Alkali Metal Dispenser and Uses for Same
AssigneesSRI International, The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate
InventorsSterling Eduardo McBride, Steven Alan Lipp, Joey John Michalchuk, Dana Z. Anderson, William Frederick Holmgren, Matthew B. Squires
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Abstract
The present invention provides an improved alkali metal dispenser which is pure and free of contaminant gases, and provides for controlled releasing, delivery and recycling of the alkali metal in multiple stages in a controlled manner. The present invention also provides an alkali metal pump or getter.
Claims56
A dispenser device in a vacuum, comprising:
- at least one alkali metal source;
- and
- at least one receptor.
A dispenser device in a vacuum comprising:
- at least one receptor;
- at least one alkali metal source;
- and
- at least one metal evaporator.
A method for generating a dispenser in-situ, said method comprising:
- loading a receptor with alkali metal from an alkali metal source, wherein said receptor comprises metal;
- dispensing said alkali metal from the source;
- and
- depositing said alkali metal to the receptor to form an alloy with the metal.
A method for generating a multi-stage dispenser in-situ, said method comprising:
- loading a receptor with alkali metal from an alkali metal source;
- evaporating metal in-situ into the receptor;
- dispensing said alkali metal from the source;
- and
- depositing said alkali metal to the receptor to form an alloy with the metal.
An alkali metal pump device in a vacuum, comprising:
- at least one metal evaporator comprising metal, wherein said metal is evaporated in a vacuum to form an alloy with an alkali metal.
A method for pumping an alkali metal in-situ, said method comprising:
- evaporating metal in said vacuum;
- and
- capturing an alkali metal with said metal to form an alloy.
A device in a vacuum comprising:
- at least one multi-stage dispenser comprising at least one alkali metal source, at least one receptor and at least one first metal evaporator, said at least one first metal evaporator comprising a metal;
- and
- at least one alkali metal pump positioned below the at least one multi-stage dispenser, said pump comprising at least one second metal evaporator comprising the metal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.