US4924102A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for generating negatively charged species
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
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Filing: 1988-12-05
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Granted: 1990-05-08
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Expires: 2008-12-05
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for generating negatively charged species has a cathode and an anode which are disposed in a vacuum vessel facing each other. A constricted arc having a sufficiently large arc current is generated in an arc space between the anode and the cathode, thereby generating negatively charged species of various types of metals, semiconductors, and gases.
Inventors
- 👤 Hideaki Toya
- 👤 Hiroyuki Sasao
- 👤 Tatsuya Hayshi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 07:53
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J27/00; H01J27/02; H01J27/028
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
An apparatus for generating charged species comprising: a vacuum vessel; an anode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel; a cylindrical cathode having a central axis and a bottom wall including a generally axially aligned opening, said cylindrical cathode being disposed in said vacuum vessel coaxially with and surrounding said anode, said opening being generally aligned with said anode; a cylindrical trigger electrode having a central axis and a bottom wall including a generally axially aligned opening disposed in said vacuum vessel coaxially with and between said anode and said cathode, the opening in said bottom wall of said trigger electrode being disposed opposite said anode, for initiating an arc between said anode and cathode; a grid disposed in said vacuum vessel opposite said cathode for accelerating charged species formed in the arc between said anode and cathode; and an electromagnetic coil disposed outside said vacuum vessel for producing a magnetic field in said vacuum vessel having an axis aligned with the central axes of said anode and cathode for converging charged species produced in the arc.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
180 words
An apparatus for generating charged species comprising: a vacuum vessel; an anode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel; a cylindrical cathode having a central axis and a bottom wall including a generally axially aligned opening, said cylindrical cathode being disposed in said vacuum vessel coaxially with and surrounding said anode, said opening being generally aligned with said anode; a cylindrical trigger electrode having a central axis and a bottom wall including a generally axially aligned opening disposed in said vacuum vessel coaxially with and between said anode and said cathode, the opening in said bottom wall of said trigger electrode being disposed opposite said anode, for initiating an arc between said anode and cathode; a grid disposed in said vacuum vessel opposite said cathode for accelerating charged species formed in the arc between said anode and cathode; and an electromagnetic coil disposed outside said vacuum vessel for producing a magnetic field in said vacuum vessel having an axis aligned with the central axes of said anode and cathode for converging charged species produced in the arc.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said vacuum vessel includes a charged species accumulating region disposed opposite said grid and on the opposite side of said grid from said cathode for accumulating charged species generated in the arc.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one of said cathode and said anode is formed of at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of copper, titanium, aluminum, chromium, zirconium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, lead, silver, and gold.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one of said cathode and said anode is formed of a semiconductor such as silicon or germanium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one of said cathode and anode is formed of a metal such as titanium in which a gas such as hydrogen or argon is occluded.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
157 words
An apparatus for generating charged species comprising: a vacuum vessel; an anode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel; a cathode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel spaced from and opposite said anode, the axes of said anode and cathode being aligned with each other; a trigger electrode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel proximate said anode and cathode for initiating an arc between said anode and cathode, the central axis of said trigger electrode lying generally transverse to the central axes of said anode and cathode; a grid disposed in said vacuum vessel opposite said trigger electrode for accelerating charged species formed in the arc between said anode and cathode, said anode and cathode being disposed between said trigger electrode and said grid; and an electromagnetic coil disposed outside said vacuum vessel for converging charged species produced in the arc and accelerated by said grid.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
157 words
An apparatus for generating charged species comprising: a vacuum vessel; an anode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel; a cathode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel spaced from and opposite said anode, the axes of said anode and cathode being aligned with each other; a trigger electrode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel proximate said anode and cathode for initiating an arc between said anode and cathode, the central axis of said trigger electrode lying generally transverse to the central axes of said anode and cathode; a grid disposed in said vacuum vessel opposite said trigger electrode for accelerating charged species formed in the arc between said anode and cathode, said anode and cathode being disposed between said trigger electrode and said grid; and an electromagnetic coil disposed outside said vacuum vessel for converging charged species produced in the arc and accelerated by said grid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said vacuum vessel includes a charged species accumulating region disposed opposite said grid and on the opposite side of said grid from said cathode for accumulating charged species generated in the arc.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein one of said cathode and said anode is formed of at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of copper, titanium, aluminum, chromium, zirconium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, lead, silver, and gold.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein one of said cathode and said anode is formed of a semiconductor such as silicon or germanium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein one of said cathode and said anode is formed of a metal such as titanium in which a gas such as hydrogen or argon is occluded.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
147 words
An apparatus for generating charged species comprising: a vacuum vessel; an anode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel; a cylindrical cathode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel coaxially with and surrounding said anode, said cathode including an opening proximate said anode for the passage of charged species generated in an arc between said anode and cathode; a grid disposed in said vacuum vessel opposite said cathode for accelerating charged species formed in the arc between said anode and cathode; and an electromagnetic coil disposed outside said vacuum vessel for producing a magnetic field in said vacuum vessel having an axis aligned with the central axes of said anode and cathode for converging charged species produced in the arc wherein the opening in the cathode tapers to a smaller cross-sectional area in the direction from said anode toward said grid.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
147 words
An apparatus for generating charged species comprising: a vacuum vessel; an anode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel; a cylindrical cathode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel coaxially with and surrounding said anode, said cathode including an opening proximate said anode for the passage of charged species generated in an arc between said anode and cathode; a grid disposed in said vacuum vessel opposite said cathode for accelerating charged species formed in the arc between said anode and cathode; and an electromagnetic coil disposed outside said vacuum vessel for producing a magnetic field in said vacuum vessel having an axis aligned with the central axes of said anode and cathode for converging charged species produced in the arc wherein the opening in the cathode tapers to a smaller cross-sectional area in the direction from said anode toward said grid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said vacuum vessel includes a charged species accumulating region disposed opposite said grid and on the opposite side of said grid from said cathode for accumulating charged species generated in the arc.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein one of said cathode and said anode is formed of at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of copper, titanium, aluminum, chromium, zirconium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, lead, silver, and gold.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein one of said cathode and said anode is formed of a semiconductor such as silicon or germanium.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein one of said cathode and said anode is formed of a metal such as titanium in which a gas such as hydrogen or argon is occluded.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
131 words
An apparatus for generating charged species comprising: a vacuum vessel; an anode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel; a cathode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel spaced from and opposite said anode, the axes of said anode and cathode being aligned with each other; a laser disposed outside said vacuum vessel for illuminating one of said cathode and anode for initiating an arc discharge between said anode and cathode; a grid disposed in said vacuum vessel opposite said cathode for accelerating charged species formed in the arc between said anode and cathode; and an electromagnetic coil disposed outside said vacuum vessel for producing a magnetic field in said vacuum vessel for converging charged species produced in the arc and accelerated by said grid.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
131 words
An apparatus for generating charged species comprising: a vacuum vessel; an anode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel; a cathode having a central axis and disposed in said vacuum vessel spaced from and opposite said anode, the axes of said anode and cathode being aligned with each other; a laser disposed outside said vacuum vessel for illuminating one of said cathode and anode for initiating an arc discharge between said anode and cathode; a grid disposed in said vacuum vessel opposite said cathode for accelerating charged species formed in the arc between said anode and cathode; and an electromagnetic coil disposed outside said vacuum vessel for producing a magnetic field in said vacuum vessel for converging charged species produced in the arc and accelerated by said grid.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said vacuum vessel includes a charged species accumulating region disposed opposite said grid and on the opposite side of said grid from said cathode for accumulating charged species generated in the arc.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein one of said cathode and said anode is formed of at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of copper, titanium, aluminum, chromium, zirconium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, lead, silver, and gold.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein one of said cathode and said anode is formed of a semiconductor such as silicon or germanium.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein one of said cathode and said anode is formed of a metal such as titanium in which a gas such as hydrogen or argon is occluded.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 16 comprising a condensing lens for condensing light produced by said laser and a transmission window disposed on a wall of said vacuum vessel for transmission of the laser light to one of said anode and cathode.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said transmission window is disposed opposite said cathode and said anode is inclined relative to said cathode.
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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) | 1993-05-07 | 1993-11-06 | 1994-05-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-05-07 | 1997-11-06 | 1998-05-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-05-07 | 2001-11-06 | 2002-05-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |