carried out by calculating deposition rates based on the total of the suppressor and beam currents and maintaining the total current constant by adjusting RF power which gives more consistent values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Patrick A. Kearney, Scott C. Burkhart
  • Patent number: 6545436
    Abstract: The present invention includes a magnetic storage ring into which electrons or other charged particles can be injected from a point external to the ring and still subscribe a path, after injection, contained within the magnetic storage ring. The magnetic storage ring consists of purely static (permanent) magnetic fields. The particles pass one or more times through a solid target that causes the high energy charged particles to emit radiation and damps the momentum of the particles, so that they cannot escape the magnetic field, allowing them to be captured therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Adelphi Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles K. Gary
  • Patent number: 6528948
    Abstract: A plasma valve includes a confinement channel and primary anode and cathode disposed therein. An ignition cathode is disposed adjacent the primary cathode. Power supplies are joined to the cathodes and anode for rapidly igniting and maintaining a plasma in the channel for preventing leakage of atmospheric pressure through the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Brookhaven Science Associates LLC
    Inventors: Ady Hershcovitch, Sushil Sharma, John Noonan, Elbio Rotela, Ali Khounsary
  • Patent number: 6522056
    Abstract: A system for joining at least two beams of charged particles that includes directing a first beam along a first axis into a field. A second beam is directed along a second axis into the field. The first and second beams are turned, by interaction between the field and the first and second beams, into a third beam directed along a third axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Coincident Beams Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Mauck
  • Patent number: 6515426
    Abstract: An ion beam processing apparatus and a method of operating an ion source therefore are provided for reducing the frequency of breakdown due to particles, and for increasing the time that an apparatus can be made available by operating the apparatus in a stable state for a long time and minimizing maintenance operations such as cleaning. A plasma generating gas is introduced into a vacuum chamber formed of a processing chamber and an ion source mounted thereto to produce a plasma from the gas, and an electric field is applied within the vacuum chamber to extract ions within the plasma as an ion beam. The ion source comprises an arc power supply, an acceleration power supply for applying a positive potential to the acceleration electrode in order to extract an ion beam, and a deceleration power supply for applying a negative potential to the deceleration electrode ion order to prevent ions from flowing into the ion source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Tanaka, Isao Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 6512333
    Abstract: The RF-powered plasma accelerator/homogenizer produces a quiescent plasma having a generally homogenous preselected plasma potential VPA and a space-charge neutralized plasma beam. The plasma accelerator/homogenizer includes an RF-conductive accelerator/homogenizer structure (17) having a plurality of dielectric-coated accelerator/homogenizer surfaces (619) with total surface area ARF and a containment assembly that includes an RF-grounded structure (112) with a total ground surface area AG, where ARF>AG. The accelerator/homogenizer structure is reactively coupled to an RF source using various approaches for direct or stray capacitive coupling (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Inventor: Lee Chen
  • Patent number: 6507142
    Abstract: A series of long slats, preferably parallel and spaced apart uniformly, extend from a base plate to form a series of cavities between the slats for trapping high energy ions in the exit plume of an ion accelerator. The plume shield is designed to minimize escape of ions and sputtered atoms from the shield. The effectiveness of the shield in trapping and retarding ions and sputtered atoms can be accomplished by biasing the potential of the shield with respect to an adjacent structure and by inducing a magnetic field parallel to a target area of the shield, which can limit electron current to the target area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Aerojet-General Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis L. Tilley, David Q. King
  • Patent number: 6492784
    Abstract: Thrust is provided to a vehicle using a self-contained device for producing the thrust through a preselected shaping of an electric field. The device includes a core carried by a housing, with both the core and the housing formed from a material having a high dielectric constant. Multiple cells are carried by the housing and formed around the core, with each cell having a high dielectric sandwiched between an electrode and a lower dielectric. A channel is formed between each cell with the channel providing a spacing filled with a material having a dielectric property of the lower dielectric. Electric wires are connected between an electrical power source and each electrode of each cell for providing power thereto. A set of cells extends radially outward from a longitudinal axis of a cylindrical core to form a circular plate with each cell uniformly positioned within the circular plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Gravitec, Inc.
    Inventor: Hector L. Serrano
  • Patent number: 6462490
    Abstract: A control method and apparatus of a circular accelerator can adjust a timing of emitting a charged particle beam in the circular accelerator. Generation of a clock pulse having a fixed period is suspended after acceleration of the charged particle beam has been ended and the generation of the clock pulse is resumed when a beam irradiation request is produced on the basis of a state of an object to be irradiated during the suspension state of generation of the clock pulse. An emitter is operated in accordance with the clock pulse generated again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Information & Control Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Matsuda, Takahide Nakayama
  • Patent number: 6441569
    Abstract: A particle accelerator for inducing contained particle collisions. The particle accelerator includes two hollow dees of electrically conductive material which are separated and electrically insulated from each other. The dees are located between the poles of a strong magnet which generates a magnetic field through top and bottom sides of the dees. In addition, the dees are connected to an oscillator for providing an alternating voltage between the dees. The dees are located within a chamber containing a gas and/or vapor provided at a measurable pressure. Ions are accelerated in essentially spiral paths within the dees, and follow paths which may be both concentric and non-concentric with the dees whereby collisions are produced between accelerated ions and gas or vapor atoms contained within the chamber, as well as between pairs of accelerated ions following different paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventor: Edward F. Janzow
  • Patent number: 6433494
    Abstract: An improved device utilizing an inductive undulative EH-accelerator is proposed for acceleration and cooling of plasma fluxes, and beams of charged particles, and separate charged particles; and for forming of neutral molecular beams, and neutron beams (inductive undulative EH-accelerator) is proposed. The device consists of an electromagnetic undulation system, whose driving system for electromagnets, is made in the form of a radio frequency (RF) oscillator operating in the frequency range from about 100 KHz to 10 GHz; which is connected with coils of the undulatve system of electromagnets, and a source of accelerated particles, which is provided in the form of source of plasma or neutral molecular beams, or positive or negative ions, or charged particle beams, or separate charged particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Inventors: Victor V. Kulish, Peter B. Kosel, Alexandra C. Melnyk, Nestor Kolcio
  • Patent number: 6420699
    Abstract: Apparatus for altering translational velocity of molecules in a gas. A source of gas is in fluid communication with a supersonic nozzle. The nozzle is disposed on an arm at a selected distance from an axis for rotation about the axis. The nozzle has an exit portion substantially perpendicular to the arm. Motive apparatus rotates the arm so that the translational velocity of molecules with respect to a laboratory frame of reference is altered. In a preferred embodiment, gas flows from the source through the axis and the arm to exit from the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Dudley R. Herschbach, Manish Gupta
  • Patent number: 6407492
    Abstract: An electron accelerator includes a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window. The exit window is formed of metallic foil bonded in metal to metal contact with the vacuum chamber to provide a gas tight seal therebetween. The exit window is less than about 12.5 microns thick. The vacuum chamber is hermetically sealed to preserve a permanent self-sustained vacuum therein. An electron generator is positioned within the vacuum chamber for generating electrons. A housing surrounds the electron generator. The housing has an electron permeable region formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window for allowing electrons to accelerate from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam when a voltage potential is applied between the housing and the exit window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Advanced Electron Beams, Inc.
    Inventors: Tzvi Avnery, Kenneth P. Felis
  • Publication number: 20020047545
    Abstract: The invention relates to a particle accelerator. The accelerator comprises a chamber (h) made of conducting material having a central axis; an anode (a) connected electrically to the chamber along the central axis; a cathode (b) housed in the chamber along the central axis; an insulating element (c) connecting the cathode to the chamber, the insulating element comprising several sections separated by electrodes (k1 to k6). The insulator lies inside the chamber (h) along the central axis in the extension of the region formed by the anode (a) and the cathode (b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Alain Paulus, Jacques Gouffaux
  • Patent number: 6376990
    Abstract: This device allows the variation of the coupling between two points in an RF circuit in a very simple way while maintaining the RF phase relationship and varying the relative magnitude of the RF fields. The device is characterized by a simple mechanical control of coupling value, that has negligible effect on the phase shift across the device. This is achieved by the simple rotation of the polarisation of a TE111 mode inside a cylindrical cavity. Such a device does not contain resistive elements, and the sliding mechanical surfaces are free from high RF currents. This device finds an application in standing wave linear accelerators, where it is desirable to vary the relative RF field in one set of cavities with respect to another, in order that the accelerator can operate successfully over a wide range of energies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Elekta AB
    Inventors: John Allen, Leonard Knowles Brundle, Terry Arthur Large, Terence Bates
  • Patent number: 6335535
    Abstract: A method for implanting negative hydrogen ions includes the following steps. Plasma containing hydrogen is generated. Negative hydrogen ions are generated in the plasma. An electric field is formed between the plasma and a substrate. Negative hydrogen ions from the plasma is accelerated by using the electric field so as to implant negative hydrogen ions into a predetermined depth of a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Nissin Electric Co., LTD
    Inventors: Koji Miyake, Tsukasa Hayashi, Hajime Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 6326631
    Abstract: An ion implantation device includes at least two successive deceleration stages the first deceleration stage, looking in the downstream direction, being arranged to decelerate the ion beam, to deflect the ion beam, and to form an intermediate crossover, whereas the second deceleration stage is arranged to decelerate the ion beam further and to subject the beam to a converging effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Jarig Politiek, Gerrit C. Van Hoften
  • Patent number: 6320334
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating an accurate, table phase shift (b) in a sinusoidal signal employs fast analog multiplication to implement the trigonometric relationship sin(&ohgr;t+b)=sin(&ohgr;t)cos(b)+cos(&ohgr;t)sin(b). Cos (&ohgr;t) is generated by accurately shifting a signal sin(&ohgr;t) through 90° using a delay line, for example. Sin(b) and cos(b) are dc signals generated by digital to analogue conversion, using a demanded phase shift (b) whose sine and cosine are obtained from look-up tables. A controller for controlling a phase shift in an rf cavity is also disclosed and operates on the basis of the same trigonometrical principle. The amplitude of the signals in the rf cavity is also controllable; fast analogue multipliers are again employed to scale the signal amplitude to a nominal fixed value such as 1 volt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: James Roberge, Robert Joseph Ledoux, Raymond Paul Boisseau, William Philip Nett
  • Patent number: 6281492
    Abstract: In order to make it possible to direct fluids in motion such as a sound wave motion without any mechanical means of guidance, it is proposed a method and a device capable of directing the fluid in motion by using a curtain (10) of electromagnetic radiation for exciting the fluid (14) at the curtain to form a fluid directional layer (16) in the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Inventor: Marianne Almesåker
  • Patent number: 6215124
    Abstract: A specially designed magnetic shunt is provided encircling the anode region and/or annular gas distribution area of an ion accelerator with closed electron drift. The magnetic shunt is constructed to concentrate the magnetic field at the ion exit end, such that the location of maximum magnetic field strength is located downstream from the inner and outer magnetic poles of the accelerator. The specially designed shunt also results in desired curvatures of magnetic field lines upstream of the line of maximum magnetic field strength, to achieve a focusing effect for increasing the life and efficiency of accelerator. The anode of the accelerator can diffuse ionizable gas through a porous plate for an even distribution of the gas in the distribution area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Primex Aerospace Company
    Inventor: David Q. King
  • Patent number: 6208080
    Abstract: A specially designed magnetic shunt is provided encircling the anode region and/or annular gas distribution area of an ion accelerator with closed electron drift. The magnetic shunt is constructed to concentrate the magnetic field at the ion exit end, such that the location of maximum magnetic field strength is located downstream from the inner and outer magnetic poles of the accelerator. The specially designed shunt also results in desired curvatures of magnetic field lines upstream of the line of maximum magnetic field strength, to achieve a focusing effect for increasing the life and efficiency of accelerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Primex Aerospace Company
    Inventors: David Q. King, Kristi H. de Grys, Randall S. Aadland, Dennis L. Tilley, Arnold W. Voigt
  • Patent number: 6204510
    Abstract: An apparatus for altering the surface of a substrate includes a housing that is formed with an enclosed chamber having a first end and a second end. The chamber defines a longitudinal axis extending between the ends, and the substrate is positioned near the second end. A set of conductors are mounted in the chamber parallel to the longitudinal axis, and each conductor carries a current to establish a magnetic field (B) in said chamber. A first casing and a second casing surround each conductor with time alternating voltages being applied on the set of first casings to generate a plasma. The second casings are electrically insulated from a respective first casing so that a dc voltage can be applied to the second casings in a manner which ensures the potential of the resultant electric field (E) in the chamber is proportional to the magnetic flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Archimedes Technology Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Tihiro Ohkawa