Electron emitting filaments for electron discharge devices
Abstract
Electrons are copiously emitted by a device comprising a loop-shaped filament made of lanthanum hexaboride. The filament is directly heated by an electrical current produced along the filament by a power supply connected to the terminal legs of the filament. To produce a filament, a diamond saw or the like is used to cut a slice from a bar made of lanthanum hexaboride. The diamond saw is then used to cut the slice into the shape of a loop which may be generally rectangular, U-shaped, hairpin-shaped, zigzag-shaped, or generally circular. The filaments provide high electron emission at a relatively low operating temperature, such as 1600.degree. C. To achieve uniform heating, the filament is formed with a cross section which is tapered between the opposite ends of the filament to compensate for non-uniform current distribution along the filament due to the emission of electrons from the filament.
- Inventors:
-
- Hercules, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Alamo, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 866656
- Patent Number(s):
- 4760306
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01J - ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- electron; emitting; filaments; discharge; devices; electrons; copiously; emitted; device; comprising; loop-shaped; filament; lanthanum; hexaboride; directly; heated; electrical; current; produced; power; supply; connected; terminal; legs; produce; diamond; cut; slice; bar; shape; loop; rectangular; u-shaped; hairpin-shaped; zigzag-shaped; circular; provide; emission; relatively; operating; temperature; 1600; degree; achieve; uniform; heating; formed; section; tapered; opposite; compensate; non-uniform; distribution; due; current produced; electron emitting; electron discharge; uniform heating; electron emission; discharge device; power supply; electrical current; operating temperature; device comprising; lanthanum hexaboride; directly heated; form cu; current distribution; uniform heat; uniform current; discharge devices; /313/445/
Citation Formats
Leung, Ka-Ngo, Pincosy, Philip A, and Ehlers, Kenneth W. Electron emitting filaments for electron discharge devices. United States: N. p., 1988.
Web.
Leung, Ka-Ngo, Pincosy, Philip A, & Ehlers, Kenneth W. Electron emitting filaments for electron discharge devices. United States.
Leung, Ka-Ngo, Pincosy, Philip A, and Ehlers, Kenneth W. Fri .
"Electron emitting filaments for electron discharge devices". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/866656.
@article{osti_866656,
title = {Electron emitting filaments for electron discharge devices},
author = {Leung, Ka-Ngo and Pincosy, Philip A and Ehlers, Kenneth W},
abstractNote = {Electrons are copiously emitted by a device comprising a loop-shaped filament made of lanthanum hexaboride. The filament is directly heated by an electrical current produced along the filament by a power supply connected to the terminal legs of the filament. To produce a filament, a diamond saw or the like is used to cut a slice from a bar made of lanthanum hexaboride. The diamond saw is then used to cut the slice into the shape of a loop which may be generally rectangular, U-shaped, hairpin-shaped, zigzag-shaped, or generally circular. The filaments provide high electron emission at a relatively low operating temperature, such as 1600.degree. C. To achieve uniform heating, the filament is formed with a cross section which is tapered between the opposite ends of the filament to compensate for non-uniform current distribution along the filament due to the emission of electrons from the filament.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1988},
month = {1}
}