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US 6,476,340 B1Granted
Electron beam gun with grounded shield to prevent arc-down and gas bleed to protect the filament
AssigneeThe BOC Group, Inc.
InventorRussell J. Hill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides for an improved electron gun evaporation source using high direct current negative voltage for forming high energy electron beams to produce thin-film coatings on a variety of substrates. The present invention further provides for the use of a grounded metallic shield which functions as an electrode enclosing both the filament leads and emitter structures of an electron beam source.
Claims20
An electron beam gun contained in a high vacuum chamber comprising:
- a plurality of high voltage surfaces comprising an emitter structure connected through filament leads to an external high voltage source;
- a metallic shield surrounding said high voltage surfaces, wherein said shield has a hole through which a path of electrons from said emitter structure flow to a target in said vacuum chamber;
- grounding means for said shield;
- a crucible;
- means to focus and direct said path of electrons from said emitter structure to said crucible over an arc passing through said hole.
2 more elements
The electron beam gun as claimed in 1 wherein said path of electrons is over an arc of about 270°.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.