RADIAL GEOMETRY ELECTRON BEAM CONTROLLED SWITCH UTILIZING WIRE-ION- PLASMA ELECTRON SOURCE

Abstract

An electron beam controlled switch employing a radial geometry and a Wire-Ion Plasma-Electron gun (WIP E-gun) as an electron source is disclosed. The switch comprises an inner cylinder that serves as the WIP E-gun cathode, a cylindrical grid that serves as the WIP E-gun anode, an array of fine wire anodes disposed in the WIP E-gun ionization chamber, a foil support cylinder to support the foil windows which also serve as the switch anode, and an outer cylinder which also serves as the switch cathode. The WIP E-gun and ionization chamber is gas filled at low pressure, while the switch cavity is filled with a high pressure gas. A voltage pulse is applied to the wire anodes to ionize the gas in the ionization chamber. The ions are extracted through the chamber grid and accelerated through a high voltage to bombard the E-gun cathode. The electrons emitted from the ion bombardment are accelerated outwardly through the high voltage, penetrate through the foil windows and into the pressurized gas in the switch cavity. The high energy electrons ionize the gas between the switch anode and cathode, thereby turning "ON" the switch. In the absence of the electron beam, the switch gas deionizes and switch conduction is quickly extinguished.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Inventor

• 1ROBIN J. HARVEY

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