Self aligning electron beam gun having enhanced thermal and mechanical stability

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:869886

Parkison, Clarence D ^[1]; Switzer, Vernon A ^[1]; Lee, Young J ^[2]; Sawyer, William C ^[3]

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1. Livermore, CA
2. Sunnyvale, CA
3. Manteca, CA

A compact, high power electron gun having enhanced thermal and mechanical stability which incorporates a mechanically coupled, self aligning structure for the anode and cathode. The enhanced stability, and reduced need for realignment of the cathode to the anode and downstream optics during operation are achieved by use of a common support structure for the cathode and anode which requires no adjustment screws or spacers. The electron gun of the present invention also incorporates a modular design for the cathode, in which the electron emitter, its support structure, and the hardware required to attach the emitter assembly to the rest of the gun are a single element. This modular design makes replacement of the emitter simpler and requires no realignment after a new emitter has been installed. Compactness and a reduction in the possibility of high voltage breakdown are achieved by shielding the "triple point" where the electrode, insulator, and vacuum meet. The use of electric discharge machining (EDM) for fabricating the emitter allows for the accurate machining of the emitter into intricate shapes without encountering the normal stresses developed by standard emitter fabrication techniques.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5416381
• OSTI ID: 869886
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

aligning
electron
beam
gun
enhanced
thermal
mechanical
stability
compact
power
incorporates
mechanically
coupled
structure
anode
cathode
reduced
realignment
downstream
optics
operation
achieved
common
support
requires
adjustment
screws
spacers
modular
design
emitter
hardware
required
attach
assembly
single
element
makes
replacement
simpler
installed
compactness
reduction
possibility
voltage
breakdown
shielding
triple
electrode
insulator
vacuum
meet
electric
discharge
machining
edm
fabricating
allows
accurate
intricate
shapes
encountering
normal
stresses
developed
standard
fabrication
techniques
modular design
single element
enhanced thermal
electron emitter
electron beam
support structure
electron gun
electric discharge
fabrication techniques
mechanical stability
voltage breakdown
beam gun
common support
mechanically couple
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