Patent · US Expired

Electron source having a material-retaining device

US5256931A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
4References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 10, 1991
Grant dateOct 26, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 10, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J3/025
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vacuum arc electron source having an anode and a cathode facing each other such that they produce a plasma (P) after an appropriate voltage difference has been applied between the anode and the cathode, an electron extractor device (30) and a material-retaining device arranged between the extractor device and the plasma source. According to the invention, the material-retaining device comprises, arranged in the electron extraction direction (F), at least one upstream baffle (10) and a downstream baffle (20) which are each electrically conducting and have apertures (16, 26) arranged in quincunx, such that when the baffles (10, 20) are adjusted a given potential, the plasma (P) does not extend to downstream of the downstream baffle (20).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.