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US 9,171,690 B2Granted
Variable field emission device
AssigneeElwha LLC
InventorsJesse R. Cheatham, III, Philip Andrew Eckhoff, William Gates, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Tony S. Pan, Robert C. Petroski, Clarence T. Tegreene, David B. Tuckerman, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood
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Abstract
A field emission device is configured as a heat engine, wherein the configuration of the heat engine is variable.
Claims27
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 electron emission 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;
- a measurement device configured to measure a separation corresponding to a pattern and configured to produce a first signal;
- and
- wherein the cathode, anode, gate, and suppressor are arranged in the pattern, and wherein the pattern is variable responsive to the first signal.
4 more elements
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 electron emission 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
- wherein the cathode, gate, suppressor, and anode are arranged in a pattern, and wherein the pattern is configured to vary as a function of a temperature of at least one region proximate to at least one of the cathode, gate, suppressor, and anode.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.