Electron discharge device including an electron emissive electrode having an undulating cross-sectional contour

Claim 1

An electron discharge device comprising: a. a series of at least two electron optically aligned electrodes; b. means for emitting electrons from preceding ones of said series of electrodes comprising an electron emissive surface region on each preceding one of said series of electrodes; c. means for accelerating electrons emitted from each electron emissive surface region to impinge upon a succeeding one of said electrodes; said emitted electrons being accelerated as a stream of electrons, from a first electrode of said series, to impinge upon succeeding ones of said series in non-repeating sequence; d. one of said electrodes comprising an anode for ultimately collecting said electron stream; e. wherein said electron emissive surface region of .[.the first.]. .Iadd.at least one other .Iaddend.of said series of electrodes includes.Iadd., across its width .Iaddend.a cross-sectional contour substantially characterized by an undulating line of curvature superimposed thereon which includes a plurality of interconnected arcuate regions.Iadd., said undulating line of curvature providing substantially uniform collection by a succeeding electrode of the electron stream emitted from the undulating surface region, substantially independent of the respective point of origin of various ones of the electrons along the cross-sectional contour.Iaddend.; and f. means whereby said .[.first.]. .Iadd.other .Iaddend.electrode may be excited to a substantially single electrostatic field potential across the entire electron emissive surface portion characterized by said undulating line of curvature.