Ion sputter textured graphite

US4349424A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• James S. Sovey · Strongsville, US
• Ralph Forman · Rocky River, US
• Arthur N. Curren · North Ridgeville, US
• Edwin G. Wintucky · Willoughby, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 15, 1981
• Grant date: Sep 14, 1982
• Expiry date: May 15, 2001

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01J25/02
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A specially textured surface of pyrolytic graphite exhibits extremely low yields of secondary electrons and reduced numbers of reflected primary electrons after impingement of high energy primary electrons. An ion flux having an energy between 500 eV and 1000 eV and a current density between 1.0 mA/cm.sup.2 and 6.0 mA/cm.sup.2 produces surface roughening or texturing which is in the form of needles or spines. Such textured surfaces are especially useful as anode collector plates in high efficiency electron tube devices.