Electron beam RF amplifier and emitter

• US 7,446,601 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Astronix Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Astronix Research, LLC
• Inventors: LeChevalier, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Khanh V
• Application Number:
  US10/875,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20050285541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 330/4.5, 330/4.6, 330/4.7, 330 43- 46, 315/3, 315/364
• US Class Current: 330/4.7
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 21/24 with variable amplification factor
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 3/36 Arrangements for controlling the ray or beam after passing the main deflection system, e.g. for post-acceleration or post-concentration

Abstract

RF field is sensed to produce an incoming voltage that drives a microarray of electron guns in a sweep pattern towards a detector array. The electron guns emit a beam current that may amplify the incoming voltage signal, and the detector material may be selected to amplify the beam current at the detector, for example, by avalanche and/or cascade in a Schottky material, to provide a low current, high gain amplification. The microarrays may be arranged in various combinations to produce successive amplifications, frequency multipliers, transmit-receive amplifiers, crossbar switches, mixers, beamformers, and selective polarization devices, among other such devices.

Claims

1. A device to amplify a deflection signal comprising one or more voltage signals, the device comprising

an emission wall and a detector wall separated from one another to define an evacuated drift cavity that presents an electron transmission pathway between the emission wall and the detector wall,

the emission wall and the detector wall being parallel to one another;

the drift cavity extending between an emission wall surface at a terminus of the emission wall proximate to the drift cavity and a detector wall surface at a terminus of the detector wall proximate to the drift cavity;

an array of electron guns disposed behind the emission wall, each electron gun in the array of electron guns configured to emit electrons as current of a beamlet into the drift cavity, through the emission wall and along the transmission pathway toward the detector wall,

each electron gun in the array of electron guns having a corresponding beamlet deflector that is operable for receipt of the deflection signal, and

the aggregate of emitted beamlets forms an electron beam positioned relative to the transmission pathway, the electron beam forming a beam spot on the detector wall, and

the aggregate of beamlet deflectors forms an electron beam deflector such that

in a quiescent state of the deflection signal the electron beam is transmitted on the transmission pathway in a non-deflected mode, and

in a non-quiescent state of the deflection signal the electron beam deflector deflects the electron beam in a swept mode of sweeping action that moves the beam spot along a sweep pathway at the detector wall;

a detector forming one or more areas on the detector wall for selective collection of the electron beam according to positioning of the beam spot, the detector including a construction that is capable of responding to the selective collection by generating an output current.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the output current is representative of the deflection signal but amplified with respect to the deflection signal by virtue of interaction between the detector, the beam spot and the detector construction.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising an output load to receive the output current.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the beamlet deflector of each electron gun comprises a first deflector electrode and a second deflector electrode in substantially parallel orientation with respect to one another across a selected portion of the transmission pathway and disposed in the emission wall such that the electron beam passes between the first deflector electrode and the second deflector electrode before entering the drift cavity, the first deflector electrode and the second deflector electrode being configured for selective electric field application driven by a first voltage signal of the deflection signal applied as a potential difference between the first deflector electrode and the deflector second electrode.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the beamlet deflector of each electron gun is of matched construction, so that for a given deflection signal, each beamlet deflector deflects a corresponding electron beamlet by substantially the same amount.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the detector construction includes a material that amplifies a current of the electron beam to generate the output current under condition of the selective collection.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the array of electron guns is arranged such that the beamlet deflector of each electron gun is arranged in planar form and located proximate behind the emission wall surface.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising an electrostatic lens system operable for simultaneous action on a plurality of beamlets emitted by the array of electron guns.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the array of electron guns is of predetermined pattern by design to achieve beam spot formation and the predetermined pattern comprises a grid pattern of electron gun locations and an outline pattern for a shape of a perimeter of the array.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the predetermined pattern comprises a substantially rectangular grid pattern.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the predetermined pattern comprises a substantially hexagonal grid pattern.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the outline pattern is substantially circular.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein the outline pattern is substantially rectangular.

14. The device of claim 9 wherein the outline pattern is a line.

15. The device of claim 8 wherein the electrostatic lens system comprises:

a first lens electrode located proximate to the emission wall surface; and

a second lens electrode located proximate to the emission wall surface;

wherein the second lens electrode defines an opening and the first lens electrode is centrally disposed with respect to the opening and the second lens electrode.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the first lens electrode comprises a circular disk and the opening comprises a circular hole.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein

the first lens electrode is coupled to means for applying a first potential to the first lens electrode, and

the second lens electrode is coupled to means for applying a second potential to the second lens electrode.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the first potential is more positive than the second potential.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the drift cavity includes a sidewall extending from the emission wall surface to the detector wall surface, and the electrostatic lens system additionally comprises

a fourth lens electrode residing at a position selected from the group consisting of at least part of the sidewall, one portion of the detector wall, and combinations thereof, and

a third lens electrode forming part of the detector wall.

20. The device of claim 19 configured for time delay shifting, comprising means for adjusting a potential of the third lens electrode in response to a time delay control command word.

21. The device of claim 20 further comprising means for adjusting a potential of the fourth lens electrode in response to a time delay control command word.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the means for adjusting the potential of the fourth planar electrode comprises

a read-only memory associated with the fourth lens electrode to provide means for storing a plurality of fourth electrode voltage words, each of the fourth electrode voltage words corresponding to one of a plurality of time delay control command words;

means for providing a selected fourth electrode voltage word in response to receiving a time delay control command word,

means for selecting a time delay control command word for communication between the storing means and the providing means, and

a digital-to-analog converter coupled with the read-only memory to provide a fourth electrode potential to the fourth lens electrode in response to receiving an electrode voltage word from the read-only memory.

23. The device of claim 20 wherein the means for adjusting comprises:

a read-only memory associated with the third lens electrode to provide means for storing a plurality of third electrode voltage words, each of the third electrode voltage words corresponding to one of a plurality of time delay control command words;

means for providing a selected third electrode voltage word in response to receiving a time delay control command word,

means for selecting a time delay control command word for communication between the storing means and the providing means, and

a digital-to-analog converter coupled with the read-only memory to provide a third electrode potential to the third lens electrode in response to receiving an electrode voltage word from the read-only memory.

24. The device of claim 19 wherein the third lens electrode comprises a circular disk.

25. The device of claim 19 additionally comprising one or more digital-to-analog converters configured for control of electrode voltages applied to the electrostatic lens system.

26. The device of claim 19 wherein the third lens electrode comprises a planar electrode that forms part of the detector wall and defines an open section that is not covered by the third lens electrode, the fourth lens electrode being centrally disposed with respect to the open section, and the third lens electrode being electrically isolated from the fourth lens electrode.

27. The device of claim 26 wherein the third electrode is a disk and the open section comprises a circular hole.

28. The device of claim 26 wherein the detector is centered with respect to the fourth lens electrode.

29. The device of claim 26, additionally comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical ring electrodes forming part of the sidewall, each disposed to circumscribe the electron beam when emitted by the array of electron guns;

each ring electrode being electrically isolated from the remainder of the ring electrodes and being coupled to a corresponding ring potential,

a first ring electrode being one of the plurality of the ring electrodes that is nearest the emission wall, the first ring electrode coupled to means for providing a first ring potential, and

a last ring electrode being the ring electrode that is nearest the detector wall, the last ring electrode being coupled to means for providing a last ring potential.

30. The device of claim 29 wherein the ring electrodes have substantially identical diameters with respect to one another.

31. The device of claim 29 including means for providing increased ring electrode potential in relative order proceeding from the first ring electrode to the last ring electrode, such that the last ring electrode has a highest ring potential of the ring electrodes when the means for providing increased ring electrode potential is activated and equal potentials among adjacent ring electrodes are not precluded by the relative order.

32. The device of claim 31 further comprising segmented ring biasing circuitry that includes

a first ring potential source,

a tapped resistor with a first end, a second end, and a plurality of tapped resistor terminals,

the tapped resistor coupled at the first end to the first ring potential source and at the second end to the third lens electrode, and

each of the plurality of ring electrodes coupled to one of the tapped resistor terminals.

33. The device of claim 31 further comprising segmented ring biasing circuitry that includes:

a read-only memory with

means for storing a plurality of ring-electrode voltage words, each ring-electrode voltage word corresponding to one of a plurality of time delay control command words,

means for providing the corresponding ring-electrode voltage word in response to receiving a time delay control command word,

means for selecting a time delay control command word for communication between the storing and providing means; and

one or more digital-to-analog converters, each coupled to the read-only memory, wherein

each digital-to-analog converter provides the ring electrode potential to a corresponding ring electrode in response to receiving one of the ring-electrode voltage words from the read-only memory.

34. The device of claim 26 including a drift can electrode wherein

the first lens electrode is centered with respect to the opening defined by the second lens electrode, and

the third lens electrode is centered in the open section.

35. The device of claim 34 wherein the third lens electrode is coupled to a third potential, the drift can electrode is coupled to a fifth potential, and the third potential is more positive than the fifth potential.

36. The device of claim 35 wherein

a first digital-to-analog converter controls the first potential, and

the second and fifth potentials are fixed.

37. The device of claim 36 including a third digital-to-analog converter to control the third potential.

38. The device of claim 34 wherein the third lens electrode is coupled to a third potential, the fourth lens electrode is coupled to a fourth potential, the drift can electrode is coupled to a fifth potential, and the third potential is more positive than the fifth potential.

39. The device of claim 38 wherein the fourth and fifth potentials are the same.

40. The device of claim 38 wherein the fourth potential is controlled by a fourth digital-to-analog converter.

41. The device of claim 34 configured for true time delay shifting, comprising

means for adjusting respective potentials of the third lens electrode, the fourth lens electrode, and the drift can electrode in response to a time delay control command word.

42. The device of claim 41 wherein the means for adjusting the potentials comprises

an electrode voltage word including a binary segment with data allocated to each of the third lens electrode, the fourth lens electrode, and the drift can electrode;

a read-only memory with

means for storing a plurality of electrode voltage words, each electrode voltage word corresponding to one of a plurality of time delay control command words,

means for providing the corresponding electrode voltage word in response to receiving a time delay control command word,

means for selecting a time delay control command word for communication between the storing and providing means;

a first digital-to-analog converter

coupled to the read-only memory, wherein

the first digital-to-analog converter provides a third-electrode potential to the third electrode in response to receiving one of the electrode voltage words from the read-only memory;

a second digital-to-analog converter

coupled to the read-only memory, wherein

the second digital-to-analog converter provides a fourth-electrode potential to the fourth electrode in response to receiving an one of the electrode voltage words from the read-only memory; and

a third digital-to-analog converter

coupled to the read-only memory, wherein

the third digital-to-analog converter provides a fifth-electrode potential to the drift can electrode in response to receiving one of the electrode voltage words from the read-only memory.

43. The device of claim 25 additionally comprising:

a digital controller for generating a digital focusing word;

the digital focusing word comprising groups of binary bits, each group providing control information to one of the digital-to-analog converters.

44. The device of claim 43 wherein the digital controller comprises a read-only memory, operably responsive to a digital focusing command to provide the digital focusing word as input to the one of the digital-to-analog converters.

45. The device of claim 8 constructed for astigmatic beam focusing comprising

a square planar electrode in the emission plane to circumscribe the array of electron guns, the square planar electrode having left and right sides opposed to one another, and top and bottom sides opposed in a second direction that is orthogonal to the sweep pathway and the transmission pathway;

first and second astigmatic electrodes positioned in the emission surface and arranged on opposing sides, in the sweep direction, of the square planar electrode;

third and fourth astigmatic electrodes positioned in the emission surface and arranged on opposing sides, in the second direction, of the square planar electrode;

coupling between the first and second astigmatic electrodes and a first astigmatic voltage source; and

coupling between the third and fourth astigmatic electrodes and a second astigmatic voltage source.

46. The device of claim 1 wherein the detector consists of a single detection segment and the electron beam deflector is configured to sweep the beam spot across an edge of the segment.

47. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the detector comprises one or more segments; and

a perimeter of any of the one or more segments is shaped by complementary design with respect to the beam spot to improve linearity of the output current in response to the deflection signal.

48. The device of claim 1 wherein the detector comprises two detector segments separated by a slot.

49. The device of claim 48 wherein the segments are substantially triangular and arranged in inverted opposition so as to form a generally rectilinear shape transected by a diagonal slot.

50. The device of claim 49 where the rectilinear shape is defined by one pair of orthogonally connected edges and another pair of orthogonally connected edges, the electron beam deflector being arranged and controlled such that each of the orthogonally connected edges in each of the one pair and the other pair are either parallel to the sweep pathway or orthogonal to the sweep pathway.

51. The device of claim 49 configured such that the beam spot comprises a line spot where it impinges upon the detector wall,

a height of the line spot in a direction orthogonal to the sweep pathway is approximately equal to a corresponding height of the detector, and

a width of the line spot along the sweep pathway is substantially less than a width of the detector in the sweep pathway.

52. The device of claim 49 wherein the generally rectilinear shape is rectangular.

53. The device of claim 49 wherein the slot is arranged in combination with the generally rectilinear shape and the beam spot such that the device produces, in response to the deflection signal, the output current that is substantially linear.

54. The device of claim 48 wherein

the segments are substantially rectangular and sequentially available along the sweep pathway.

55. The device of claim 54 wherein the beam spot is substantially rectangular.

56. The device of claim 1, further comprising a beam centering signal generator comprising differential coupling means generating an offset error signal provided to means for feedback loop correction processing generating an integrated offset signal.

57. The device of claim 56 further comprising means for centering the electron beam in response to the integrated offset signal.

58. The device of claim 56 further comprising summing circuitry for combining input voltage signals with the integrated offset signal, to generate the deflection signal.

59. The device of claim 56 further comprising a secondary beam deflector in each electron gun, the secondary beam deflector being coupled to receive the integrated offset signal.

60. The device of claim 56 further comprising a digital-to-analog converter coupled to provide the integrated offset signal in response to a calibrated digital beam offset word.

61. The device of claim 60 further comprising a digital processor configured to provide the calibrated digital beam offset word in response to a beam targeting command.

62. The device of claim 56 wherein the feedback loop correction processing comprises a digital processor.

63. The device of claim 62 wherein the digital processor comprises a read-only memory configured to:

store a plurality of calibrated digital beam offset words, each calibrated digital beam offset word corresponding to one of a plurality of beam targeting commands; and

provide the corresponding calibrated digital beam offset word in response to each beam targeting command received by the read-only memory.

64. The device of claim 56 wherein the means for feedback loop correction processing comprises an integrator.

65. The device of claim 64 wherein the integrator comprises:

a differential transconductance amplifier that is differentially coupled to the detector and configured to generate a transconductance current; and

a filter capacitor, coupled to receive the transconductance current and generate the integrated offset signal.

66. The device of claim 64 wherein the differential transconductance amplifier comprises transistors in a differential amplifier configuration.

67. The device of claim 64 wherein the integrator comprises:

an operational amplifier comprising a minus input, a plus input and an output;

a first resistor coupled between a first detector terminal and the minus input;

a second resistor coupled between a second detector terminal and the plus input;

a first integrating capacitor coupled between the minus input and the output;

a second integrating capacitor coupled between the plus input and a ground;

means for coupling the output to the beam offset control terminal; and

a differential coupling between the detector and the first and second detector terminals,

wherein the output provides the integrated offset signal.

68. The device of claim 56, the detector comprising one or more segments, and wherein the differential coupling means comprises offset sense segments arranged adjacent to each detector segment, to measure a beam offset and to generate an offset error signal provided to the means for feedback loop correction processing.

69. The device of claim 65 wherein the integrator comprises a differential transconductance amplifier comprising

first and second transistors, each transistor comprising gate, source and drain terminals;

coupling between the gate terminals of the first and second transistors and a bias source;

differential input terminals A and B to receive the offset error signal;

coupling between the source of the first transistor and terminal A and the source of the second transistor hand terminal B;

a current mirror configured to receive an input current of a given polarity and transmit a current mirror output current of opposite polarity to an amplifier output terminal that provides the integrated offset signal;

coupling between the drain terminal of the first transistor to an input terminal of the current mirror;

coupling between the drain terminal of the second transistor to the amplifier output terminal.

70. The device of claim 1 wherein the detector comprises a semiconductor.

71. The device of claim 70 wherein the detector further comprises a beam contact;

an output contact; and

a semiconductor disposed between the beam contact and the output contact.

72. The device of claim 70 wherein the semiconductor is constructed as a diode.

73. The device of claim 70 wherein the diode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Ge, Si, GaAs, InP, GaN, SiC, diamond, doped variations thereof, and combinations thereof.

74. The device of claim 70 wherein the detector comprises a Schottky diode wherein at least one of the beam contact and the output contact forms a Schottky contact with the semiconductor.

75. The device of claim 74 wherein the beam contact is metallic.

76. The device of claim 74 wherein one of the beam contact and the output contact is coupled to an output load.

77. The device of claim 74 wherein the beam contact permits penetration of beam electrons through the beam contact and into the semiconductor.

78. The device of claim 74 wherein the Schottky diode is reverse biased.

79. The device of claim 74 wherein the Schottky diode comprises silicon.

80. The device of claim 74 wherein the Schottky diode comprises germanium.

81. The device of claim 74 wherein the beam contact has a gridded conductor structure comprising thick grid elements that have low ohmic resistance and contact regions in between the thick grid elements that permit most beam electrons to penetrate into the semiconductor.

82. The device of claim 81 wherein the thick grid elements comprise parallel fins.

83. The device of claim 81 wherein the thick grid elements form a repeating geometric pattern.

84. The device of claim 77 wherein the diode comprises means for generating a cascade current by impingement of the electron beam passing through the beam contact and for collecting and transmitting the cascade current to the output contact.

85. The device of claim 84 wherein the means for generating is a single semiconductor material.

86. The device of claim 84 wherein the semiconductor material is capable of providing amplification of the cascade current via avalanche multiplication.

87. The device of claim 84 wherein the means for generating includes a top layer and a bottom layer.

88. The device of claim 87 wherein the top layer includes germanium.

89. The device of claim 87 wherein the bottom layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of doped silicon and gallium arsenide.

90. The device of claim 87 wherein the bottom layer is capable of amplifying the cascade current via avalanche multiplication.

91. The device of claim 84 wherein the means for generating comprises a low pair-production energy Ill-V material.

92. The device of claim 91 wherein the Ill-V material comprises one of indium arsenide or indium antimonide.

93. The device of claim 87 wherein the top layer comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of indium arsenide, indium antimonide, combinations of indium arsenide with other materials, and combinations of indium antimonide with other materials.

94. The device of claim 87 wherein the top layer comprises a low pair production energy Ill-V material and the bottom layer comprises silicon.

95. The device of claim 87 wherein the top layer is fusion bonded to the bottom layer.

96. The device of claim 1 wherein the detector is a photoconductive resistor.

97. The device of claim 96 wherein the photoconductive resistor comprises

a beam contact;

an output contact; and

a semiconductor disposed in electrical contact between the beam contact and the output contact.

98. The device of claim 96 wherein the output contact is coupled to an output load.

99. The device of claim 1 wherein the detector comprises a microdynode.

100. The device of claim 1 wherein each electron gun comprises

a gun axis aligned towards the electron transmission pathway for emission of a corresponding one of the beamlets in a positive direction of the gun axis towards the detector wall;

a field emission cathode;

a gate electrode to regulate the flow of current from the cathode;

means for controlling a gate potential of the gate electrode to control release of a stream of electrons from the cathode; and

a plurality of focusing electrodes.

101. The device of claim 100 wherein

each focusing electrode forms a hole that is circular and centered on the gun axis,

a first focusing electrode is the focusing electrode that is nearest the gate electrode, and

a last focusing electrode is the focusing electrode that is furthest from the gate electrode;

each electron gun further comprising

means for adapting gun focusing potentials of the focusing electrodes to focus the stream of electrons into the corresponding beamlet transmitted along the gun axis through the hole of a selected focusing electrode.

102. The device of claim 101 wherein the focusing electrodes are adapted to provide beam focusing, and comprise a first and a second electron lens and the first lens is positioned closest to the cathode, the second lens is positioned further from the cathode than the first lens.

103. The device of claim 102 wherein:

the first lens is an accelerating lens acting with convex action.

104. The device of claim 102 wherein the second lens acts with concave action.

105. The device of claim 102 wherein the second lens is an accelerating lens.

106. The device of claim 102 wherein the focusing electrodes additionally comprise a third electron lens.

107. The device of claim 106 wherein the third electron lens

is positioned between the first and the second lens, at a focal point of the first lens, and

forms a hole adapted to allow a focused electron beam to pass through, but to stop electrons that are not focused by the first lens;

the second lens acts with convex action;

the third lens acts with concave action;

the third lens is positioned further from the cathode than the second lens.

108. The device of claim 100 wherein the field emission cathode comprises a Spindt cathode.

109. The device of claim 100 wherein the focusing electrodes further comprise a first and a second electron lens,

the first lens being positioned between the cathode and the second lens;

the first lens and the second lens being accelerating lenses;

the first lens acting with convex action;

the second lens acting with concave action.

110. The device of claim 101 wherein the electron gun additionally comprises a signal deflector located in the positive direction of the gun axis from the last focusing electrode, centered about the gun axis to receive the beamlet and transmit a deflected representation thereby,

a conductive coupling between the signal deflector and a first voltage signal comprising at least one voltage signal of the deflection signal, whereby the first voltage signal is configured to deflect the corresponding beamlet along the sweep pathway;

and

an exit aperture plate that is substantially parallel and proximate to the emission wall, located in the positive direction of the gun axis from the signal deflector, and forming an aperture positioned to allow the corresponding beamlet to pass through.

111. The device of claim 110 wherein the signal deflector comprises a pair of planar deflection electrodes that are co-axial with the gun axis, to permit the corresponding beamlet to pass between the deflection electrodes.

112. The device of claim 110 wherein the exit aperture plate is in the emission wall.

113. The device of claim 110, wherein each electron gun further includes a blanking deflector for pulsed operation.

114. The device of claim 113, additionally comprising;

a blanking aperture electrode positioned between the blanking deflector and the signal deflector, the blanking aperture electrode forming an aperture,

wherein the blanking deflector is positioned between the last focusing electrode and the signal deflector, and is centered about the gun axis, and comprises

a blanking voltage signal comprising, alternately, a blanking state and a non-blanking state, the blanking voltage signal being coupled to the blanking deflector;

such that the corresponding beamlet is deflected by the blanking deflector and blocked by the blanking aperture electrode when the blanking voltage signal is in the blanking state, and

the electron beam passes through the aperture of the blanking aperture electrode when the blanking voltage signal is in the non-blanking state.

115. The device of claim 100 wherein each electron gun additionally comprises current control means comprising:

an amplifier, comprising

first and second input ports, and

an output port coupled to the gate electrode and responsive to a potential difference between the first and second input ports;

a ballast resistor coupled between the field emission cathode and a cathode bias potential, to provide a sensed current potential;

the sensed current potential coupled to the first input port; and

a reference potential, coupled to the second input port.

116. The device of claim 115 additionally comprising a filter, such that the gate electrode is responsive to an average of the potential difference between the first and second input ports over time.

117. The device of claim 100 wherein each electron gun additionally comprises

one or more digital-to-analog converters,

each digital-to-analog converter controlling the potential of a corresponding focusing electrode,

each digital-to-analog converter being responsive to a corresponding digital focusing word;

and

a digital processor to generate the focusing words.

118. The device of claim 117 wherein the digital processor comprises

a read-only memory to store a plurality of focusing words corresponding to a plurality of beam energy values;

a digital beam energy command word coupled to an address port of the read-only memory, causing the read-only memory to transmit a single one of the focusing words corresponding to a beam energy commanded thereby.

119. The device of claim 118 wherein the means for controlling the gate potential comprises

an analog to digital converter to control the gate potential and to generate a digital focusing command word thereby.

120. The device of claim 100, further comprising means for adjusting a beam energy of each electron gun in response to a time delay command word.

121. The device of claim 120 including a plurality of digital-to-analog converters, wherein

each digital-to-analog converter is coupled to provide a gun focusing potential to a corresponding gun focusing electrode;

and

each digital-to-analog converter is coupled to receive a binary segment of a digital focusing word from a digital processor, wherein

the digital processor is configured to receive the time delay command word.

122. The device of claim 121 wherein the digital processor includes a read-only memory.

123. The device of claim 122 wherein the read-only memory stores a plurality of electron gun focusing words, each electron gun focusing word corresponding to one of a plurality of the time delay command words, and comprising

means for providing a corresponding electron gun focusing word in response to receiving a time delay command word, and

means for selecting a time delay command word for communication between the storing and providing means.

124. The device of claim 121, the means for controlling a gate potential comprising

electron gun current control means including a current reference input terminal;

a current reference signal coupled to the current reference input terminal; and

an analog-to-digital converter configured to generate a digital gate voltage word corresponding to the gate potential and coupled to transmit the digital gate voltage word to the digital processor.

125. The device of claim 124 including a read-only memory.

126. The device of claim 125 wherein the read-only memory stores a plurality of electron gun focusing words;

each electron gun focusing word corresponding to specific pairs of one of the digital gate voltage words and one of the time delay command words, and means are included for providing the corresponding electron gun focusing word in response to receiving a digital gate voltage word and a time delay command word.

127. The device of claim 126 further comprising

a current reference read-only memory with

means for storing a plurality of current reference words, each current reference word corresponding to one of a plurality of time delay command words,

means for providing the corresponding current reference word in response to receiving a time delay command word, and

a current reference digital-to-analog converter, coupled to the current reference read-only memory,

wherein the current reference digital-to-analog converter provides a current reference signal to the current reference input terminal.

128. The device of claim 126 further comprising

a current reference read-only memory with

means for storing a plurality of current reference words, each current reference word corresponding to specific pairs of one of the time delay command words and one of a plurality of gain command words,

means for providing the corresponding current reference word in response to receiving one of the specific pairs, and

a current reference digital-to-analog converter, coupled to the current reference read-only memory,

wherein the current reference digital-to-analog converter provides a current reference signal to the current reference input terminal.

129. The device of claim 1 adapted to provide frequency multiplication wherein

the detector comprises more than two segments arranged in a first group and a second group where individual segments of the first group and the second group are intercollated in alternating order sequentially between segments of the first group and the second group;

the first group being coupled to a positive detector output, and the second group being coupled to a negative detector output; and

means for applying the deflection signal as an alternating signal with an amplitude that is operable to sweep the beam spot across the segments.

130. The device of claim 129 wherein the detector comprises at least four segments and the detector is adapted to achieve at least frequency doubling.

131. The device of claim 129 wherein the segments are:

arranged in a row along the sweep pathway,

the row having a center and two ends and the segments are

wider in a direction of the sweep pathway towards the center and

narrower in the direction of the sweep pathway towards each end.

132. The device of claim 131 wherein the segments are separated by substantially diagonal slots.

133. The device of claim 131 wherein the deflection signal is of programmable amplitude to vary an amplitude of the sweeping action and a number of the segments the beam spot intersects during the sweeping action.

134. The device of claim 129 wherein the beam spot comprises a line spot.

135. The device of claim 129 wherein the beam spot is of circular shape.

136. The device of claim 129 wherein the beam spot is rectangular.

137. The device of claim 129 wherein the segments are rectangular.

138. The device of claim 129 wherein

the detector is circular;

the segments comprise substantially equiangular slices;

each electron gun additionally comprises

a second beam deflector coupled to a second deflection signal,

the second beam deflector operable to deflect the corresponding beamlet in a direction that is orthogonal to the sweep pathway, and

means for applying the second deflection signal as an alternating signal with an amplitude operable to sweep the beam spot across all of the segments.

139. The device of claim 1 wherein the detector comprises a single triangular segment and the beam spot is rectangular.

140. The device of claim 1 wherein the detector comprises a rectangular segment and the beam spot is of triangle shape.

141. The device of claim 1 wherein the detector comprises a segment with an edge intersecting the sweep pathway such that the edge has a predetermined shape introduced by design to act in concert with the sweeping action of the beam spot to achieve non-linearity, in a current collected by the detector, with respect to the deflection voltage.

142. The device of claim 141 further including means for applying the deflection signal so that the beam spot repeatedly crosses the edge at a periodic frequency.

143. The device of claim 141 wherein the beam spot comprises a rectangle, the sweep pathway is linear and the edge is shaped to observe a square law curvature such that a distance of the edge along the sweep pathway is described by a variable ‘

x’ and

a distance of the edge orthogonal to the sweep pathway is described by a variable ‘

y’

, and a shape of the edge is substantially described by a mathematical relation of the form y=x^N wherein N is a number greater than or equal to 1.

144. The device of claim 143 wherein N is a value selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

145. The device of claim 1 wherein the array comprises an arrangement of the electron guns that has a generally rectangular border outline.

146. The device of claim 1 wherein the array comprises an arrangement of the electron guns that has a generally triangular border outline.

147. The device of claim 1 wherein the array comprises an arrangement of the electron guns that has a generally circular border outline.

148. The device of claim 1 wherein the electron gun array comprises a generally linear pattern arrangement of the electron guns.

149. The device of claim 129 wherein

the detector is segmented by a horizontal slot and a vertical slot, the slots being orthogonal and intersecting such that there are four segments in each of four quadrants of the detector wall, and

the beamlet deflector of each electron gun in the array of electron guns is comprised of X and Y deflectors configured to generate orthogonal beamlet deflections thereby;

the deflection signal is comprised of a horizontal voltage signal and a vertical voltage signal, wherein the two signals generate orthogonal X and Y sweeping actions with the X sweeping action being collinear with the horizontal slot and the Y sweeping action collinear with the vertical slot.

150. The device of claim 149 wherein the beam spot is substantially rectangular.

151. The device of claim 150 wherein the beam spot is substantially square.

152. The device of claim 1 wherein

the detector comprises one or more segments, and

the beam deflector comprises one or more input deflectors, and

the one or more voltage signals include one or more input signals, and

each input deflector is coupled to a corresponding one of the input signals, whereby

the quiescent state comprises a quiescent state of all input deflection input signals so that the electron beam is transmitted along the transmission pathway to position the beam spot at a quiescent spot position on the detector wall, and

the non-quiescent state comprises one or more of the input deflection signals deflecting the electron beam such that the beam spot is moved to a non-quiescent spot position on the detector wall corresponding to the combination of input signal states, and

a position of each detector segment on the detector wall corresponds to one of the quiescent or non-quiescent spot positions.

153. The device of claim 152 further comprising a load circuit coupled to each detector segment.

154. The device of claim 153 wherein the load circuit comprises a resistor.

155. The device of claim 153 wherein the load circuit comprises a resonant tunneling diode.

156. The device of claim 152 wherein

the sweep pathway is comprised of a horizontal pathway and a vertical pathway, and

the horizontal pathway and vertical pathway are generally orthogonal, and

a first subset of the input deflectors provide deflection along the horizontal pathway in a non-quiescent state of the corresponding input signals of the first subset, and a second subset of the input deflectors provide deflection along the vertical pathway in the non-quiescent state of the corresponding input signals of the second subset.

157. The device of claim 152 further comprising an electrical clamp coupled to each detector segment.

158. The device of claim 157 wherein the electrical clamp comprises a Schottky diode.

159. The device of claim 152 comprising two or more input deflectors respectively providing geometries that differ from one another to produce correspondingly greater or lesser deflection gain.

160. The device of claim 1 further comprising a radiating element coupled to the detector, wherein the element achieves electromagnetic radiation in response to a beam spot interaction with the detector.

161. The device of claim 160 wherein the radiating element is an antenna.

162. The device of claim 161 wherein the antenna comprises a dipole.

163. The device of claim 160 wherein

the detector comprises first and second segments;

the radiating element comprises first and second feedpoints;

the first detector segment couples with the first feedpoint and the second detector segment couples with the second feedpoint;

a first load couples with the first feedpoint and a second load couples with the second feedpoint.

164. The device of claim 160 wherein

the detector comprises first and second segments;

the radiating element comprises first and second feedpoints and first and second endpoints;

the first detector segment couples with the first feedpoint and the second detector segment couples with the second feedpoint;

a first load couples with the first endpoint and a second load couples with the second endpoint.

165. The device of claim 161 wherein the antenna comprises a patch.

166. The device of claim 165 further comprising:

a plurality of feedpoints located at different positions on the patch;

a plurality of detector segments forming the detector, the detector segments being equal in number to the feedpoints, each detector segment being coupled to a corresponding feedpoint; and

means for addressably directing the beam to a specific detector segment in response to a targeting command.

167. The device of claim 165 additionally comprising:

a plurality of feedpoints located at different positions on the patch;

a plurality of detector segments forming the detector, the detector segments being equal in number to the feedpoints, each detector segment being coupled to a corresponding feedpoint;

wherein the array of electron guns is comprised of electron gun subarrays,

the electron beam deflector is comprised of independent subdeflectors corresponding to each electron gun subarray; and

the deflection signal is comprised of a plurality of subarray excitation signals coupled one per subdeflector.

168. The device of claim 161 wherein the antenna comprises one of a group consisting of a monopole, a log spiral, a folded log spiral, a horn, and a vivaldi-type.

169. The device of claim 160 wherein

the radiating clement comprises a crossed-polarization radiator comprising two single polarization radiating elements X and Y arranged orthogonal to one another, with feedpoints 1 and 2 for radiating with X polarization and feedpoints 3 and 4 for radiating with Y polarization;

the detector comprises segments A, B, C and D arranged in quadrants and labeled in clockwise order; and

segments A and B reside along a X sweep direction,

segments D and C reside along the X sweep direction,

segments A and D reside along a Y sweep direction orthogonal to the X sweep direction, and

segments B and C reside along the Y sweep direction, and

segment A couples with feedpoints 1 and 3, segment B couples with feedpoints 1 and 4, segment C couples with feedpoints 4 and 2 and segment D couples with feedpoints 2 and 3; and

the electron beam deflector comprises

one or more first beam subdeflectors operable to deflect the electron beam in the X sweep direction, and

one or more second beam subdeflectors operable to deflect the electron beam in the Y sweep direction.

170. The device of claim 169 wherein

the radiating element X comprises a first antenna, and feedpoints of the first antenna are coupled to feedpoints 1 and 2;

and

the radiating element Y comprises a second antenna, and feedpoints of the second antenna are coupled to feedpoints 3 and 4; and

the first antenna is constructed to generate X polarization and the second antenna is constructed to generate Y polarization.

171. The device of claim 170 wherein the first and second antennas are dipoles.

172. The device of claim 169 operable to generate X polarization wherein

segments A and D are separated from B and C by a first slot, and

segments A and B are separated from C and D by a second slot.

173. The device of claim 172 operable to generate X polarization wherein

the beam spot is deflected along the X sweep direction.

174. The device of claim 172 operable to generate Y polarization wherein the beam spot is deflected along the Y sweep direction.

175. The device of claim 172 operable to generate dual polarization wherein the beam spot is deflected along the X and Y sweep directions.

176. The device of claim 160 wherein the radiating element is a waveguide.

177. The device of claim 176 wherein

the waveguide comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, and two side walls,

the top and bottom walls being

separated from each other by a first distance in a direction orthogonal to the sweep direction and orthogonal to a transmission axis aligned with the transmission pathway, and

the two side walls being

separated from each other by a second distance in the sweep direction, and

the detector comprises

a first detector segment coupled with the top wall, and

a second detector segment coupled with the bottom wall.

178. The device of claim 177 wherein the waveguide is rectangular.

179. The device of claim 177 wherein the waveguide is cylindrical and the top, bottom and side walls comprise quadrants of a cylindrical wall of the waveguide.

180. The device of claim 176, wherein

the electron gun array is comprised of an X subarray and a Y subarray;

the deflector is comprised of an X subdeflector and a Y subdeflector, and

the X subarray is responsive to the X subdeflector and the Y subarray is responsive to the Y subdeflector;

the deflection signal is comprised of an X signal coupled to the X subdeflector and a Y signal coupled to the Y subdeflector;

the electron beam is comprised of an X beam emitted by the X subarray and a Y beam emitted by the Y subarray, and

the beam spot is comprised of an X spot and a Y spot, and

the X beam is transmitted along the transmission pathway,

the Y beam is transmitted along the transmission pathway, and

wherein a deflection of the X beam and sweep of the X beam spot is responsive to the X signal and a deflection of the Y beam and sweep of the Y beam spot is responsive to the Y signal.

181. The device of claim 176 wherein the waveguide comprises

a cylindrical wall, having

a cylindrical axis parallel to the transmission pathway, and

a diameter DC;

two rod electrodes

extending from the detector wall into an input end of the waveguide,

parallel to each other and to the cylindrical axis, and

separated by a distance D that is less than DC,

each rod electrode having a rod diameter DR that is much less than D; and

the detector comprises two segments, each segment coupled to one of the rod electrodes.

182. The device of claim 176 wherein an output port of the waveguide is coupled to a feed of an antenna horn.

183. The device of claim 1 wherein an output contact of the detector at least partially comprises an antenna.

184. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the electron gun array comprises one or more subarrays of the electron guns;

the electron beam comprises a plurality of sub-beams corresponding to each subarray;

the deflection signal comprises a plurality of input signals, each input signal comprising a quiescent state and a non-quiescent state;

the electron beam deflector comprises one or more subdeflectors corresponding to each subarray;

each subdeflector is coupled to each corresponding input signal; and

when all of the input signals are in the quiescent state, the electron beam is transmitted parallel to the transmission pathway, and

when any of the input signals are in the non-quiescent state, the corresponding sub-beam is deflected.

185. The device of claim 184 wherein each input signal comprises a primary signal and an offset signal.

186. The device of claim 185 wherein the detector comprises an array of subdetectors.

187. The device of claim 186 wherein each subdetector comprises two segments.

188. The device of claim 187 wherein the subdetector segments are positionally disposed along the sweep pathway.

189. The device of claim 185 wherein each subdeflector comprises X and Y subdeflectors and each offset signal comprises an X offset signal coupled to an X subdeflector and a Y offset signal coupled to a Y subdeflector.

190. The device of claim 186 wherein the array of subdetectors is organized in a two-dimensional grid with a specified pattern.

191. The device of claim 190 wherein the pattern is one of a group including a rectangular grid and a hexagonal grid.

192. The device of claim 190 wherein the subarrays of the electron guns are organized in a two-dimensional grid pattern matching the pattern of the subdetectors.

193. The device of claim 186 additionally comprising beam offset control means to selectably direct each sub-beam to one of the subdetectors in response to a beam targeting word that is binarily segmented to control each subdeflector with a corresponding binary segment.

194. The device of claim 193 wherein the beam offset control means further comprises a plurality of beam targeting digital-to-analog converters coupled to provide the offset signals to each subdeflector, and further coupled to receive a corresponding binary segment of the beam targeting word.

195. The device of claim 194 wherein the beam targeting word is generated by processing means.

196. The device of claim 195 wherein the array of subdetectors generates a corresponding array of differential offset error signals coupled to the processing means.

197. The device of claim 196 operable to adjust the offset signals in response to the differential offset error signals to thereby refine a centering of each sub-beam on a targeted one of the subdetectors.

198. The device of claim 196 configured to select one of the differential offset error signals, filter it by filter means, generating a refined offset correction error signal thereby, and selectably deliver the refined offset correction error signal to the subdeflector selected by the beam targeting word.

199. The device of claim 197 wherein the a correction error is a digital word, and further comprising a plurality of correction error digital-to-analog converters coupled to each corresponding subdeflector, storage means coupled to each correction error digital-to-analog converter, and means to selectably couple the correction error to a selected correction error digital-to-analog converter corresponding to a selected subdeflector.

200. The device of claim 199 wherein the processing means sums the refined offset correction error signal with the binary segment of the beam targeting word corresponding to the selected subdeflector, generating a composite subdeflector offset word, and comprising

storage means to receive the composite subdeflector offset word and to provide a stored representation thereof to the selected one of the beam targeting digital-to-analog converters.

201. The device of claim 184 further comprising antenna means coupled to any of the one or more subdeflectors.

202. An array of the devices of claim 1.

203. An analog beamform matrix device comprising

a microcolumn array formed of N sub-arrays, each sub-array including M microcolumns that each contain an electron gun separated from a detector by a drift cavity, and a deflection apparatus, the detector, the drift cavity, and the deflection apparatus operably configured to act upon an electron beam in the drift cavity when the electron beam is emitted by the electron gun,

the deflection apparatus of every microcolumn in a discrete sub-array being driven by an input signal V_N, wherein each detector in each sub-array receives a beam from at least one electron gun in the sub-array and outputs a received antenna beam;

and

time-delay addressing means to generate a time delay from each sub-array.

204. A crossbar matrix device comprising

a plurality of N electron guns, each augmented with a vertical deflector;

a plurality of N horizontal deflection signals;

a plurality of M detectors;

a plurality of N horizontal beam offset signals and N vertical beam offset signals;

a drift cavity;

means for combining the N horizontal deflection signals and the N horizontal beam offset signals; and

crossbar addressing means.

205. The device of claim 204 where in the crossbar addressing means comprises

a plurality of digital-to-analog converters generating the N horizontal beam offset signals and N vertical beam offset signals in response to a digital crossbar configuration word;

and

a digital processor to generate the digital crossbar configuration word.

206. The device of claim 205 wherein the digital processor comprises a read-only memory.

207. The device of claim 204 comprising free-space photonic I/O comprising a photonic input array to transmit a plurality of input light signals;

an input lens system configured to direct the plurality of input light signals;

a photodetector array comprising a plurality of photodetectors, each photodetector being configured to receive one of the plurality of input light signals and generate a voltage signal in response thereto;

a laser diode array comprising a plurality of laser diodes, each laser diode being configured to receive an output signal from a detector and generate an output light signal in response thereto;

an output lens system configured to direct the output light signals; and

a photonic output array to receive the plurality of output signals.

208. The device of claim 207 wherein:

the photonic input array comprises an input fiber bundle comprising a plurality of input optical fibers, with a one-to-one correspondence between the input optical fibers and the photodetectors;

each input light signal is transmitted from one of the input optical fibers to a corresponding photodetector;

the photonic output array comprises an output fiber bundle comprising a plurality of output optical fibers, with a one-to-one correspondence between the laser diodes and the output optical fibers; and

each output light signal is transmitted from one of the laser diodes to the corresponding output optical fiber.

209. The device of claim 208 wherein each deflection signal is binarily encoded.

210. The device of claim 204 wherein the device is implemented as part of an active backplane.