Free space electron switch

• US 6,407,516 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2000
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Exaconnect Corporation
• Original Assignee: Exaconnect Corporation
• Inventors: Victor, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Thuy Vinh
• Application Number:
  US09/731,216
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 315/365, 315/403, 315/40, 315/94, 313/373, 313/382, 313/383, 313/409, 313/414, 313/417, 313/542, 313/238
• US Class Current: 315/365
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 31/06 with more than two output electrodes, e.g. for multiple switching or counting

Abstract

A free space electron switch is disclosed. The switch, which is useful in high speed telecommunications traffic, has an array of cathodes for emitting free space electrons. A grid of aiming anodes and, a focusing grid for forming electrons from the cathode into an electron beam are provided. A plurality of output ports for receiving the electron beam from each cathode is provided, the output ports having a phosphor coating facing the side of the channel remote from the cathode.

Claims

1. A free space electron switch comprising:

a cathode array, said cathode array including a plurality of cathodes, each of said cathodes operable to emit electrons;

an anode grid, said anode grid including a plurality of aiming anodes, each of said aiming anodes defining a channel, each anode operable to aim an electron beam formed from the electrons emitted from one of said cathodes;

a plurality of the output ports, each output port operable to receive an electron beam from at least one cathode; and

a focusing and accelerating grid disposed between said cathode array and said plurality of output ports, said focusing and accelerating grid operable to control the flow of electrons from each of said cathodes into each of said channels.

2. The free space electron switch according to claim 1 wherein each of said aiming anodes extends in two dimensions of each said cathodes such that the channels have a surrounding periphery of aiming anodes.

3. The free space electron switch according to claim 1 wherein each of said aiming anodes is responsive to a charge which aims the emitted electrons to an output port.

4. The free space electron switch according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of output ports is disposed adjacent the cathode array.

5. The free space electron switch according to claim 1 wherein each of the channels has a diameter from about 1 micron to about 6 inches.

6. The free space electron switch according to claim 1 wherein each of the aiming anodes is between about 0.05 mm to about 50 mm in length.

7. The free space electron switch according to claim 1 further comprising controller located adjacent to the cathode array operable to control the aiming anodes.

8. The free space electron switch according to claim 1 wherein each of the cathodes is photocathodes.

9. The free space electron switch according to claim 1 wherein each of the cathodes is cold cathode.

10. An electron source switch comprising:

a cathode for emitting electrons in response to an input signal;

a ceramic layer defining at least one channel extending therethrough;

a modulating array for forming electrons received from the cathode into an electron beam, said modulating array directing the electrons through said channel toward an output port; and

an aiming anode having a plurality of states, said anode being selectively actuable to steer the electron beam to the output port.

11. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 wherein the cathode is a cold cathode.

12. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 further comprising a modulating electrode grid disposed between the cathode and the aiming anode for controlling a flow of electrons from the cathode into the channel.

13. The electron source as claimed in claim 12 wherein the modulating electrode grid is disposed adjacent a surface of the cathode facing the aiming anode.

14. The electron source as claimed in claim 12 wherein the modulating electrode grid comprises a plurality of parallel row conductors and a plurality of parallel column conductors arranged orthogonally to the row conductors, said at least one channel being a plurality of channels where one of the channels is located at a different intersection of a row conductor and a column conductor.

15. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 wherein the cathode is a photocathode.

16. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 wherein the at least one channel is a plurality of channels disposed in the ceramic layer as a two dimensional array of rows and columns.

17. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 further comprising a focusing grid.

18. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 wherein the ceramic layer includes aluminum.

19. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 wherein the output port is coupled to a VCSEL pump laser.

20. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 wherein the aiming anode is coupled to a digital-to-analog converter, said digital-to-analog converter being used to change the anodes state.

21. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 wherein the channel is round in cross-section.

22. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 wherein the cathode is a hot cathode.

23. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 wherein the ceramic layer includes a stack of perforated laminations, where the perforations in each lamination are aligned with the perforations in an adjacent lamination to continue the channel through the stack.

24. The electron source as recited in claim 23 wherein each lamination in the stack is separated from an adjacent lamination by a spacer.

25. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 further composing an accelerator disposed adjacent the cathode for accelerating electrons through the channels.

26. The electron source as claimed in claim 25 comprising a plurality of aiming anodes.

27. The electron source as claimed in claim 26 wherein the plurality of anodes comprise lateral formations surrounding the channels.

28. The electron source as claimed in claim 10 comprising means for applying a deflection voltage across the anode to deflect the electron beam emerging from the channel.

29. A switch device comprising:

an array of cathodes for emitting electrons;

an anode grid including a plurality of aiming anodes each defining a channel, each anode aiming an electron beam formed from the electrons emitted from a respective cathode;

an array of output ports for receiving electrons from the array of cathodes, the array of output ports having a receiving anode facing a side of a ceramic layer remote from the array of cathodes, the array of output ports comprising VCSEL pump lasers, each laser corresponding to a different output channel; and

a generator which is capable of supplying control signals to the aiming anodes and to selectively control flow of electrons from the cathodes to the output ports via the channels.

30. The switch device of claim 29 wherein the cathodes are selected from the group consisting of photocathodes and cold cathodes.

31. The switch device of claim 29 wherein the anode grid is arranged to address electrons emerging from the channels to different ones of the output ports.

32. The switch device as claimed in claim 29 further comprising a ball grid coupled to the array of output ports.

33. A free space electron amplifier comprising:

an array of cathodes for emitting electrons in response to an input signal;

a plurality of output ports for receiving an electron beam from each cathode, the output ports facing and remote from the array of cathodes; and

a focusing and accelerating grid defining an array of channels disposed between the array of cathodes and the plurality of output ports, said focusing and accelerating grid control the flow of electrons from the array of cathodes into each channel and amplify the input signal.

34. The free space electron amplifier of claim 33 further comprising a plurality of signal input sources coupled to said array of cathodes.

35. The free space electron amplifier of claim 34 wherein the signal input sources are copper wires.

36. The free space electron amplifier of claim 35 wherein the signal input sources are fiber-optic elements.

37. The free space electron amplifier of claim 34 wherein the output ports are coupled to copper wires.