Apparatus and method for a modular electron beam system for the treatment of surfaces

A modular electron beam device comprising:

• an enclosure for housing a plurality of electron beam units, the enclosure having a shape to fit together closely in an interlocking manner with an adjacent enclosure of a second electron beam device
• each electron beam unit having:
• a vacuum tube containing therein a filament and a cathode, the vacuum tube including a slot-shaped aperture at one end thereof for emitting the electron beam and further including a window to provide an airtight seal over the aperture;
• a first high voltage terminal coupled to provide a high voltage source to the electron beam tube;
• a second high voltage terminal coupled to the first high voltage terminal;
• a filament power supply electrically coupled to the filament;
• and
• a bias power supply electrically coupled to the cathode;
• the electron beam units being coupled in daisy-chain fashion, wherein the first high voltage terminal of an electron beam unit is coupled to the second high voltage terminal of another electron beam unit.

An electron beam device comprising:

• an enclosure containing therein a plurality of electron beam tubes adjacent one another and a power supply coupled to provide power to the electron beam tubes, the enclosure being of a shape to fit together closely in an interlocking manner with an adjacent enclosure of a second electron beam device;
• each of the electron beam tubes comprising a sealed chamber defined by a first end and a second end and having a thermionic filament disposed in the chamber and a cathode disposed proximate the thermionic filament, the first end of the sealed chamber having a slot-shaped aperture therethrough and sealed by an electron permeable member, the thermionic filament and cathode each having electrodes passing through the second end for electrical coupling to the power supply;
• the electron beam tubes being oriented so that the slot-shaped apertures are parallel to a longitudinal axis;
• the electron beam tubes being staggered so that the slot-shaped apertures of adjacent pairs of electron beam tubes lie along a common axis.