Electronic devices using discrete, contained charged particle bundles and sources of same

An x-ray source comprising a chamber having a vacuum or an inert dielectric gas therein, the chamber including a cathode, an anode and a solid dielectric interposed between the cathode and anode so that the cathode and anode contact different portions of the dielectric, and a high voltage short duration pulse source connected between the anode and cathode;

• the anode, cathode, solid dielectric and duration and voltage of pulses from the source being such that in response to a pulse from the source being applied between the anode and cathode, a discrete contained charged particle bundle is formed at the cathode and propagates along a surface of the dielectric thence around the dielectric to the anode, the anode being fabricated of a material that emits x-rays in response to the bundle being incident thereon, the x-rays being emitted from a regions of the anode that is the same as the region on which the bundle is incident.

An electrical device comprising a chamber having a vacuum or an inert dielectric gas therein, the chamber including a cathode, an anode and a solid dielectric interposed between the cathode and anode so that the cathode and anode contact different portions of the dielectric, and a high voltage short duration pulse source connected between the anode and cathode;

• the anode, cathode, solid dielectric and duration and voltage of pulses from the source being such that in response to a pulse from the source being applied between the anode and cathode, a discrete contained charged particle bundle is formed at the cathode and propagates along a surface of the dielectric thence around the dielectric to the anode, the anode being fabricated of a metal that is heated in response to the bundle being incident thereon, and a load in heat transfer relation with the anode to be heated by heat from the anode.

An electrical device comprising a chamber having a vacuum or an inert dielectric gas therein, the chamber including a cathode, an anode and a solid dielectric interposed between the cathode and anode so that the cathode and anode contact different portion of the dielectric, and a high voltage short duration pulse source connected between the anode and cathode;

• the anode, cathode, solid dielectric and duration and voltage of pulses from the source being such that in response to a pulse from the source being applied between the anode and cathode, a discrete contained charged particle bundle is formed at the cathode and propagates along a surface of the dielectric thence around the dielectric to the anode, the pulse source including:
• a DC power supply, a capacitor having first, second and third electrodes, the first electrode being located between the second and third electrodes and connected to the DC power supply to be charged by the supply, the second and third electrodes being respectively connected to the cathode and anode, a coil connected across the second and third electrodes, and spark gap breakdown discharge means for selectively connecting the first electrode to one of the second and third electrodes to establish a second discharge including the discrete contained charged particle bundle between the cathode and anode.

The device of claim 25 wherein the solid dielectric has an extended non-pointed surface area in contact with the globule, the extended surface area being greater than the surface area of the globule contacting the dielectric so the perimeter of the globule surface area contacting the solid dielectric is surrounded by the solid dielectric extended surface areas.

An electronic device comprising a source of periodic discrete contained charged particle bundles having a predetermined frequency, and a circuit ohmically connected to said source so that periodic current at the predetermined frequency resulting from derivation of the periodic discrete contained charged particle bundles flows in the circuit.

An energy converter comprising a source of discrete contained charged particle bundles traversing a path, means in said path for collecting the charged particle bundles and absorbing heat in response to the charged particle bundles being incident thereon, and means responsive to the heat absorbed by the absorbing means for performing useful work.

An x-ray source comprising a cathode;

• an anode;
• and a solid dielectric interposed between the cathode and anode so that a path subsists across a surface of the dielectric between the cathode and anode, a voltage source connected between the anode and cathode;
• the voltage source, anode and cathode being such that a discrete contained charged particle bundle is formed at the cathode and propagates along the surface of the dielectric to a predetermined surface region of the anode to be incident on the surface at a predetermined angle of incidence, the predetermined region of the anode being made of a material and being arranged so that x rays are emitted from the surface of the region at an angle generally opposite to the predetermined angle of incidence.