Method and apparatus for charged particle propagation

Patent · Tue Nov 26 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:870701

Hershcovitch, Ady ^[1]

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1. Mount Sinai, NY

A method and apparatus are provided for propagating charged particles from a vacuum to a higher pressure region. A generator 14,14b includes an evacuated chamber 16a,b having a gun 18,18b for discharging a beam of charged particles such as an electron beam 12 or ion beam 12b. The beam 12,12b is discharged through a beam exit 22 in the chamber 16a,b into a higher pressure region 24. A plasma interface 34 is disposed at the beam exit 22 and includes a plasma channel 38 for bounding a plasma 40 maintainable between a cathode 42 and an anode 44 disposed at opposite ends thereof. The plasma channel 38 is coaxially aligned with the beam exit 22 for propagating the beam 12,12b from the chamber 16a,b, through the plasma 40, and into the higher pressure region 24. The plasma 40 is effective for pumping down the beam exit 22 for preventing pressure increase in the chamber 16a,b, and provides magnetic focusing of the beam 12,12b discharged into the higher pressure region 24.

• Research Organization: ASSOC UNIVERSITIES INC
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• Assignee: Associated Universities, Inc. (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5578831
• Application Number: 08/409,148
• OSTI ID: 870701
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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12
12b
14
14b
16a
18
18b
22
24
34
38
40
42
44
aligned
anode
apparatus
axially align
axially aligned
beam
beam exit
bounding
cathode
chamber
channel
charged
charged particle
charged particles
coaxially
coaxially aligned
discharged
discharging
disposed
effective
electron
electron beam
evacuated
evacuated chamber
exit
focusing
generator
gun
increase
interface
magnetic
magnetic focusing
maintainable
method
opposite
particle
particles
plasma
plasma channel
pressure
pressure increase
pressure region
preventing
propagating
propagation
provided
provides
pumping
region
vacuum