DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ION GENERATION

• US 20130170592A1
• Filed: 12/28/2011
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Joyce Wong, Zilu Zhou
• Inventors: ZHOU, ZILU, WONG, JOYCE
• Granted Patent: US 9,230,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 376/114
• CPC Class Codes: G21G 4/02 Neutron sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 1/3044 Point emitters
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 27/02 Ion sources; Ion guns for examination or processing discharge tubes H01J37/08; ion sources, ion guns for particle spectrometer or separator tubes H01J49/10; ion propulsion F03H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/065 Field emission, photo emission or secondary emission cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/08 Ion sources; Ion guns
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 3/06 Generating neutron beams targets for producing nuclear reactions H05H6/00; neutron sources G21G4/02

Abstract

Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are directed to devices and methods for ion generation. One such device includes a substrate. The substrate is disposed within a housing that is configured to contain a gas. The substrate includes an interior surface that at least partially defines an interior volume. The substrate also includes a number of channels with walls. Nano-tips are disposed on the walls of the channels.

Claims

1. An ion source comprising:

at least one substrate having at least one channel comprising at least one wall, wherein the at least one substrate comprises an interior surface that at least partially defines an interior volume;

a plurality of nano-tips disposed on the at least one wall of the channel; and

a housing configured to contain a gas, wherein the at least one substrate is disposed within the housing.

2. The ion source of claim 1, further comprising:

a grid spaced from the at least one substrate.

3. The ion source of claim 2, wherein the substrate forms a tube with a first opening and a second opening and the grid is disposed within the interior volume of the tube.

4. The ion source of claim 3, wherein the tube is cylindrical and the grid is concentric within the tube.

5. The ion source of claim 3, wherein the tube includes at least three sides.

6. The ion source of claim 2, wherein the at least one substrate includes two substrates spaced apart from each other, the interior volume is defined between the two substrates, and the grid is disposed within the interior volume between the first substrate and the second substrate.

7. The ion source of claim 2, further comprising:

a circuit configured to apply a potential between the grid and the substrate.

8. The ion source of claim 7, wherein the at least one circuit is configured to apply positive potential to the grid so that the plurality of emitters emit electrons for ionizing the gas.

9. The ion source of claim 7, wherein the at least one circuit is configured to apply a negative potential to the grid so that the plurality of emitters attract electrons and ionize the gas.

10. The ion source of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes a plurality of channels, each channel having at least one side wall, and each side wall including a plurality of nano-tips extending therefrom.

11. The ion source of claim 1, wherein the channels form through-holes through the substrate.

12. The ion source of claim 2, further comprising:

an extractor disposed adjacent to the interior volume, the extractor configured to extract ions from the interior volume.

13. The ion source of claim 12, further comprising:

a pusher disposed adjacent to the interior volume and opposite from the extractor, the pusher configured to push ions out of the interior volume.

14. The ion source of claim 13, wherein the at least one circuit is configured to simultaneously apply a negative potential to the first electrode and a positive potential to the second electrode.

15. A neutron generator comprising:

an ion source including;

at least one substrate having at least one channel comprising at least one wall, wherein the at least one substrate comprises an interior surface that at least partially defines an interior volume;

a plurality of nano-tips disposed on the at least one wall of the at least one channel;

a grid spaced from the at least one substrate;

a target;

an accelerator section configured to accelerate ions from the ion source towards the target and to strike the ions against the target to generate neutrons;

at least one circuit configured to apply a potential between the grid and the substrate; and

a housing for containing a gas, the ion source, the target, and the accelerator section being disposed within the housing.

16. The neutron generator of claim 15, wherein the substrate forms a tube with a first opening and a second opening and the grid is disposed within the interior volume of the tube.

17. The neutron generator of claim 16, wherein the tube is cylindrical and the grid is concentric within the tube.

18. The neutron generator of claim 16, wherein the tube includes at least three sides.

19. The neutron generator of claim 15, wherein the at least one substrate includes two substrates spaced apart from each other, the interior volume is defined between the two substrates, and the grid is disposed within the interior volume between the first substrate and the second substrate.

20. The neutron generator of claim 15, wherein the channels form through-holes through the substrate.