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AssigneeThe European Space Research Organisation
InventorsDominique R. Valentian, Cesare M. Bartoli, Heinrich A. Pfeffer, Hans-Joachim Herhudt V. Rohden, Duncan Stewart
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A field-emission ion source in which, under the influence of an electric field, ions are released from a metal or metal alloy present in an enclosed space in the liquid state. The ions are emitted from this space through a very narrow slit. This slit may be straight or curved. The field-emission ion source can be used in an ion thruster apparatus comprising an emitter module, an electrode system, and a power supply unit. A plurality of emitter modules can be combined to form an ion thruster apparatus having a greater ion current output. Instead of a liquid metal as the propellant, a metal in the solid phase can be supplied to the emitter module, which metal is melted in the emitter module.
A field-emission ion source, comprising a housing containing a hollow space in communication with a passage suitable for supplying a metal or metal alloy to said hollow space, said housing having a slit in contact with said metal or metal alloy in said hollow space and operative to discharge said metal in the liquid phase from said hollow space, said discharge slit having a width of no more than 0.020 mm.
A field-emission ion source comprising two complementary shaped, substantially flat housing bodies provided at the facing surfaces with a recess to form an enclosed hollow space in communication with a supply passage and with a slit-shaped passage located in the plane of division of the two housing bodies, the two housing bodies being interconnected in liquid-tight fashion except for said supply passage and said discharge slit, each housing body being provided at the edge facing the supply slit with an array of thin wires having a sharp end, the interstices between the wires being sealed and each array being adhered to the associated housing body, the arrangement being such that, in the assembled condition, a slit is formed between the two arrays and so that the liquid metal can only reach the tips of the wires through said slit.
A field emission source, comprising a housing provided with a hollow-space acting as reservoir means for supplying liquid metal or metal alloy to said hollow space, means for creating a strong electric field, characterised in that the housing is provided with a capillary field emission slit having a width of no more than 0.020 mm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.