US3769600A — Method of and apparatus for producing energetic c…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 217 words

Apparatus for producing energetic charged-particle extendeddimension beam curtains having, in combination, a dimensionally extending source of charged particles, first electrode means positioned on one side of the source and extending therealong and thereacross, means for applying potential between the source and the first electrode means to generate a dimensionally extending charged-particle beam, further electrode means aligned with the source and first electrode means for shaping the beam into a curtain, an evacuated housing structure surrounding the source and electrode means and having a charged-particle-pervious window substantially aligned with the first and further electrode means for transmitting the curtain outside said housing structure, means comprising pulse network means disposed contiguous to said housing structure and connected with said further electrode means for developing a high voltage pulse of substantially comparably steep rise and fall times but of duration insufficient to permit breakdown within the housing structure between any of the source, both the electrode means, and the housing structure, and means connected with the first electrode means for enabling the drawing of charged particles from said source during the developing of said high voltage pulse, whereby a substantially greater chargedparticle curtain voltage above several hundred kilovolts is produced without any such breakdown than the apparatus can produce without breakdown during either of direct-current and capacitor-discharge-controlled-wave-form pulsing operation thereof.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 217 words

Apparatus for producing energetic charged-particle extendeddimension beam curtains having, in combination, a dimensionally extending source of charged particles, first electrode means positioned on one side of the source and extending therealong and thereacross, means for applying potential between the source and the first electrode means to generate a dimensionally extending charged-particle beam, further electrode means aligned with the source and first electrode means for shaping the beam into a curtain, an evacuated housing structure surrounding the source and electrode means and having a charged-particle-pervious window substantially aligned with the first and further electrode means for transmitting the curtain outside said housing structure, means comprising pulse network means disposed contiguous to said housing structure and connected with said further electrode means for developing a high voltage pulse of substantially comparably steep rise and fall times but of duration insufficient to permit breakdown within the housing structure between any of the source, both the electrode means, and the housing structure, and means connected with the first electrode means for enabling the drawing of charged particles from said source during the developing of said high voltage pulse, whereby a substantially greater chargedparticle curtain voltage above several hundred kilovolts is produced without any such breakdown than the apparatus can produce without breakdown during either of direct-current and capacitor-discharge-controlled-wave-form pulsing operation thereof.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 71 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and in which said pulse network means comprises primary and secondary transformer windings the former of which is connected to pulser means and the latter of which is connected to said further electrode means to pulse said source, with the windings being adjusted to resonate at a common frequency and coupled to develop an oscillatory ring comprising a high voltage pulse as a half-cycle thereof.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 39 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and in which said primary winding is disposed within said evacuated housing structure exposed to the vacuum thereof and the secondary winding is substantially coaxially disposed therewithin but insulatingly sealed from said vacuum.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 26 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and in which said transformer windings are mounted substantially in-line with the dimensional extension of said source and electrode means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and in which said transformer windings are mounted at a position intermediate the ends of the said source and electrode means and extend therefrom.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 57 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and in which said primary winding comprises relatively large-size winding turns formed substantially frusto-conically, said secondary winding comprises multiple substantially cylindrical smaller windings, the insulating seal comprises a dielectric cylinder enveloping the secondary windings, and an insulating medium comprising one of gas and insulating fluid is sealed within the secondary windings.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and in which the transformer resonant frequency is adjustable to values up to the order of substantially 80 KHz to produce half-cycle duration high voltage pulses of duration down to the order of substantially a few microseconds.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 57 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 aNd in which said source comprises a longitudinally extending electron cathode, said first electrode means comprises a substantially longitudinally extending control grid means, said further electrode means comprises further grid means, and said housing structure comprises a conductive anode means with electron-pervious window means for exiting the produced electron curtain pulse.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 66 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 and in which said pulse network means comprises primary and secondary transformer windings the former of which is connected to pulser means and the latter of which to said further electrode grid means, with the windings being resonated at a common frequency, and coupled to develop an oscillatory ring comprising the said high voltage pulse as a negative half-cycle thereof.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 121 words

Apparatus for producing energetic charged-particle beams having, in combination with an evacuated housing containing a source of charged particles, pulse network means comprising primary and secondary transformer windings the former of which is connected to pulser means and the latter of which develops a high voltage pulse, means connected to said secondary winding for pulsing said source and for producing a charged-particle beam, the windings being adjusted to resonate at a common frequency and coupled to develop an oscillatory ring comprising said high voltage pulse as a half-cycle thereof, means for supporting said primary winding within said evacuated housing exposed to the vacuum thereof and means for supporting the secondary winding substantially coaxially disposed therewithin but insulatingly sealed from said vacuum.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 121 words

Apparatus for producing energetic charged-particle beams having, in combination with an evacuated housing containing a source of charged particles, pulse network means comprising primary and secondary transformer windings the former of which is connected to pulser means and the latter of which develops a high voltage pulse, means connected to said secondary winding for pulsing said source and for producing a charged-particle beam, the windings being adjusted to resonate at a common frequency and coupled to develop an oscillatory ring comprising said high voltage pulse as a half-cycle thereof, means for supporting said primary winding within said evacuated housing exposed to the vacuum thereof and means for supporting the secondary winding substantially coaxially disposed therewithin but insulatingly sealed from said vacuum.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 19 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and in which said transformer windings are mounted substantially in-line with said source.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 57 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and in which said primary winding comprises relatively large-size winding turns formed substantially frusto-conically, said secondary winding comprises multiple substantially cylindrical smaller windings, the insulating seal comprises a dielectric cylinder enveloping the secondary windings, and an insulating medium comprising one of gas or insulating fluid is sealed within the secondary windings.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 43 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and in which the transformer resonant frequency is adjustable to values up to the order of substantially 80 KHz to produce half-cycle duration high voltage pulses of duration down to the order of substantially a few microseconds.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 52 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 and in which said source comprises a longitudinally extending electron cathode, having a corresponding longitudinally extending control grid means, said means for pulsing said source comprises further grid means, and said housing comprises a conductive anode means with electron-pervious window means for exiting the produced beam.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 102 words

A method of extending the high voltage operation of energetic charged-particle extended-dimension beam curtain generators embodying beam-curtain-forming electrode structures disposed in an evacuated housing and susceptible to breakdown discharges with high voltage applied thereto, said method comprising simultaneously producing charged particles along an extended dimension, applying a high voltage pulse to the electrode structures and forming the particles into a pulse of a high voltage energetic charged-particle extended-dimension beam curtain, and adjusting the said high voltage pulse to substantially comparable very steep rise and fall times while limiting the much longer pulse time duration to a value insufficient to permit such breakdown.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 102 words

A method of extending the high voltage operation of energetic charged-particle extended-dimension beam curtain generators embodying beam-curtain-forming electrode structures disposed in an evacuated housing and susceptible to breakdown discharges with high voltage applied thereto, said method comprising simultaneously producing charged particles along an extended dimension, applying a high voltage pulse to the electrode structures and forming the particles into a pulse of a high voltage energetic charged-particle extended-dimension beam curtain, and adjusting the said high voltage pulse to substantially comparable very steep rise and fall times while limiting the much longer pulse time duration to a value insufficient to permit such breakdown.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as claimed in claim 15 and in which said adjusting and limiting is effected by resonantly transforming an impulse to generate said substantially comparable rise and fall time high voltage pulse as a half-cycle of such resonance.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as claimed in claim 16 and in which the resonance frequency is adjustable to values up to the order of substantially 80 KHz to produce half-cycle duration pulses down to the order of substantially a few microseconds.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method as claimed in claim 16 and in which said charged-particle producing step comprises generating electrons, and said half-cycle of resonance is selected as a negative half-cycle thereof.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 45 words

A method as claimed in claim 15 and in which an object-to-be-irradiated is drawn past said curtain, and a further similar energetic charged particle extended-dimension beam curtain is similarly pulsed and substantially simultaneously directed upon said object from a different direction than the first-named curtain.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-10-29	1977-04-30	1977-10-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-10-29	1981-04-30	1981-10-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-10-29	1985-04-30	1985-10-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method of and apparatus for producing energetic charged particle extended dimension beam curtains and pulse producing structures therefor

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