Negative hydrogen or deuterium ion source using semiconductor

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a semiconductor portion is provided for in said solid-state element; and providing an avalanche in said semiconductor portion to produce said hot electrons.

Claim 6

A device as claimed in claim 3 including: means for diffusing said dissociated hydrogen or deuterium through said solid-state device from said one region to said means for obtaining resonance transition in said another region in the proximity of said other end such that negative ions are produced in said another region and are liberated from said other end.

Claim 8

A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said solid-state element is a composite body having a solid material portion with a high permeability with respect to said hydrogen or deuterium molecules and said semiconductor portion is capable of efficiently producing said hot electrons necessary for said resonance transition of electrons.

Claim 9

A device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said solid material portion is made of a material selected from the group consisting of vanadium, niobium, and palladium, and said semiconductor portion is made of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, and compound semiconductors.

Claim 10

A device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said voltage source means is an inverse voltage source connected across said p-n junction so as to selectively cause an avalanche at the p-n junction upon application of an inverse voltage thereto, whereby the hot electrons for said resonance transition and the hot electrons for said liberation at the solid-state element surface are generated by said avalanche.

Claim 11

A device as claimed in claim 6 including a framework airtightly holding a plurality of said solid-state elements in an arcuate row, and slot-shaped electrodes disposed close to the negative ion emitting surface of the solid-state elements; each of said solid-state elements being a thin sheet of said solid material portion with a p-n junction of said semiconductor portion formed thereon, and a metallic support rod with a substantially rectangular cross section and a recess formed along one side of said rod, said thin sheet being airtightly sealed to said support rod so as to close said recess to define a reservoir for said hydrogen or deuterium molecules in a gaseous state, whereby the liberated negative ions from said solid-state elements are focused into one negative ion beam by said slot-shaped electrodes.

Claim 12

A negative ion source utilizing a semiconductor comprising: a solid-state element made of a composite body having a solid material portion being highly permeable with respect to deuterium or hydrogen molecules and a semiconductor portion adapted to produce hot electrons necessary for the resonance transition of electrons; said semiconductor portion having a p-n junction formed therein and said semiconductor portion having a surface adapted to emit negative ions therefrom in close proximity to said p-n junction; an inverse voltage source providing a plurality of electrons connected across said p-n junction so as to selectively cause an avalanche at the p-n junction upon application of an inverse voltage thereto; a framework airtightly holding a plurality of said solid-state elements in an arcuate row, and a slot-shaped electrode disposed close to the negative ion emitting surface of the solid-state elements so as to focus the emitted ions into one negative ion beam by said slot-shaped electrode; a high-pressure deuterium or hydrogen molecular gas source airtightly connected to one side of said framework and a vacuum chamber connected to another side of said framework, said ion emitting surface located at one of said solid-state element and said slot-shaped electrode both being disposed within said vacuum chamber; whereby deuterium or hydrogen molecules received from said molecular source dissociate into said solid material portion by dissolution, the dissociated deuterium or hydrogen molecules produce negative ions when said dissociated deuterium or hydrogen diffuse into the region proximate said p-n junction due to the resonance transition of hot electrons, and said negative ions are liberated from said ion emitting surface by said hot electrons, said dissociation of the molecules, said generation and said liberation of negative ions occurring continuously in succession.

Claim 13

A negative ion source utilizing a semiconductor comprising: a solid-state element made of a composite body having a solid material portion being highly permeable with respect to deuterium or hydrogen molecules and a semiconductor portion adapted to produce hot electrons necessary for the resonance transition of electrons; said semiconductor portion having a p-n junction formed therein and said semiconductor portion having a surface adapted to emit negative ions therefrom in close proximity to said p-n junction; an inverse voltage source providing a plurality of electrons connected across said p-n junction so as to selectively cause an avalanche at the p-n junction upon application of an inverse voltage thereto; a framework airtightly holding a plurality of said solid-state elements in an arcuate row, and a slot-shaped electrode disposed close to the negative ion emitting surface of the solid-state elements so as to focus the emitted ions into one negative ion beam by said slot-shaped electrode; a high-pressure deuterium or hydrogen molecular gas source airtightly connected to one side of said framework and a vacuum chamber connected to another side of said framework, said ion emitting surface located at one of said solid-state element and said slot-shaped electrode both being disposed within said vacuum chamber; whereby deuterium or hydrogen molecules received from said molecular source dissociate into said solid material portion by dissolution, the dissociated deuterium or hydrogen molecules produce negative ions when said dissociated deuterium or hydrogen diffuse into the region proximate said p-n junction due to the resonance transition of hot electrons, and said negative ions are liberated from said ion emitting surface by said hot electrons, said dissociation of the molecules, said generation and said liberation of negative ions occurring continuously in succession.

Claim 14

A negative ion source as set forth in claim 18, wherein said solid material portion is made of a material selected from the group consisting of vanadium, niobium and palladium, and said semiconductor portion is made of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium and compound semiconductors.

Claim 15

A negative ion source as set forth in claim 10, wherein said p-n junction includes a p-region for receiving deuterium or hydrogen molecules and dissociating those molecules into said p-n junction of said solid-state element so as to generate atomic deuterium or hydrogen through dissolution and diffusion; a depletion layer for generating negative deuterium or hydrogen ions by capturing electrons existing in the solid-state element due to the resonance transition of said hot electrons proximate the solid-state element surface; and n+ region for liberating the negative deuterium or hydrogen ions into the vacuum chamber with the aid of the inverse voltage source applied to both sides of p-n junction selectively causing said avalanche therein.

Claim 16

A negative ion source as set forth in claim 10, wherein each of said solid-state elements is a thin sheet of said solid material portion with a p-n junction of said semiconductor portion formed thereon; and includes a metallic support rod with a substantially rectangular cross section with a recess formed along one side of said rod, said thin sheet being airtightly sealed to said support rod so as to close said recess to define a reservoir for said deuterium molecules in gas state, whereby the liberated negative ions from said solid-state elements are focused into one negative ion beam by said slot-shaped electrode.

Claim 17

A negative ion source as set forth in claim 10, wherein said inverse voltage source is connected across said p-n junction so as to selectively cause avalanche at the p-n junction upon application of an inverse voltage thereto, whereby said hot electrons for said resonance transition and said hot electrons for said liberation at the solid-state element surface are generated by said avalanche.