Electron beam accelerator

An electron accelerator comprising:

• a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window;
• an electron generator positioned within the vacuum chamber for generating electrons;
• and
• a housing surrounding the electron generator, the housing having an electron permeable region formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window for allowing electrons to accelerate from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam when a voltage potential is applied between the housing and the exit window, the housing also having a passive electrical field line shaper for causing electrons to be uniformly distributed across the electron beam.

A method of accelerating electrons comprising the steps of:

• providing a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window, the exit window being formed of metallic foil bonded in metal to metal contact with the vacuum chamber to provide a gas tight seal therebetween, the exit window being less than about 12.5 microns thick, the vacuum chamber being hermetically sealed to preserve a self sustained vacuum therein;
• generating electrons with an electron generator positioned within the vacuum chamber;
• and
• surrounding the electron generator with a housing, the housing having an electron permeable region formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window for allowing electrons to accelerate from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam when a voltage potential is applied between the housing and the exit window.

A method of accelerating electrons comprising the steps of:

• providing a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window;
• generating electrons with an electron generator positioned within the vacuum chamber;
• surrounding the electron generator with a housing, the housing having a electron permeable region formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window, the housing also having a passive electrical field line shaper;
• accelerating the electrons from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam by applying a voltage potential between the housing and the exit window;
• and
• uniformly distributing electrons across the electron beam between the electron generator and the exit window with the passive electrical field line shaper.