US2200063A - Space discharge apparatus and circuits - Google Patents

Space discharge apparatus and circuits Download PDF

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Publication number
US2200063A
US2200063A US93546A US9354636A US2200063A US 2200063 A US2200063 A US 2200063A US 93546 A US93546 A US 93546A US 9354636 A US9354636 A US 9354636A US 2200063 A US2200063 A US 2200063A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
grid
electron
emitter
electrons
plate
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US93546A
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English (en)
Inventor
Raymond A Heising
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
AT&T Corp
Original Assignee
Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc filed Critical Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc
Priority to US93546A priority Critical patent/US2200063A/en
Priority to US93536A priority patent/US2205071A/en
Priority to GB6854/38A priority patent/GB495843A/en
Priority to GB14180/37A priority patent/GB493217A/en
Priority to FR823940D priority patent/FR823940A/fr
Priority to NL83359A priority patent/NL51729C/xx
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2200063A publication Critical patent/US2200063A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J43/00—Secondary-emission tubes; Electron-multiplier tubes
    • H01J43/04—Electron multipliers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03C—MODULATION
    • H03C1/00—Amplitude modulation
    • H03C1/16—Amplitude modulation by means of discharge device having at least three electrodes

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to space discharge apparatus involving secondary electron emission, preferably a succession of times to secure large amplification, and to circuits for such apparatus.
  • This general type of apparatus is referred to in the art as an electron multiplier, and will be so termed in this application.
  • a general object isto improve upon the structure and performance of apparatus or systems 10 using secondary electron emission or systems using electron multipliers.
  • the invention is particularly, but not exc1usively, directed to the use of electron multiplier apparatus at ultra-high frequencies, especially at frequencies so high that at those frequencies it is diflicult or impossible for the usual grid-controlled vacuum tube to operate effectively to give high amplification or high output power.
  • the input structure may comprise a cathode and grid similar to those used in ordinary vacuum tubes, with the grid preferably located very close to the cathode as inthe case of the short wave tube disclosed in my prior application Serial No. 64,697 filed disclosed in that application.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic sketch of one embodiment
  • FIG. 2 shows more in detail a. tube construction embodying the features shown schematically in Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 3 is a functional diagram toillustrate the 30 method of operation of the device of Fig. 2;
  • Fig. 4 shows curves illustrative of the operation of the apparatus of the invention
  • Figs. 5 and 6 show typical circuit applications
  • Fig. '7 is a circuit diagram of one method of modulating or controlling transmission through an electron multiplier
  • FIGs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary diagrams illustrating modified types of apparatus for modulat- 40 ing or controlling the transmission.
  • Fig. 8A is a detail plan view of an alternative construction of emitting plate.
  • 0 has an input circuit at H and an output circuit at II.
  • the tube includes a hot cathode or other suitable source of electrons l3, and a control grid I4, these two elements being constructed and arranged, for
  • This multiplier comprises a series of secondary emitter plates SE and an associated system of deflecting plates P, supplied with increasingly positive potential from grid toward anode, as by taps to appropriate points along a potentiometer l6 supplied from battery IT.
  • a screen I8 is interposed between the last emitter and plate and the anode.
  • Bias battery l9 pref- 2
  • batteries such as H and 20 would in many cases be replaced by other' voltage sources such as direct current generators or rectifiers with suitable filters as is common in the vacuum tube art. It is preferable to separate the supply sources as at I1 and 20 instead of having one source with potentiometer l6 extending across its terminals, for the reason that the current drawn by the emitters SE increases along the series so'that relatively large current needs to be supplied to the anode I5 and somewhat smaller current to the last emitter, etc. Large losses would result in a potentiometer resistor across power source 20, and, moreover, since the current through the potentiometer mightvary in large amount during signaling, undesirable voltage variations mightjbe produced cn-the various plates.
  • subdivision of the power supply may be carried further, as indicated for example in Fig. 2.
  • Fig. 2 One form which the physical arrangement of the parts, indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 1, may take is shown in Fig. 2.
  • the cathode I3 is shown as a single straight wire extending perpendicular to the plane of the paper and sur-' rounded by an inner grid M, which is the control grid, and an outer grid 30 maintained more negative than the control grid.
  • such a high negative grid bias is preferably used as to break up the electron stream into a succession of electron groups or clouds somewhat as shown diagrammatically'in Fig. 3.
  • the groups -of electrons are indicated by small dots crowded together and occurring one each cycle, by way of example.
  • the numbers in a, group are shown increasing toward the right without attempting to depict the actual rate of increase.
  • the time required foran electron leaving the cathode to reachthe' anode IE (or more exactly to cause its corresponding successor electrons to arrive at the anode l5) may be a large number of cycles of the impressed waves. rive at the screen l8 during that part of the alternating cycle at which,' after passing through the screen, they will deliver power to the load circuit when they move across to-the plate l5.
  • the time of travel is of first order importance between cathode and grid l4 and also between screen l8 and anode l5.'
  • the grid It should be near the cathode to effectively control the electrons without too great an active grid loss.
  • the spacing between screen and anode must not be
  • the electrons should artoo large since this part of the electron stream delivers power to the load circuit.
  • the spacing of screen and anode need not be as small as in the ordinary three-electrode tube for the reason that in the tube of the invention the elecgion in the ordinary vacuum tube where they 7 utilize a large part of a cycle in attaining their speed in passing the'grid.
  • may have inherent capacity as indicated at 32, 33-39, with respect to the secondary emitters and plates to prevent potential fluctuations on these elements. These capacities may be partly or wholly inherent or may consist of condensers connected at the points shown.
  • may be tubular and surround the electron multiplier apparatus completely. One such capacity 39 is shown between the cathode and the ground plate.
  • the capacity at this point can .be placed between the control grid and the ground plate in which case the signal waves vary the cathode potential with respect to ground, necessitating use in the cathode heating circuit of some suitabledirect current filter, (which may be'of usual construction) to prevent shunting off the signal through the current supply circuit.
  • the curve A givesthe general shape of the characteristic of the device of the previous figures when used as an amplifier.
  • the characteristic has more nearly the shape of curve- B or C.
  • the curve takes the form of characteristic B.
  • the curve has some such form as that of C.
  • the reason for this is that the timing becomes important, as well as the voltage.
  • the yoltage be such as to cause the electrons to travel from emitter to emitter in proper paths but the groups of electrons must eventually arrive at the screen l8 and anode IS in proper instants of time or, in other words, must have the right phase relation to the oscillations being generated.
  • the timing is such as to produce a current maximum, as shown by curve C.
  • the tube III may have the same construction as in Fig. 2 and this construction is indicated in outline.
  • a radio frequency wave is produced at 40 by suitable means and is applied through the tuned coupling 4
  • Condenser'45 affords a by-pass for the high frequenthe anode of a vacuum tube in drawing electrons through the grid.
  • the modulated current is amplified to the desired extent by the electron multiplier structure as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.
  • the output current is shown as being led to tuned output circuit 26 which is coupled to any suitable transmitting circuit such as an antenna or line.
  • a receiving circuit orantenna 46 is coupled through suitable tuned input circuit 41 to the grid'of tube 10, the grid circuit of which includes a grid leak and condenser combination 48. Detection occurs as in the ordinary grid leak detector and the resulting detected or low frequency current passes into the electron multiplier apparatus where it is amplified to the desired extent. The output is transmitted through transformer 49 to loud-speaker 50 or other utilization circuit.
  • a high frequencywave from source 40 is applied to the grid of tube In through tuned input coupling 4
  • Modulation is effected by applying the speech or other low frequency waves originating in microphone 43 through transformer 44, between two of the emitter plates such as SE4 and SE5 and their associated deflectingplates P4 and P5.
  • Emitter plate SE5 is made in two parts 5
  • the low frequency waves can be applied to the grid and the high frequency waves to be modulated can be introduced between a pair of emitter plates this representing the converse relationship of that shown in Fig. '7.
  • Emitter SE3 may be constructed as in Fig. 7.
  • a screen consisting preferably of wires running parallel to the direction of general electron motion (parallelto the paper in Fig. 8).
  • Fig. 8A is a plan view of plate SE2 of Fig. 8 with the alternative construction just described.
  • the screens are shown at 55 and 56. '-The portions of the plate covered by the screens need not be depressed as much as in Fig. 8.
  • the potential on the screens 55 and 56 may be the same as that of the emitter plate SE2 which they shield.
  • FIG. 9 An alternative modulating method is illustrated in Fig. 9 in which a pair of metal electrodes 51 and 58 extend across the path of the electron beam and have impressed between them the modulating potential, from input-54.
  • the modulating wave may have low or high frequency.
  • Uniform spacing of the emitter plates is indicated in thevarious figures. This is not a necessary condition, however.
  • the path taken by the electrons from one plate to the next is determined by the voltage difference between adjacent plates and by the magnetic field. It is generally more convenient to make the magnetic field substantially constant and uniform throughout the tube. When this is the case, the spacing between any two emitter plates and the voltage difference between them must correspond with each other so as to make the electrons strike the emitterplates in the most effective manner.
  • a high voltage must be used on the output anode, in which case the path taken by the electrons from the last emitter plate to the anode may be of difi'erent shape from that taken between two emitter plates.
  • the screen grid prevents the relatively high voltage on the anode from affecting the electron travel between the secondary emitter plates.
  • an electron multiplier comprising an evacuated enclosure containing a succession of secondary electron emitters, means to supply successively higher potentials to said emitters, means to release electrons from the first emitter of the succession for impinging on the next emitter, and so on, an-output electrode leading to a utilization circuit and means to control the electron current transmitted through the multiplier comprising a circuit 'forimpressing a variable control voltage between two adjacent emitters in the succession.
  • an-electronmultiplier comprising an evacuated enclosure containing a succession of secondary electron emitters, means to supply successively higher potentials to said emitters, means to release electrons from the first emitter of the succession for impinging on the next emitter, and so on an output electrode leading to a utilization circuit and means to conmultiplier comprising a circuit for impressing a variable control voltage on one of said emitters, the surface of the emitter on which the control voltage is impressed comprising an emissive portion and an non-emissiveportion on the side upon which the incident electrons impinge.
  • a member having a surface a portion of which is emissive 'trol the electron current transmitted through the a of secondary electrons and a; portion of which is non-emissive means including a preliminary emitter of secondary electrons for producing a stream of secondary electrons, means to direct said stream of secondary electrons against said surface to cause emission of secondary electrons from the-emissive portion, and means adjacent the path of said stream and controlled by a variable voltage for deflecting the stream so thata variable portion of it is caused to strike the emissive portion of said surface.
  • a combination according to" claim 3 including means to vary tlie intensity of said stream of secondary electrons in accordance with an applied wave.
  • a plurality of secondary emitter plates means to cause electrons to impinge on said plates in succession'and to emit secondary electrons from each plate, the
  • each of a plurality of said plates having only a restricted area that is emissive of secondary electrons, means directing the electron beam from the first of said last-mentionel plates tofall partly on and partly off the emissive area of another of 'said last-mentioned plates, and means to vary the-portion of said beam falling on the emissive area of said other plate.
  • a secondary electron emitter means to direct primary electrons against said emitter to cause secondary electron emission current therefrom, a member having a surface a portion of which is a good emitter of secondary electrons and a portion of said surface to produce secondary emission from the emissive portion thereof, and means to deflect variably the secondary emission current incident upon said surface so that a variable portion of.it strikes the-emitting portion of said surface.
  • An electron multiplying device in which means are provided to control the intensity of the primary electron stream in accordance with an impressed wave to, in turn, vary the strength of the secondary emission current given off from said secondary electron emitter and incident upon said surface, and in which said means to deflect variably the secondary emission current is under control of another wave.
  • Electron discharge device in which said means adjacent said path comprises electrodes between which the electron beam passes, and a circuit for impressing a variable a high frequency source is used 'in combination with means for varying the intensity of the electron current thereby.

Landscapes

  • Electron Tubes For Measurement (AREA)
  • Image-Pickup Tubes, Image-Amplification Tubes, And Storage Tubes (AREA)
  • Video Image Reproduction Devices For Color Tv Systems (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Radiation (AREA)
  • Amplifiers (AREA)
US93546A 1936-07-31 1936-07-31 Space discharge apparatus and circuits Expired - Lifetime US2200063A (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US93546A US2200063A (en) 1936-07-31 1936-07-31 Space discharge apparatus and circuits
US93536A US2205071A (en) 1936-07-31 1936-07-31 Space discharge apparatus and circuits therefor
GB6854/38A GB495843A (en) 1936-07-31 1937-05-21 Electron multipliers
GB14180/37A GB493217A (en) 1936-07-31 1937-05-21 Electron multipliers
FR823940D FR823940A (fr) 1936-07-31 1937-07-05 Dispositifs à décharge électrique et circuits y relatifs
NL83359A NL51729C (en:Method) 1936-07-31 1937-07-15

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US93546A US2200063A (en) 1936-07-31 1936-07-31 Space discharge apparatus and circuits
US93536A US2205071A (en) 1936-07-31 1936-07-31 Space discharge apparatus and circuits therefor

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2200063A true US2200063A (en) 1940-05-07

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US93546A Expired - Lifetime US2200063A (en) 1936-07-31 1936-07-31 Space discharge apparatus and circuits
US93536A Expired - Lifetime US2205071A (en) 1936-07-31 1936-07-31 Space discharge apparatus and circuits therefor

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US93536A Expired - Lifetime US2205071A (en) 1936-07-31 1936-07-31 Space discharge apparatus and circuits therefor

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US (2) US2200063A (en:Method)
FR (1) FR823940A (en:Method)
GB (2) GB493217A (en:Method)
NL (1) NL51729C (en:Method)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2424289A (en) * 1943-07-30 1947-07-22 Rca Corp Calculating device
US2432681A (en) * 1943-12-02 1947-12-16 Farnsworth Res Corp Electron multiplier voltage supply
US2530373A (en) * 1943-05-04 1950-11-21 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Ultra high frequency electronic device
US3839674A (en) * 1970-07-04 1974-10-01 Philips Corp Device for measuring very small electric currents

Families Citing this family (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE890234C (de) * 1939-03-29 1953-09-17 Bosch Gmbh Robert Elektronenvervielfacher
DE758171C (de) * 1939-04-23 1954-04-22 Otto Dr Peter Sekundaerelektronenvervielfacher, bei dem die Prallelektroden an verschiedenen Stellen verschieden stark sekundaeremissionsfaehig sind
US2417805A (en) * 1941-04-30 1947-03-25 Int Standard Electric Corp Electric oscillation generator and amplifier
US2458539A (en) * 1943-08-19 1949-01-11 William H Woodin Jr Secondary electron emission tube
US2445568A (en) * 1943-10-07 1948-07-20 Farnsworth Res Corp Modulating system
US2418574A (en) * 1943-12-20 1947-04-08 Farnsworth Television & Radio Electron multiplier
BE463651A (en:Method) * 1945-03-07
US2537769A (en) * 1946-04-02 1951-01-09 Rca Corp Frequency control
US2472779A (en) * 1947-02-17 1949-06-07 Farnsworth Res Corp Cathode-ray tube amplifier
US2781969A (en) * 1951-01-27 1957-02-19 Somerville Alexander Calculating apparatus
CA523198A (en) * 1951-02-15 1956-03-27 Electric And Musical Industries Limited Cathode ray tubes
US2836760A (en) * 1955-03-08 1958-05-27 Egyesuelt Izzolampa Electron multiplier
NL97630C (en:Method) * 1955-06-10
BE565695A (en:Method) * 1957-03-13
US3023342A (en) * 1958-07-18 1962-02-27 Gen Atronics Corp Beam modulating devices and method

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2530373A (en) * 1943-05-04 1950-11-21 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Ultra high frequency electronic device
US2424289A (en) * 1943-07-30 1947-07-22 Rca Corp Calculating device
US2432681A (en) * 1943-12-02 1947-12-16 Farnsworth Res Corp Electron multiplier voltage supply
US3839674A (en) * 1970-07-04 1974-10-01 Philips Corp Device for measuring very small electric currents

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB493217A (en) 1938-10-05
NL51729C (en:Method) 1942-01-15
GB495843A (en) 1938-11-21
US2205071A (en) 1940-06-18
FR823940A (fr) 1938-01-28

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