Electron gun controlled smart structure

Patent · 01 January 2001

OSTI ID:874033

Martin, Jeffrey W ^[1]; Main, John Alan ^[2]; Redmond, James M ^[1]; Henson, Tammy D ^[1]; Watson, Robert D ^[3]

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1. Albuquerque, NM
2. Lexington, KY
3. Tijeras, NM

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.

• Research Organization: SANDIA CORP
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• Assignee: Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, NM)
• Patent Number(s): US 6297579
• OSTI ID: 874033
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/310/
accumulation
active material
actively
actively controlling
adaptive
affected
algorithm
antennae
applied
arrangement
associated
attached
backside
beam
blooming
changes
charge
charged
charged particle
charged particles
charges
comprising
conductive
conductive substrate
connected
control
controlled
controlling
created
creating
deployable
deposition
direct
disclosed
disposed
distributed
distribution
distributions
dual electrode
e-beam
electric
electric charge
electric field
electric potential
electrically
electrically connected
electroactive
electroactive material
electrode
electrodes
electron
electron gun
electronics
electrons
enables
ensures
field
field created
film
front
front surface
frontside
generator
greatly
gun
improved
incidence
individual
inflatable
manipulation
material
method
mirrors
multiple
multiple electrode
multiple electrodes
net
net electric
optics
particle
particles
piezoelectric
piezoelectric film
placing
possibly
potential
potential applied
power
power supply
raster
reducing
relative
removal
response
scanning
secondary
secondary electron
shape
sheet
simplifying
single
smart
space-based
structure
substrate
supply
supply electrical
surface
uniform
uniform distribution
whereby
yield