US3898496A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Means for obtaining a metal ion beam from a heavy-ion cyclotron source
Assignee: United States Department of Energy
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Filing: 1974-08-12
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Granted: 1975-08-05
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Expires: 1994-08-12
Abstract
Abstract A simple method for producing a high intensity metal ion beam from a high-powered Penning-type ion source in a cyclotron is provided. A small amount of an inert support gas maintains the usual plasma arc, except it is necessary for the support gas to have a heavy mass, e.g., xenon or krypton as opposed to neon. A plate, fabricated from the metal (or anything that can be sputtered) to be ionized, is mounted on the back wall of the ion source arc chamber and is bombarded by returning energetic lowcharged gas ions that failed to successfully cross the initial rf accelerating gap between the ion source and rf accelerating slit. Some of the atoms that are dislodged from the plate by the returning gas ions become ionized in the plasma arc column and are extracted as a useful beam of heavy ions.
Inventors
- 👤 Ed D Hudson
- 👤 Merrit L Mallory
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 00:33
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05H; H05H13/00; H01; H01J; H01J27/00; H01J27/02; H01J27/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
IN AN ISOCHRONOUS CYCLOTRON PROVIDED WITH A MAGNETIC FIELD, AN INTERNAL ION SOURCE PROVIDED WITH AN ARC CHAMBER, AN ACCERATING ELECTRODE FOR WITHDRAWING IONS FROM SAID ARC CHAMBERS, SAID ACCELERATING ELECTRODE EFFECTING THE ACCELERATION OF SAID IONS THROUGH SAID CYCLOTRON AS GUIDED BY SAID MAGNETIC FIELD, AND AN ION BEAM EXTRACTION SYSTEM FOR EXTRACTING A DESIRED SEPARATED ION BEAM FROM SAID CYCLOTRON, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING PROVIDED A HEAVY MASS ARC SUPPORT GAS TO SAID ION SOURCE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP ONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF KRYPTON AND XENON, AND PROVIDING A PLATE MOUNTED ON THE BACK WALL OF SAID ION SOURCE ARE CHAMBER, SAID PLATE CONSTRUCTED FROM A SPUTTERABLE MATERIAL WHEREBY DURING OPERATION OF SAID CYCLOTRON SAID PLATE IS BOMBAREDED BY RETURNING ENERGETIC LOW-CHARGED GAS IONS THAT FAILED TO SUCCESSFULLY CROSS THE INITIAL ACCELERATING GAP BETWEEN SAID ION SOURCE AND SAID ACCELERATING ELECTRODE SUCH THAT SOME OF THE ATOMS DISLODGED FROM SAID PLATE BECOME IONIZED IN THE ION SOURCE ARC COLUMN AND ARE EXTRACTED FROM SAID CYCLOTRON AS A USEFUL BEAM OF HEAVY IONS.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
IN AN ISOCHRONOUS CYCLOTRON PROVIDED WITH A MAGNETIC FIELD, AN INTERNAL ION SOURCE PROVIDED WITH AN ARC CHAMBER, AN ACCERATING ELECTRODE FOR WITHDRAWING IONS FROM SAID ARC CHAMBERS, SAID ACCELERATING ELECTRODE EFFECTING THE ACCELERATION OF SAID IONS THROUGH SAID CYCLOTRON AS GUIDED BY SAID MAGNETIC FIELD, AND AN ION BEAM EXTRACTION SYSTEM FOR EXTRACTING A DESIRED SEPARATED ION BEAM FROM SAID CYCLOTRON, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING PROVIDED A HEAVY MASS ARC SUPPORT GAS TO SAID ION SOURCE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP ONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF KRYPTON AND XENON, AND PROVIDING A PLATE MOUNTED ON THE BACK WALL OF SAID ION SOURCE ARE CHAMBER, SAID PLATE CONSTRUCTED FROM A SPUTTERABLE MATERIAL WHEREBY DURING OPERATION OF SAID CYCLOTRON SAID PLATE IS BOMBAREDED BY RETURNING ENERGETIC LOW-CHARGED GAS IONS THAT FAILED TO SUCCESSFULLY CROSS THE INITIAL ACCELERATING GAP BETWEEN SAID ION SOURCE AND SAID ACCELERATING ELECTRODE SUCH THAT SOME OF THE ATOMS DISLODGED FROM SAID PLATE BECOME IONIZED IN THE ION SOURCE ARC COLUMN AND ARE EXTRACTED FROM SAID CYCLOTRON AS A USEFUL BEAM OF HEAVY IONS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The cyclotron set forth in claim 1, wherein said plate is metal selected from the group consisting essentially of silicon, titanium, iron, nickel, copper, zinc and niobium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The cyclotron set forth in claim 2, wherein said selected support gas is krypton.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The cyclotron set forth in claim 2, wherein said selected support gas is xenon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The cyclotron set forth in claim 2, wherein said selected support gas is xenon, and said selected metal plate is nickel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The cyclotron set forth in claim 1, wherein said plate is a compound selected from the group consisting essentially of LiF, BN, and MgF2.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-04 | 1979-02-03 | 1979-08-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-04 | 1983-02-03 | 1983-08-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-04 | 1987-02-03 | 1987-08-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |