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US 5,270,611 AGranted
Electric discharge element
AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation
InventorGerardus G. P. Van Gorkom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Electric discharge element comprising a cathode which cooperates with an electron duct cavity which is defined by walls of electrically insulating material having a secondary emission coefficient .delta., which cavity has an output aperture, while electrode means which can be connected to a voltage source are provided for applying, in operation, an electric field across a path in the cavity from the cathode to the output aperture so as to enable electron transport through the cavity.
Claims34
An electric discharge element for operating as an electron source, comprising:
- a. a cathode having a surface for emitting electrons;
- b. an evacuable electron duct having walls comprising an electrically insulating material having a secondary emission coefficient which is at least equal to one for a predetermined range of electron energies, said duct defining a cavity which is in communication with the cathode for receiving electrons emitted by said surface and having an output aperture for enabling transfer of electrons out of the duct;
- c. electrode means positioned relative to the duct for producing within said cavity an electric field with a predetermined field strength for effecting the transport of electrons from the cathode to at least the vicinity of the output aperture by means of electron interactions with the duct walls at energies within said predetermined range.
An electric discharge element for operating as an electron source, comprising:
- a. electron generating means for emitting electrons;
- b. an evacuable electron duct having at least one inner surface defining a cavity which is in communication with the electron generating means for receiving electrons emitted by said means and having an output aperture for enabling transfer of electrons out of the duct, said at least one inner surface being formed, over a substantial length of the duct, from an insulating material having a secondary emission coefficient which is at least equal to one for a predetermined range of electron energies;
- c. field producing means positioned relative to the duct for producing within said cavity an electric field with a predetermined field strength for effecting the transport of electrons from the electron generating means to at least the vicinity of the output aperture by way of electron interactions with said inner surface of insulating material at energies within said predetermined range.
An electric discharge element for operating as an electron source, comprising:
- a. electron generating means for emitting electrons;
- b. an evacuable electron duct having at least one inner surface defining a cavity which is in communication with the electron generating means for receiving electrons emitted by said means and having an output aperture for enabling transfer of electrons out of the duct, said at least one inner surface being formed, over a substantial length of the duct, from a first material having a secondary emission coefficient which, for a predetermined range of electron energies, is greater than one but is insufficiently high to promote electron multiplication in said duct;
- c. field producing means positioned relative to the duct for producing within said cavity an electric field with a predetermined field strength for effecting the transport of electrons from the electron generating means to at least the vicinity of the output aperture by way of electron interactions with said at least one inner surface at energies within said predetermined range.
An electric discharge apparatus for operating as an electron source, comprising:
- a. electron generating means for emitting electrons;
- b. a plurality of longitudinally extending evacuable electron ducts, each having at least one inner surface defining a cavity which is in communication with the electron generating means for receiving electrons emitted by said means and having an output aperture for enabling transfer of electrons out of the duct, said at least one inner surface being formed, over a substantial length of the duct, from an insulating material having a secondary emission coefficient which is at least equal to one for a predetermined range of electron energies;
- c. field producing means positioned relative to the duct for producing within said cavity an electric field with a predetermined field strength for effecting the transport of electrons from the electron generating means to at least the vicinity of the output aperture by way of electron interactions with said inner surface of insulating material at energies within said predetermined range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.