Optically powered charged particle accelerator
First Claim
1. A apparatus comprising:
- means for emitting electrically charged particles into a vacuum; and
optically powered means for controlling said electrically charged particles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A charged particle control apparatus provides very high voltage particle beams. One or more photocell arrays provide bias voltages for beam accelerating stages. The arrays are made from a number of microfabricated photocells connected in series to produce a voltage output that is the sum of the voltages from the individual cells. Arrays of each stage are connected in series to produce a cumulative stage voltage that is applied to an accelerating electrode made part of the stage.
These accelerating stages are disposed within a transparent vacuum chamber and are spaced from a charged particle source stage disposed near one end of the chamber. This charged particle source stage includes an emission source such as a photocathode. The photo arrays of the accelerating stages are connected in series to produce a potential that is applied to the particle source stage.
Optical power illuminates the stages to generate desired voltage biases to the accelerating electrodes. A light source is used to excite the photocathode when this emission source is used. Electrons from the emission source are accelerated by the accelerating electrodes and are emitted from the chamber which is typically conjoined with other apparatus.
By utilizing photocell arrays to generate beam current and accelerating biases, as well as a photocathode for providing a source of electrons, the apparatus of the invention is completely optically isolated thereby requiring no direct electrical connections to the apparatus even though multiple accelerating stages are used to facilitate the achievement of very high voltage particle beams.
14 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A apparatus comprising:
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means for emitting electrically charged particles into a vacuum; and optically powered means for controlling said electrically charged particles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A charged particle control apparatus comprising:
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a vacuum chamber for providing a vacuum environment; a source for emitting electrons into said vacuum environment; and an optically powered means for accelerating said electrons. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A charged particle control apparatus comprising:
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a vacuum chamber for providing a vacuum environment; a source for emitting electrons into said vacuum environment; and an optically powered means for deflecting said electrons. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A charged particle control apparatus comprising:
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a vacuum chamber for providing a vacuum environment; a source for emitting electrons into said vacuum environment; and an optically powered means for focusing said electrons. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. An electron accelerating apparatus comprising:
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a source of optical power; a photocathode, said photocathode providing an emission source of electrons when excited by said optical power; and an optically powered accelerating means for accelerating said electrons, said optically powered accelerating means including a plurality of accelerating stages, each stage including at least one photocell array and an accelerating electrode operably coupled to said photocell array, said at least one photocell array producing voltage when illuminated by said optical power with said voltage being applied to said accelerating electrode. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification