US3585349A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Nonvacuum environmentally controlled electron beam
Assignee: Rohr Inc
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Filing: 1963-04-15
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Granted: 1971-06-15
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Expires: 1983-04-15
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to apparatus for bringing an electron beam outside the high vacuum chamber of its electron gun to direct the same onto a workpiece. The apparatus comprises beam aligning means, a visual optical system, at least one buffer vacuum chamber, means for surrounding the beam with a shield gas, and pumping mans individual to each chamber for individual pumping of them. The high vacuum chamber and buffer chamber have pyrex windows disposed within the field of view of the optical system. The high vacuum and buffer chambers also have aligned flow limiting orifices drilled in the said windows for passing the beam from the high vacuum chamber to the workpiece, one of the orifices interconnecting the two chambers and the other orifice being the exit orifice adjacent the workpiece.
Inventors
- 👤 David C Kalbfell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:09
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J29/00; H01J29/94; H01J37/00; H01J37/30; H01J37/3002; H01J37/3005; H01J37/301
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for bringing an electron beam outside the high vacuum chamber of its electron gun to direct the same onto a workpiece, comprising beam aligning means and a visual optical system for viewing the position of the beam on the workpiece, at least one buffer vacuum chamber, said high vacuum chamber and said buffer chamber having pyrex windows disposed within the field of view of said optical system and having aligned flow limiting orifices drilled in said windows for passing the beam from said high vacuum chamber to said workpiece, one of said orifices interconnecting said high vacuum and buffer chambers and the other of said orifices being the exit orifice adjacent the workpiece, means for surrounding the beam with helium shield gas in the region thereof between said exit orifice and the workpiece, and pumping means individual to said chambers for separately pumping the same.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for bringing an electron beam outside the high vacuum chamber of its electron gun to direct the same onto a workpiece, comprising beam aligning means and a visual optical system for viewing the position of the beam on the workpiece, at least one buffer vacuum chamber, said high vacuum chamber and said buffer chamber having pyrex windows disposed within the field of view of said optical system and having aligned flow limiting orifices drilled in said windows for passing the beam from said high vacuum chamber to said workpiece, one of said orifices interconnecting said high vacuum and buffer chambers and the other of said orifices being the exit orifice adjacent the workpiece, means for surrounding the beam with helium shield gas in the region thereof between said exit orifice and the workpiece, and pumping means individual to said chambers for separately pumping the same.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
124 words
In the method of performing a work function on a workpiece with an electron beam in a gaseous environment at or near atmospheric pressure, the steps of generating and propagating the beam in a high vacuum environment having a pressure of the order of 10 4 mm. Hg, directing and passing the beam from said high vacuum environment through a plurality of intermediate regions of progressively increased pressure, thence through and in contacting relation with the helium gas disposed within a gaseous region of helium shield gas at or above atmospheric pressure, and thence to the workpiece through and in contacting relation with the surroundiNg helium shield gas emitted from said gaseous region, and separately pumping said intermediate regions to maintain predetermined pressures therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
124 words
In the method of performing a work function on a workpiece with an electron beam in a gaseous environment at or near atmospheric pressure, the steps of generating and propagating the beam in a high vacuum environment having a pressure of the order of 10 4 mm. Hg, directing and passing the beam from said high vacuum environment through a plurality of intermediate regions of progressively increased pressure, thence through and in contacting relation with the helium gas disposed within a gaseous region of helium shield gas at or above atmospheric pressure, and thence to the workpiece through and in contacting relation with the surroundiNg helium shield gas emitted from said gaseous region, and separately pumping said intermediate regions to maintain predetermined pressures therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
In the method of claim 2, the step of passing said beam into and through each of said regions by way of flow limiting orifices.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
In the method of claim 3, the step of pumping each of said regions at a speed related to the size of the inlet orifice, the molecular weight of the atoms in said gaseous environment, and the absolute temperature of the gas at the orifice in accordance with the equation
Claim 7
Independent Claim
119 words
The method of performing a work function with an electron beam directed on a workpiece disposed within the free atmosphere and outside the high vacuum environment of the electron gun which comprises the steps of passing the beam through an exit orifice, emitting helium shield gas through said orifice in surrounding relation to said beam passing therethrough and into the free atmosphere at or above atmospheric pressure, surrounding the beam in the region between said exit orifice and the workpiece with said shield gas and passing the beam through the helium gas in said region, and positioning the workpiece relative to said exit orifice in accordance with the rate of energy loss of the beam through said shield gas.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
119 words
The method of performing a work function with an electron beam directed on a workpiece disposed within the free atmosphere and outside the high vacuum environment of the electron gun which comprises the steps of passing the beam through an exit orifice, emitting helium shield gas through said orifice in surrounding relation to said beam passing therethrough and into the free atmosphere at or above atmospheric pressure, surrounding the beam in the region between said exit orifice and the workpiece with said shield gas and passing the beam through the helium gas in said region, and positioning the workpiece relative to said exit orifice in accordance with the rate of energy loss of the beam through said shield gas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as in claim 5, said workpiece being spaced on the order of up to one inch from said exit orifice.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
160 words
The method of performing a work function with an electron beam directed on a workpiece disposed within the free atmosphere and outside the high vacuum environment of the electron gun which comprises the steps of generating and propagating the electron beam in a high vacuum chamber maintained at a pressure of the order of 10 4 mm. Hg, directing the beam to the workpiece through a plurality of aligned flow limiting orifices respectively defining therebetween a plurality of vacuum buffer chambers of progressively increased and predetermined pressures and through and in contacting relation with the helium gas disposed within a gaseous chamber having helium shield gas therein at or above atmospheric pressure, surrounding and contacting the beam in the region between the workpiece and the adjacent one of said orifices with said shield gas and passing the beam through the helium gas in said region, and separately pumping said buffer chambers at speeds respectively providing said predetermined buffer chamber pressures.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
160 words
The method of performing a work function with an electron beam directed on a workpiece disposed within the free atmosphere and outside the high vacuum environment of the electron gun which comprises the steps of generating and propagating the electron beam in a high vacuum chamber maintained at a pressure of the order of 10 4 mm. Hg, directing the beam to the workpiece through a plurality of aligned flow limiting orifices respectively defining therebetween a plurality of vacuum buffer chambers of progressively increased and predetermined pressures and through and in contacting relation with the helium gas disposed within a gaseous chamber having helium shield gas therein at or above atmospheric pressure, surrounding and contacting the beam in the region between the workpiece and the adjacent one of said orifices with said shield gas and passing the beam through the helium gas in said region, and separately pumping said buffer chambers at speeds respectively providing said predetermined buffer chamber pressures.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
165 words
Apparatus for brining an electron beam outside the high vacuum chamber of its electron gun to direct the same onto a workpiece, comprising at least one buffer vacuum chamber having aligned flow limiting orifices for passing the beam from said high vacuum chamber to said workpiece, one of said orifices interconnecting said high vacuum and buffer chambers and the other of said orifices being the exit orifice adjacent the workpiece, means for surrounding the beam with helium shield gas in the region thereof between said exit orifice and the workpiece and passing the beam through the helium gas in said region, and pumping means individual to said chambers for separately pumping the same, said means for surrounding the beam with helium shield gas comprising a shield gas chamber adjoining said buffer chamber and having an inlet for receiving said helium shield gas and an outlet aligned with said orifices for passing said beam and helium shield gas therethrough in surrounding relation to the electron beam.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
165 words
Apparatus for brining an electron beam outside the high vacuum chamber of its electron gun to direct the same onto a workpiece, comprising at least one buffer vacuum chamber having aligned flow limiting orifices for passing the beam from said high vacuum chamber to said workpiece, one of said orifices interconnecting said high vacuum and buffer chambers and the other of said orifices being the exit orifice adjacent the workpiece, means for surrounding the beam with helium shield gas in the region thereof between said exit orifice and the workpiece and passing the beam through the helium gas in said region, and pumping means individual to said chambers for separately pumping the same, said means for surrounding the beam with helium shield gas comprising a shield gas chamber adjoining said buffer chamber and having an inlet for receiving said helium shield gas and an outlet aligned with said orifices for passing said beam and helium shield gas therethrough in surrounding relation to the electron beam.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as in claim 8, said pumping means having speeds related to the size of said orifices and the temperature and molecular weight of said helium shield gas therein.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as in claim 8 and including X-ray shielding in the region around the workpiece.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as in claim 8, said helium shield gas being at a pressure at or above atmospheric pressure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as in claim 8, said workpiece being spaced as closely as possible to said outlet of the shield gas chamber and in accordance with acceptable energy lossEs of the beam as determined by the potential of the electrons and the temperature and pressure of the helium shield gas.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-06-14 | 1974-12-14 | 1975-06-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-06-14 | 1978-12-14 | 1979-06-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-06-14 | 1982-12-14 | 1983-06-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |