Method and apparatus for generating electron beams
AssigneeArcam AB
InventorsUlric Ljungblad, Mattias Svensson
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Abstract
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a plasma electron source apparatus. The apparatus comprises a cathode discharge chamber in which a plasma is generated, an exit hole provided in said cathode discharge chamber from which electrons from the plasma are extracted by an accelerating field provided between said cathode discharge chamber and an anode, at least one plasma confinement device, and a switching mechanism for switching the at least one plasma confinement device between a first value allowing for electron extraction from the plasma and a second value prohibiting electron extraction from the plasma. Associated methods are also provided.
Claims28
A plasma electron source apparatus comprising:
- a cathode discharge chamber in which a plasma is generated;
- an exit hole provided in said cathode discharge chamber from which electrons from the plasma are extracted by an accelerating field provided between said cathode discharge chamber and an anode;
- at least one plasma confinement device;
- and
- a switching mechanism for switching the at least one plasma confinement device between a first value allowing for electron extraction from the plasma and a second value prohibiting electron extraction from the plasma,
- wherein:
- said plasma confinement device is at least one electromagnetic wave generator and said switching mechanism for regulating a confinement force between said first and said second values is at least one of a wavelength generated by an electromagnetic wave source or an amplitude of an electromagnetic wave generated by the source;
- and
- said switching mechanism is configured to switch at least one of a frequency or an amplitude of said electromagnetic wave generator.
A method for generating a pulsed electron beam comprising the steps of:
- generating a plasma in a cathode discharge chamber;
- extracting electrons from an exit hole in said cathode discharge chamber by an accelerated field provided between said cathode discharge chamber and an anode;
- providing at least one plasma confinement device, said at least one plasma confinement device being at least one electromagnetic wave generator;
- and
- switching the at least one plasma confinement device between a first value allowing for electron extraction from the plasma and a second value prohibiting electron extraction from the plasma, said switching occurring via a switching mechanism that is at least one of a wavelength generated by an electromagnetic wave source or an amplitude of an electromagnetic wave generated by the source, said switching comprising switching of at least one of a frequency or said amplitude of said electromagnetic wave generator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.