Electron beam accelerator
First Claim
1. An electron accelerator comprising:
- a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window;
an electron generator positioned within the vacuum chamber for generating electrons; and
a housing surrounding the electron generator, the housing having a first series of openings formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window for allowing electrons to accelerate from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam when a voltage potential is applied between the housing and the exit window, the housing also having a second and third series of openings formed in the housing on opposite sides of the electron generator for causing electrons to be uniformly distributed across the electron beam by flattening electrical field lines between the electron generator and the exit window.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electron accelerator includes a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window. An electron generator is positioned within the vacuum chamber for generating electrons. A housing surrounds the electron generator and has a first series of openings formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window for allowing electrons to accelerate from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam when a voltage potential is applied between the housing and the exit window. The housing also has a second series and third series of openings formed in the housing on opposite sides of the electron generator for causing electrons to be uniformly distributed across the electron beam by flattening electrical field lines between the electron generator and the exit window.
159 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An electron accelerator comprising:
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a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window; an electron generator positioned within the vacuum chamber for generating electrons; and a housing surrounding the electron generator, the housing having a first series of openings formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window for allowing electrons to accelerate from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam when a voltage potential is applied between the housing and the exit window, the housing also having a second and third series of openings formed in the housing on opposite sides of the electron generator for causing electrons to be uniformly distributed across the electron beam by flattening electrical field lines between the electron generator and the exit window. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An electron accelerator comprising:
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a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window, the vacuum chamber being formed within a cylindrical member and hermetically sealed to preserve a permanent self sustained vacuum therein; an electron generator positioned within the vacuum chamber for generating electrons; a high voltage connector for supplying power to the electron accelerator; a disk-shaped high voltage insulator separating the vacuum chamber from the high voltage connector; and a housing surrounding the electron generator, the housing having a first series of openings formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window for allowing electrons to accelerate from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam when a voltage potential is applied between the housing and the exit window, the housing also having a second and third series of openings formed in the housing on opposite sides of the electron generator for causing electrons to be uniformly distributed across the electron beam by flattening electrical field lines between the electron generator and the exit window.
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19. An electron accelerator comprising:
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a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window, the exit window being formed of metallic foil bonded in metal to metal contact with the vacuum chamber to provide a gas tight seal therebetween, the exit window being less than about 12.5 microns thick, the vacuum chamber being formed within an elongate member and hermetically sealed to preserve a permanent self sustained vacuum therein; an electron generator positioned within the vacuum chamber for generating electrons; a high voltage connector positioned within the elongate member for supplying power to the electron accelerator; a high voltage insulator separating the vacuum chamber from the high voltage connector; and a housing surrounding the electron generator, the housing having a first series of openings formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window for allowing electrons to accelerate from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam when a voltage potential is applied between the housing and the exit window. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of accelerating electrons comprising the steps of:
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providing a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window; generating electrons with an electron generator positioned within the vacuum chamber; surrounding the electron generator with a housing, the housing having a first series of openings formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window; accelerating the electrons from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam by applying a voltage potential between the housing and the exit window; and uniformly distributing electrons across the electron beam by flattening electrical field lines between the electron generator and the exit window with a second and third series of openings formed in the housing on opposite sides of the electron generator. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of accelerating electrons comprising the steps of:
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providing a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window, the exit window being formed of metallic foil bonded in metal to metal contact with the vacuum chamber to provide a gas tight seal therebetween, the exit window being less than about 12.5 microns thick; generating electrons with an electron generator positioned within the vacuum chamber; surrounding the electron generator with a housing, the housing having a first series of openings formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window; accelerating the electrons from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam by applying a voltage potential between the housing and the exit window; hermetically sealing the vacuum chamber to preserve a permanent self sustained vacuum therein; and increasing the vacuum within the vacuum chamber by trapping ionized molecules contained within the vacuum chamber on surfaces of the housing.
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36. An electron accelerator comprising:
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a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window; an electron generator positioned within the vacuum chamber for generating electrons; and a housing surrounding the electron generator, the housing having a first series of openings formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window for allowing electrons to accelerate from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam when a voltage potential is applied between the housing and the exit window, the housing also having a passive electrical field line shaper for causing electrons to be uniformly distributed across the electron beam. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A method of accelerating electrons comprising the steps of:
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providing a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window; generating electrons with an electron generator positioned within the vacuum chamber; surrounding the electron generator with a housing, the housing having a first series of openings formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window, the housing also having a passive electrical field line shaper; accelerating the electrons from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam by applying a voltage potential between the housing and the exit window; and uniformly distributing electrons across the electron beam between the electron generator and the exit window with the passive electrical field line shaper. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A method of accelerating electrons comprising the steps of:
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providing a vacuum chamber having an electron beam exit window, the exit window being formed of metallic foil bonded in metal to metal contact with the vacuum chamber to provide a gas tight seal therebetween, the exit window being less than about 12.5 microns thick, the vacuum chamber being formed within an elongate member and hermetically sealed to preserve a self sustained vacuum therein; generating electrons with an electron generator positioned within the vacuum chamber; positioning a high voltage connector within the elongate member for supplying power to the electron generator; separating the vacuum chamber from the high voltage connector with a high voltage insulator; and surrounding the electron generator with a housing, the housing having a first opening formed in the housing between the electron generator and the exit window for allowing electrons to accelerate from the electron generator out the exit window in an electron beam when a voltage potential is applied between the housing and the exit window.
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Specification