Method for making thin film tungsten-thorium alloy

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF ELECTRODEPOSITING THIN FILM W-TH ALLOY ON A CONDUCTIVE SUBSTRATE, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: PASSING AN ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH A HEATED PLATING BATH CONTAINING THE SUBSTRATE, SAID SUBSTRATE FORMING THE CATHODE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM USED TO PASS SAID ELECTRICAL CURRENT, SAID BATH COMPRISING TWO AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS, THE FIRST SOLUTION CONSISTING OF WO3, NA3PO4 AND H2O,AND THE SECOND SOLUTION CONSISTING OF TH(SO4)2 AND H2O, AND ADDING CONCURRENTLY TO PASSING SAID CURRENT SAID SECOND SOLUTION TO SAID FIRST SOLUTION AT A PREDETERMINED RATE.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF ELECTRODEPOSITING THIN FILM W-TH ALLOY ON A CONDUCTIVE SUBSTRATE, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: PASSING AN ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH A HEATED PLATING BATH CONTAINING THE SUBSTRATE, SAID SUBSTRATE FORMING THE CATHODE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM USED TO PASS SAID ELECTRICAL CURRENT, SAID BATH COMPRISING TWO AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS, THE FIRST SOLUTION CONSISTING OF WO3, NA3PO4 AND H2O,AND THE SECOND SOLUTION CONSISTING OF TH(SO4)2 AND H2O, AND ADDING CONCURRENTLY TO PASSING SAID CURRENT SAID SECOND SOLUTION TO SAID FIRST SOLUTION AT A PREDETERMINED RATE.

Claim 12

The method of making a single crystal thin film W-Th alloy, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first aqueous solution consisting of WO3, NA3PO4 and H2O in the ratio of the order of about 35:100:200, respectively, by weight, providing a second aqueous solution consisting of Th(SO4)2 and H2O, said second solution having a 10 percent concentration of Th(SO4)2, adding said second solution to said first solution at the rate of about 20 drops per minute to provide an electroplating bath, heating said bath to maintain it at a temperature of about 80*C., immersing predetermined anode and cathode electroplating means in said bath, said cathode electrode means comprising a substrate on which the W-Th film is to be formed, passing an electric current having a current density of about 160 milliamperes between the two said electrode means and through said bath to electrodeposit said thin film W-Th alloy on the substrate, said steps of passing and adding being performed concurrently, removing the substrate having thin film deposited therein, and subsequently annealing said thin film W-Th alloy at a temperature of about 1,800*C. to place said W-Th alloy in a single crystal state.

Claim 13

The method of making a single crystal thin film W-Th alloy, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first aqueous solution consisting of WO3, NA3PO4 and H2O in the ratio of the order of about 35:100:200, respectively, by weight, providing a second aqueous solution consisting of Th(SO4)2 and H2O, said second solution having a 10 percent concentration of Th(SO4)2, adding said second solution to said first solution at the rate of about 20 drops per minute to provide an electroplating bath, heating said bath to maintain it at a temperature of about 80*C., immersing predetermined anode and cathode electroplating means in said bath, said cathode electrode means comprising a substrate on which the W-Th film is to be formed, passing an electric current having a current density of about 160 milliamperes between the two said electrode means and through said bath to electrodeposit said thin film W-Th alloy on the substrate, said steps of passing and adding being performed concurrently, removing the substrate having thin film deposited therein, and subsequently annealing said thin film W-Th alloy at a temperature of about 1,800*C. to place said W-Th alloy in a single crystal state.