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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Ion plasma electron gun

Patent ·
OSTI ID:7238433
In the disclosed electron gun positive ions generated by a hollow cathode plasma discharge in a first chamber are accelerated through control and shield grids into a second chamber containing a high voltage cold cathode. These positive ions bombard a surface of the cathode causing the cathode to emit secondary electrons which form an electron beam having a distribution adjacent to the cathode emissive surface substantially the same as the distribution of the ion beam impinging upon the cathode. After passing through the grids and the plasma discharge chamber, the electron beam exits from the electron gun via a foil window. Control of the generated electron beam is achieved by applying a relatively low control voltage between the control grid and the electron gun housing (which resides at ground potential) to control the density of the positive ions bombarding the cathode.
Assignee:
Hughes Aircraft Co.
Patent Number(s):
US 3970892
OSTI ID:
7238433
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English