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Title: Electron gun controlled smart structure

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and system for actively controlling the shape of a sheet of electroactive material; the system comprising: one or more electrodes attached to the frontside of the electroactive sheet; a charged particle generator, disposed so as to direct a beam of charged particles (e.g. electrons) onto the electrode; a conductive substrate attached to the backside of the sheet; and a power supply electrically connected to the conductive substrate; whereby the sheet changes its shape in response to an electric field created across the sheet by an accumulation of electric charge within the electrode(s), relative to a potential applied to the conductive substrate. Use of multiple electrodes distributed across on the frontside ensures a uniform distribution of the charge with a single point of e-beam incidence, thereby greatly simplifying the beam scanning algorithm and raster control electronics, and reducing the problems associated with "blooming". By placing a distribution of electrodes over the front surface of a piezoelectric film (or other electroactive material), this arrangement enables improved control over the distribution of surface electric charges (e.g. electrons) by creating uniform (and possibly different) charge distributions within each individual electrode. Removal or deposition of net electric charge can be affectedmore » by controlling the secondary electron yield through manipulation of the backside electric potential with the power supply. The system can be used for actively controlling the shape of space-based deployable optics, such as adaptive mirrors and inflatable antennae.« less

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [3]
  1. Albuquerque, NM
  2. Lexington, KY
  3. Tijeras, NM
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
874033
Patent Number(s):
US 6297579
Assignee:
Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, NM)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
electron; gun; controlled; smart; structure; disclosed; method; actively; controlling; shape; sheet; electroactive; material; comprising; electrodes; attached; frontside; charged; particle; generator; disposed; direct; beam; particles; electrons; electrode; conductive; substrate; backside; power; supply; electrically; connected; whereby; changes; response; electric; field; created; accumulation; charge; relative; potential; applied; multiple; distributed; ensures; uniform; distribution; single; e-beam; incidence; greatly; simplifying; scanning; algorithm; raster; control; electronics; reducing; associated; blooming; placing; front; surface; piezoelectric; film; arrangement; enables; improved; charges; creating; possibly; distributions; individual; removal; deposition; net; affected; secondary; yield; manipulation; space-based; deployable; optics; adaptive; mirrors; inflatable; antennae; piezoelectric film; potential applied; multiple electrodes; electric charge; conductive substrate; active material; charged particles; electric field; power supply; charged particle; electrically connected; front surface; electron gun; electric potential; multiple electrode; uniform distribution; secondary electron; electroactive material; field created; actively controlling; dual electrode; supply electrical; net electric; /310/

Citation Formats

Martin, Jeffrey W, Main, John Alan, Redmond, James M, Henson, Tammy D, and Watson, Robert D. Electron gun controlled smart structure. United States: N. p., 2001. Web.
Martin, Jeffrey W, Main, John Alan, Redmond, James M, Henson, Tammy D, & Watson, Robert D. Electron gun controlled smart structure. United States.
Martin, Jeffrey W, Main, John Alan, Redmond, James M, Henson, Tammy D, and Watson, Robert D. 2001. "Electron gun controlled smart structure". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874033.
@article{osti_874033,
title = {Electron gun controlled smart structure},
author = {Martin, Jeffrey W and Main, John Alan and Redmond, James M and Henson, Tammy D and Watson, Robert D},
abstractNote = {Disclosed is a method and system for actively controlling the shape of a sheet of electroactive material; the system comprising: one or more electrodes attached to the frontside of the electroactive sheet; a charged particle generator, disposed so as to direct a beam of charged particles (e.g. electrons) onto the electrode; a conductive substrate attached to the backside of the sheet; and a power supply electrically connected to the conductive substrate; whereby the sheet changes its shape in response to an electric field created across the sheet by an accumulation of electric charge within the electrode(s), relative to a potential applied to the conductive substrate. Use of multiple electrodes distributed across on the frontside ensures a uniform distribution of the charge with a single point of e-beam incidence, thereby greatly simplifying the beam scanning algorithm and raster control electronics, and reducing the problems associated with "blooming". By placing a distribution of electrodes over the front surface of a piezoelectric film (or other electroactive material), this arrangement enables improved control over the distribution of surface electric charges (e.g. electrons) by creating uniform (and possibly different) charge distributions within each individual electrode. Removal or deposition of net electric charge can be affected by controlling the secondary electron yield through manipulation of the backside electric potential with the power supply. The system can be used for actively controlling the shape of space-based deployable optics, such as adaptive mirrors and inflatable antennae.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/874033}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Adaptive PVDF piezoelectric deformable mirror system
journal, January 1980