← Back to Patent Explorer
US4143299A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Charged-particle beam acceleration in a converging waveguide

Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
•
Filing: 1978-02-22
•
Granted: 1979-03-06
•
Expires: 1998-02-22
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An electron beam and collective ion-electron beam accelerating apparatus inhich a relativistic electron beam and ions moving with it are accelerated in speed by passing them through a converging waveguide (i.e., a drift tube) of gradually decreasing diameter. The ions are separated from the electrons upon leaving the waveguide.

Inventors

  • 👤 Phillip A. Sprangle
  • 👤 Adam T. Drobot
  • 👤 Wallace M. Manheimer

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 08:34
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J3/00; H01J3/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim 58 words
In an apparatus for producing a relativistic collective ion-electron particle beam having a negative energy space-charge propagating therealong in the direction of flow of the beam, means for accelerating the particles comprising a waveguide through which said beam is propagated, said waveguide having a gradually decreasing cross-sectional area taken transversely to the direction of propagation of the beam.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 58 words
In an apparatus for producing a relativistic collective ion-electron particle beam having a negative energy space-charge propagating therealong in the direction of flow of the beam, means for accelerating the particles comprising a waveguide through which said beam is propagated, said waveguide having a gradually decreasing cross-sectional area taken transversely to the direction of propagation of the beam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
Beam acceleration means as in claim 1, including magnetic field-producing means for providing a longitudinal magnetic field in said waveguide for preventing radial dispersion of said beam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 57 words
Particle acceleration means as in claim 2, further including means for propagating a negative-energy space-charge wave along said beam in the direction of flow thereof, and wherein the rate at which the cross-sectional area of the waveguide decreases is sufficiently slow that the ions are accelerated substantially in unison with the space charge wave in the beam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 39 words
Particle acceleration means as in claim 2, including means for extracting the electrons from said collective beam at the high-speed end of the waveguide, so that the remaining beam comprises only a beam of ions moving at relativistic speeds.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 45 words
A method for accelerating a relativistic electron beam comprising the step of: propagating said beam within and in the direction of the longitudinal axis of a waveguide which has in the direction of beam propagation, a gradually decreasing cross-sectional area transverse to its longitudinal axis.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 45 words
A method for accelerating a relativistic electron beam comprising the step of: propagating said beam within and in the direction of the longitudinal axis of a waveguide which has in the direction of beam propagation, a gradually decreasing cross-sectional area transverse to its longitudinal axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 5, including the step of applying a magnetic field to said beam in the direction of the beam to minimize radial dispersion of the beam.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 63 words
A method for accelerating a collective relativistic ion-electron beam propagating within and in the direction of the longitudinal axis of a waveguide, the ions in said collective beam being carried along by a negative-energy space-charge wave in the electron beam, comprising the step of: gradually decreasing, in the direction of beam propagation, the cross-sectional area of the waveguide transverse to its longitudinal axis.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 63 words
A method for accelerating a collective relativistic ion-electron beam propagating within and in the direction of the longitudinal axis of a waveguide, the ions in said collective beam being carried along by a negative-energy space-charge wave in the electron beam, comprising the step of: gradually decreasing, in the direction of beam propagation, the cross-sectional area of the waveguide transverse to its longitudinal axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 7, including the step of: applying a magnetic field to said beam in the direction of the beam to minimize radial dispersion of the beam.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 43 words
Particle acceleration means for use with apparatus for producing a relativistic electron beam comprising: a longitudinal waveguide into and along whose longitudinal axis said beam is injected and propagated, said waveguide being gradually tapered in the direction of propagation of said electron beam.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 43 words
Particle acceleration means for use with apparatus for producing a relativistic electron beam comprising: a longitudinal waveguide into and along whose longitudinal axis said beam is injected and propagated, said waveguide being gradually tapered in the direction of propagation of said electron beam.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 27 words
Particle acceleration means as in claim 9, including: magnetic field-producing means for providing a longitudinal magnetic field in said waveguide for preventing radial dispersion of said beam.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 60 words
Particle acceleration means as in claim 9, further including: means for propagating a negative-energy space-charge wave along said beam in the direction of its flow; means for slowing the velocity of said beam; and means for introducing ions into said beam at a velocity comparable to that of said slower beam so that the ions will be carried along thereby.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 35 words
Means for accelerating a relativistic particle beam formed, at least, of electrons comprising: a waveguide through which said beam is propagated, said waveguide having a gradual taper in the direction of propagation of the beam.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 35 words
Means for accelerating a relativistic particle beam formed, at least, of electrons comprising: a waveguide through which said beam is propagated, said waveguide having a gradual taper in the direction of propagation of the beam.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 26 words
Beam acceleration means as in claim 12, including magnetic-field-producing means for providing a longitudinal magnetic field in said waveguide to minimize radial dispersion of the beam.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 21 words
Beam acceleration means as in claim 12, including means for inducing a negative-energy space-charge wave on the electrons in said beam.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 17 words
Beam acceleration means as in claim 14, wherein said particle beam includes ions as well as electrons.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 60 words
In a means for producing a combined ion and electron beam having a negative-energy space-charge wave propagating along said beam in the direction of flow of the beam, means for accelerating the ions in said beam comprising a tapered waveguide through which said beam is propagated, said waveguide having a gradual taper in the direction of propagation of said beam.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 60 words
In a means for producing a combined ion and electron beam having a negative-energy space-charge wave propagating along said beam in the direction of flow of the beam, means for accelerating the ions in said beam comprising a tapered waveguide through which said beam is propagated, said waveguide having a gradual taper in the direction of propagation of said beam.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 27 words
Acceleration means as in claim 16, further including magnetic-field-producing means for providing a magnetic field in said waveguide such as to minimize radial dispersion of the beam.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 71 words
In a means for producing a combined ion and electron beam having a negative-energy space-charge wave propagating along said beam in the direction of flow of said beam, said ions being trapped and carried along by said space-charge wave, means for accelerating said space-charge wave comprising a tapered waveguide through which said beam is propagated, said waveguide having a gradually decreasing cross-sectional area in the direction of propagation of said beam.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 71 words
In a means for producing a combined ion and electron beam having a negative-energy space-charge wave propagating along said beam in the direction of flow of said beam, said ions being trapped and carried along by said space-charge wave, means for accelerating said space-charge wave comprising a tapered waveguide through which said beam is propagated, said waveguide having a gradually decreasing cross-sectional area in the direction of propagation of said beam.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 27 words
Acceleration means as in claim 18, further including magnetic-field-producing means for providing a magnetic field in said waveguide such as to minimize radial dispersion of said beam.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 18 words
An accelerating means in claim 12, wherein said relativistic particle beam resonates in the lower cyclotron waveguide mode.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 22 words
An accelerating means as in claim 20, including means for causing said electron beam to resonate in the lower cyclotron waveguide mode.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3626305A Cited
US3617908A Cited
US3720828A Cited
US3719893A Cited
US3887832A Cited
US3916239A Cited
US3892970A Cited
US4038602A Cited
US4070595A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1982-03-05 1982-09-04 1983-03-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1986-03-05 1986-09-04 1987-03-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1990-03-05 1990-09-04 1991-03-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag