Sterilization of an object using low energy electron beam

A sterilization device to sterilize an object, the sterilization device comprising:

• a toroidal housing having an outer wall, an inner wall and a central cavity defined by the inner wall, wherein the central cavity is to receive the object to be sterilized, the toroidal housing comprises:
• a thermionic cathode to release one or more primary electrons;
• an anode grid to attract and accelerate the one or more primary electrons to obtain accelerated primary electrons on heating, wherein the thermionic cathode is at least one of a conical shaped cathode electrode and a parabolic shaped cathode electrode, and wherein the thermionic cathode comprises a coating of a work function emitter to increase a number of electrons in the one or more primary electrons emitted from the thermionic cathode;
• and
• an anode wire to pull one or more additional electrons, wherein the one or more additional electrons are released from a gas plasma discharge within the toroidal housing,
• wherein the anode wire is to accelerate the one or more additional electrons and the accelerated primary electrons to create a spray of accelerated electrons, wherein the spray of accelerated electrons is to be released through the inner wall towards the object to be received by the central cavity, and
• wherein the spray of accelerated electrons is to collide with at least one surface of the object to sterilize the object.