Crossed-field discharge device

Claim 2

A crossed-fielD discharge device comprising an anode structure defining an axially extending space bounded by an anode surface, a pair of pole pieces respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said anode structure, an axially extending cathode structure disposed in said axially extending space and cooperating with the adjacent anode surface to define an axially extending annular interaction space, said cathode structure including an electron emissive element having surfaces disposed within said anode structure and adjacent to the associated anode surface, one of said surfaces being a generally concave surface of revolution and cooperating with the other of said surfaces to provide a predetermined distribution of RF impedance of the interaction space along the axis thereof, means for establishing an axially extending RF wave in said axially extending space and having associated therewith RF electrical fields and RF magnetic fields normal to the axis of said device and extending into said interaction space, and end structures closing the ends of said anode structure and said axially extending space, said anode structure including an anode connection extending outwardly beyond one of said end structures and said cathode structure including a cathode connection extending outwardly beyond said one end structure, said anode connection and said cathode connection cooperating to provide output connections for said device to an RF load for removing RF energy from said axially extending space utilizing said cathode structure as a probe interacting with said RF fields, whereby the RF impedance of each portion of the interaction space matches the RF load impedance at each of said portions thereby to increase the efficiency of said crossed-field discharge device.

Claim 3

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 1, wherein the surface of said electron emissive element includes sections which are circumferentially spaced apart a distance corresponding generally to the circumferential dimension thereof.

Claim 4

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 1, wherein said electron emissive element includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending protrusions.

Claim 5

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 1, wherein the generatrix of said concave surface of revolution comprises an arc of a circle.

Claim 6

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 1, wherein the RF impedance increases from a first value at one end of said interaction space to a maximum value and then decreases to a second value at the other end of said interaction space.

Claim 7

A crossed-field discharge device comprising an anode structure defining an axially extending space bounded by an anode surface, a pair of pole pieces respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said anode structure, an axially extending cathode structure disposed in said axially extending space and cooperating with the adjacent anode surface to define an axially extending annular interaction space, said cathode structure including an electron emissive element having surfaces disposed within said anode structure and adjacent to the associated anode surface, one of said surfaces being a generally concave surface of revolution and cooperating with the other of said surfaces to provide a predetermined distribution of RF impedance of the interaction space along the axis thereof, means for establishing an axially extending RF wave in said axially extending space and having associated therewith RF electrical fields and RF magnetic fields normal to the axis of said device and extending into said interaction space, and end structures closing the ends of said anode structure and said axially extending space, said anode structure including an anode connection extending outwardly beyond one of said end structures and said cathode structure including a cathode connection extending outwardly beyond said one end structure, said anode connection and said cathode connection cooperating to provide output cOnnection for said device to an RF load for removing RF energy from said axially extending space utilizing said cathode structure as a probe interacting with said RF fields, said surfaces being closest together at the end of said interaction space disposed toward the RF fields, said surfaces being closest to load, whereby the RF impedance of each portion of the interaction space matches the RF load impedance at each of said portions thereby to increase the efficiency of said crossed-field discharge device.

Claim 8

A crossed-field discharge device comprising an anode structure defining an axially extending space bounded by an anode surface, a pair of pole pieces respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said anode structure, an axially extending cathode structure disposed in said axially extending space and cooperating with the adjacent anode surface to define an axially extending annular interaction space, said cathode structure including an electron emissive element having surfaces disposed within said anode structure and adjacent to the associated anode surface, one of said surfaces being a generally concave surface of revolution and cooperating with the other of said surfaces to provide a predetermined distribution of RF impedance of the interaction space along the axis thereof, means for establishing an axially extending RF wave in said axially extending space and having associated therewith RF electrical fields and RF magnetic fields normal to the axis of said device and extending into said interaction space, and end structures closing the ends of said anode structure and said axially extending space, said anode structure including an anode connection extending outwardly beyond one of said end structures and said cathode structure including a cathode connection extending outwardly beyond said one end structure, said anode connection and said cathode connection cooperating to provide output cOnnection for said device to an RF load for removing RF energy from said axially extending space utilizing said cathode structure as a probe interacting with said RF fields, said surfaces being closest together at the end of said interaction space disposed toward the RF fields, said surfaces being closest to load, whereby the RF impedance of each portion of the interaction space matches the RF load impedance at each of said portions thereby to increase the efficiency of said crossed-field discharge device.

Claim 9

A crossed-field discharge device comprising an anode structure defining an axially extending space bounded by an anode surface, a pair of pole pieces respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said anode structure, an axially extending cathode structure disposed in said axially extending space and cooperating with said anode structure to define an axially extending annular interaction space, said cathode structure including an electron emissive element having surfaces of revolution of a generally concave smooth curve disposed within said anode structure and adjacent to said anode surface, said surfaces cooperating to provide a predetermined distribution of RF impedance of the interaction space along the axis thereof, means for establishing an axially extending RF wave in said axially extending space and having associated therewith RF electrical fields and RF magnetic fields normal to the axis of said device and extending into said interaction space, and end structures closing the ends of said anode structure including an anode connection extending outwardly beyond one of said end structures and said cathode structure including a cathode connection extending outwardly beyond said one end structure, said anode connection and said cathode connection cooperating to provide output connections for said device to an RF load for removing RF energy from said axially extending space utilizing said cathode structure as a probe interacting with said RF fields, whereby the RF impedance of each portion of the interaction space matches the RF load impedance at each of said portions thereby to increase the efficiency of said crossed-field discharge device.

Claim 10

A crossed-field discharge device comprising an anode structure defining an axially extending space bounded by an anode surface, a pair of pole pieces respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said anode structure, an axially extending cathode structure disposed in said axially extending space and cooperating with said anode structure to define an axially extending annular interaction space, said cathode structure including an electron emissive element having surfaces of revolution of a generally concave smooth curve disposed within said anode structure and adjacent to said anode surface, said surfaces cooperating to provide a predetermined distribution of RF impedance of the interaction space along the axis thereof, means for establishing an axially extending RF wave in said axially extending space and having associated therewith RF electrical fields and RF magnetic fields normal to the axis of said device and extending into said interaction space, and end structures closing the ends of said anode structure including an anode connection extending outwardly beyond one of said end structures and said cathode structure including a cathode connection extending outwardly beyond said one end structure, said anode connection and said cathode connection cooperating to provide output connections for said device to an RF load for removing RF energy from said axially extending space utilizing said cathode structure as a probe interacting with said RF fields, whereby the RF impedance of each portion of the interaction space matches the RF load impedance at each of said portions thereby to increase the efficiency of said crossed-field discharge device.

Claim 11

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 7, wherein said concave curve is an arc of a circle.

Claim 12

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 8, wherein said arc has an included angle of from about 4* to about 5*.

Claim 13

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 7, wherein the RF impedance increases from a first value at one end of said interaction space to a maximum value and then decreases to a second value at the other end of said interaction space.

Claim 14

A crossed-field discharge device comprising an anode structure defining an axially extending space bounded by an anode surface, a pair of pole pieces respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said anode structure, an axially extending cathode structure disposed in said axially extending space and cooperating with said anode structure to define an axially extending annular interaction space, said cathode structure including an electron emissive element having surfaces of revolution of a generally concave smooth curve disposed within said anode structure and adjacent to said anode surface, said surfaces cooperating to provide a predetermined distribution of RF impedance of the interaction space along the axis thereof, means for establishing an axially extending RF wave in said axially extending space and having associated therewith RF electrical fields and RF magnetic fields normal to the axis of said device and extending into said interaction space, and end structures closing the ends of said anode structure and said axially extending space, said anode structure including an anode connection extending outwardly beyond one of said end structures and said cathode structure including a cathode connection extending outwardly beyond said one end structure, said anode connection and saiD cathode connection cooperating to provide output connections for said device to an RF load for removing RF energy from said axially extending space utilizing said cathode structure as a probe interacting with said RF fields, said surfaces being closest together at the end of said interaction space disposed toward the RF load, whereby the RF impedance of each portion of the interaction space matches the RF load impedance at each of said portion thereby to increase the efficiency of said crossed-field discharge device.

Claim 15

A crossed-field discharge device comprising an anode structure defining an axially extending space bounded by an anode surface, a pair of pole pieces respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said anode structure, an axially extending cathode structure disposed in said axially extending space and cooperating with said anode structure to define an axially extending annular interaction space, said cathode structure including an electron emissive element having surfaces of revolution of a generally concave smooth curve disposed within said anode structure and adjacent to said anode surface, said surfaces cooperating to provide a predetermined distribution of RF impedance of the interaction space along the axis thereof, means for establishing an axially extending RF wave in said axially extending space and having associated therewith RF electrical fields and RF magnetic fields normal to the axis of said device and extending into said interaction space, and end structures closing the ends of said anode structure and said axially extending space, said anode structure including an anode connection extending outwardly beyond one of said end structures and said cathode structure including a cathode connection extending outwardly beyond said one end structure, said anode connection and saiD cathode connection cooperating to provide output connections for said device to an RF load for removing RF energy from said axially extending space utilizing said cathode structure as a probe interacting with said RF fields, said surfaces being closest together at the end of said interaction space disposed toward the RF load, whereby the RF impedance of each portion of the interaction space matches the RF load impedance at each of said portion thereby to increase the efficiency of said crossed-field discharge device.

Claim 16

A crossed-field device comprising an annular anode structure defining therein an outer annular axially extending space enclosed thereby and an inner axially extending space extending therethrough and a radially extending passage interconnnecting said outer axially extending space and said inner axially extending space at the longitudinal midsection of said anode structure, said radially extending passage dividing said anode structure into a first anode section disposed adjacent to one end thereof and a second anode section disposed adjacent to the other end thereof, said inner axially extending space being bounded by an anode surface, a pair of pole pieces respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said anode structure, an axially extending cathode structure disposed in said axially extending space and cooperating with the adjacent anode surface to define an axially extending annular interaction space, said cathode structure including an electron emissive element having surfaces disposed within said anode structure and adjacent to the associated surface of said anode structure, one of said surfaces being a generally concave surface of revolution and cooperating with the other of said surfaces to provide a predetermined distribution of RF impedance of the interaction space along the axis thereof, means for establishing an axially extending RF wave in said axially extending space and having associated therewith RF electrical fields and RF magnetic fields normal to the axis of said device and extending into said interaction space, and end structures closing the ends of said anode structure and said axially extending space, said anode structure including an anode connection extending outwardly beyond one of said end structures and said cathode structure including a cathode connection extending outwardly beyond said one end structure, said anode connection and said cathode connection cooperating to provide output connections for said device to an RF load for removing RF energy from said axially extending space utilizing said cathode structure as a probe interacting with said RF fields, whereby the RF impedance of each portion of the interaction space matches the RF load impedance at each of said portions thereby to increase the efficiency of said crossed-field discharge device.

Claim 17

A crossed-field device comprising an annular anode structure defining therein an outer annular axially extending space enclosed thereby and an inner axially extending space extending therethrough and a radially extending passage interconnnecting said outer axially extending space and said inner axially extending space at the longitudinal midsection of said anode structure, said radially extending passage dividing said anode structure into a first anode section disposed adjacent to one end thereof and a second anode section disposed adjacent to the other end thereof, said inner axially extending space being bounded by an anode surface, a pair of pole pieces respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said anode structure, an axially extending cathode structure disposed in said axially extending space and cooperating with the adjacent anode surface to define an axially extending annular interaction space, said cathode structure including an electron emissive element having surfaces disposed within said anode structure and adjacent to the associated surface of said anode structure, one of said surfaces being a generally concave surface of revolution and cooperating with the other of said surfaces to provide a predetermined distribution of RF impedance of the interaction space along the axis thereof, means for establishing an axially extending RF wave in said axially extending space and having associated therewith RF electrical fields and RF magnetic fields normal to the axis of said device and extending into said interaction space, and end structures closing the ends of said anode structure and said axially extending space, said anode structure including an anode connection extending outwardly beyond one of said end structures and said cathode structure including a cathode connection extending outwardly beyond said one end structure, said anode connection and said cathode connection cooperating to provide output connections for said device to an RF load for removing RF energy from said axially extending space utilizing said cathode structure as a probe interacting with said RF fields, whereby the RF impedance of each portion of the interaction space matches the RF load impedance at each of said portions thereby to increase the efficiency of said crossed-field discharge device.

Claim 18

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 12, wherein said surfaces are spaced farthest apart opposite said radially extending passage.

Claim 19

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 12, including a plurality of axially extending anode segments on the surfaces of said anode sections, said anode segments projecting radially into said inner axially extending space and providing a corresponding plurality of axially extending anode recesses therebetween.

Claim 20

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 12, wherein the surface of said electron emissive element includes circumferential sections spaced apart a distance corresponding generally to the circumferential dimension thereof.

Claim 21

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 12, wherein the RF impedance increases from a first value at one end of said interaction space to a maximum value opposite said radially extending passage and then decreases to a second value at the other end of said interaction space.

Claim 22

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 12, wherein said surface of revolution is an arc of a circle.

Claim 23

The crossed-field discharge device of claim 17, wherein said arc has an included angle of from about 4* to about 5*.

Claim 24

A crossed-field device comprising an annular anode structure defining therein an outer annular axially extending space enclosed thereby and an inner axially extending space extending therethrough and a radially extending passage interconnecting said outer axially extending space and said inner axially extending space at the longitudinal midsection of said anode structure, said radially extending passage dividing said anode structure into a first anode section disposed adjacent to one end thereof and a second anode section disposed adjacent to the other end thereof, said inner axially extending space being bounded by an anode surface, a pair of pole pieces respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said anode structure, an axially extending cathode structure disposed in said axially extending space and cooperating with the adjacent surface of said anode structure to define an axially extending annular interaction space, said cathode structure including an electron emissive element having surfaces disposed within said anode structure and adjacent to the associated surface of said anode structure, one of said surfaces being a generally concave surface of revolution to provide a predetermined distribution of RF impedance of the interaction space along the axis thereof, means for establishing an axially extending RF wave in said axially extending space and having associated therewith RF electrical fields and RF magnetic fields normal to the axis of said device and extending into said interaction space, and end structures closing the ends of said anode structure including an anode connection extending outwardly beyond one of said end structures and said cathode structure including a cathode connection extending outwardly beyond said one end structure, said anode connection and said cathode connection cooperating to provide output connections for said device to an RF load for removing RF energy from said axially extending space utilizing said cathode structure as a probe interacting with said RF fields, said surfaces being closest together at the end of said interaction space disposed toward the RF load, whereby the RF impedance of each portion of the interaction space matches the RF load impedance at each of said portions thereby to increase the efficiency of said crossed-field discharge device.

Claim 25

A crossed-field device comprising an annular anode structure defining therein an outer annular axially extending space enclosed thereby and an inner axially extending space extending therethrough and a radially extending passage interconnecting said outer axially extending space and said inner axially extending space at the longitudinal midsection of said anode structure, said radially extending passage dividing said anode structure into a first anode section disposed adjacent to one end thereof and a second anode section disposed adjacent to the other end thereof, said inner axially extending space being bounded by an anode surface, a pair of pole pieces respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said anode structure, an axially extending cathode structure disposed in said axially extending space and cooperating with the adjacent surface of said anode structure to define an axially extending annular interaction space, said cathode structure including an electron emissive element having surfaces disposed within said anode structure and adjacent to the associated surface of said anode structure, one of said surfaces being a generally concave surface of revolution to provide a predetermined distribution of RF impedance of the interaction space along the axis thereof, means for establishing an axially extending RF wave in said axially extending space and having associated therewith RF electrical fields and RF magnetic fields normal to the axis of said device and extending into said interaction space, and end structures closing the ends of said anode structure including an anode connection extending outwardly beyond one of said end structures and said cathode structure including a cathode connection extending outwardly beyond said one end structure, said anode connection and said cathode connection cooperating to provide output connections for said device to an RF load for removing RF energy from said axially extending space utilizing said cathode structure as a probe interacting with said RF fields, said surfaces being closest together at the end of said interaction space disposed toward the RF load, whereby the RF impedance of each portion of the interaction space matches the RF load impedance at each of said portions thereby to increase the efficiency of said crossed-field discharge device.