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US 8,803,435 B2Granted
Field emission device
AssigneeElwha LLC
InventorsRoderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Tony S. Pan, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A field emission device is configured as a heat engine.
Claims33
An apparatus comprising:
- a cathode;
- an anode, wherein the anode and cathode are receptive to a first power source to produce an anode electric potential higher than a cathode electric potential;
- a gate positioned between the anode and the cathode, the gate being receptive to a second power source to produce a gate electric potential selected to induce emission of a first set of electrons from the cathode;
- a suppressor positioned between the gate and the anode, the suppressor being receptive to a third power source to produce a suppressor electric potential selected to provide a force on an electron in a direction pointing towards the suppressor in a region between the suppressor and the anode;
- and
- at least one path traversable for a first portion of the first set of electrons, extending from the cathode, through the gate, through the suppressor, and to the anode.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving a first signal corresponding to a heat engine, the heat engine including an anode, cathode, gas-filled region, gate and suppressor;
- processing the first signal to determine a first relative power output of the heat engine as a function of an anode electric potential, a gate electric potential, and a suppressor electric potential;
- producing a second signal based on a second power output greater than the first power output;
- and
- transmitting the second signal corresponding to the second power output.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving a first signal corresponding to a heat engine, the heat engine including an anode, cathode, gas-filled region, gate and suppressor;
- processing the first signal to determine a first relative thermodynamic efficiency of the heat engine as a function of an anode electric potential, a gate electric potential, and a suppressor electric potential;
- producing a second signal based on a second thermodynamic efficiency greater than the first thermodynamic efficiency;
- and
- transmitting the second signal corresponding to the second thermodynamic efficiency.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- circuitry configured to receive a first signal corresponding to a heat engine, the heat engine including an anode, cathode, gas-filled region, gate and suppressor;
- circuitry configured to process the first signal to determine a first relative thermodynamic efficiency of the heat engine as a function of an anode electric potential, a gate electric potential, and a suppressor electric potential;
- circuitry configured to produce a second signal based on a second thermodynamic efficiency greater than the first thermodynamic efficiency;
- and
- circuitry configured to transmit the second signal corresponding to the second thermodynamic efficiency.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- applying a gate electric potential to selectively release a first set of electrons from a bound state in a first region, the first region having a first temperature;
- applying a suppressor electric potential to selectively release a second set of electrons from emission from a bound state in a second region different from the first region, the second region having an anode electric potential that is greater than a cathode electric potential of the first region, the second region having a second temperature lower than the first temperature;
- and
- passing a portion of the first set of electrons through a gas filled region and binding the passed portion of the first set of electrons in the second region.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.