US2754442A - Ion source - Google Patents

Ion source Download PDF

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Publication number
US2754442A
US2754442A US343372A US34337253A US2754442A US 2754442 A US2754442 A US 2754442A US 343372 A US343372 A US 343372A US 34337253 A US34337253 A US 34337253A US 2754442 A US2754442 A US 2754442A
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United States
Prior art keywords
anode
ions
metal
chamber
disposed
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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
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US343372A
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English (en)
Inventor
Boutry Georges Albert
Pietri Georges Adolphe Vincent
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.)
Hartford National Bank and Trust Co
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Hartford National Bank and Trust Co
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Publication date
Application filed by Hartford National Bank and Trust Co filed Critical Hartford National Bank and Trust Co
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Publication of US2754442A publication Critical patent/US2754442A/en
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J17/00—Gas-filled discharge tubes with solid cathode
    • H01J17/02—Details
    • H01J17/22—Means for obtaining or maintaining the desired pressure within the tube
    • H01J17/26—Means for producing, introducing, or replenishing gas or vapour during operation of the tube
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J27/00—Ion beam tubes
    • H01J27/02—Ion sources; Ion guns
    • H01J27/26—Ion sources; Ion guns using surface ionisation, e.g. field effect ion sources, thermionic ion sources

Definitions

  • a neutral gas flow is directed through a fine aperture to the anode.
  • the continuous supply of gas makes it necessary to connect the device to a pump system.
  • the tendency of a gas to ionise on a glowing anode is comparatively low so that the ions produced are enclosed between neutral atoms or molecules and this may upset the movement which is due to the action of electric or magnetic fields.
  • the object of the invention is therefore to provide an ion source of greater efiiciency than the known ion sources while avoiding the need for a pump.
  • the ions produced on a heated anode of an ion source are constituted by ions of a readily volatilising metal and the material of the anode is chosen with respect to the said metal so that at the operating temperature of the device the ratio between the total number of ions produced and the total number of atoms volatilised is substantially equal to unity, the ions collected on the collecting electrode being held there.
  • the ratio between the number of ions produced (m) and the total number of atoms vaporized per unit surface (Fla) is given by the formula where A is a factor, k is the Boltzmann constant, W the work function of the electrons emerging from the anode material concerned at the absolute temperature T and W1 designates the first ionisation work of the metal volatilising from the anode. Obviously, the higher positive the value of Ws-W1 the greater is the ratio Ill/Ha.
  • the amount WS-Wl is positive for an anode made of platinum, the volatilising metal being cesium, rubidium, potassium, barium, sodium or lithium. The same remark applies to nickel or iron on the one hand and cesium, rubidium or potassium on the other.
  • the anode may otherwise be made of molybdenum, tungsten, or carbon.
  • the alkali metal may be applied to the anode by directing a vapour flow on to the anode or by vaporising the metal from the anode itself through apertures or through a porous wall, the supply of readily vaporising metal not being necessarily at the same temperature as the anode surface itself.
  • the ions recombined on the collecting electrode may be condensed there in that the temperature of this electrode is very low or the electrode itself is provided with a layer which absorbs the metal concerned. If required, the other electrodes provided in the tube and the entire tube wall may also be provided with such an absorbing layer. If the metal vapour is held only by the low temperature of the collecting electrode and the supply of metal can be caused to assume a low temperature regeneration of the ion source may be efiected.
  • Figs. 1 to 3 show by way of example three embodiments of an ion source according to the invention.
  • the envelope 1 of the ion source is diagrammatically shown.
  • 2 designates a container for a supply of alkali metal 3 comprising an outflow spout 5 and provided with a heater 4.
  • a directed alkali vapour fiow flows from the spout 5 to an anode 6 which is provided with a heater 7.
  • the flow of alkali metal vapour impingent on the anode 6 is converted with high efficiency into alkali ions and accelerated by means of an electrode 8 towards a collecting electrode 9 which is coated with an absorbing layer 10, such as lead oxide.
  • the accelerating anode 8 and the collecting electrode 9 may be separated by a device in which the ions are used, such as a signal-retarding device, a pulse generator or a device in which use is made of nuclear energy.
  • a device in which the ions are used such as a signal-retarding device, a pulse generator or a device in which use is made of nuclear energy.
  • provision may be made of several containers 2 for a variety of metals.
  • the container 11 also acts as the anode due to the fact that adjacent the accelerating electrode 8 it is made of porous sintered metal.
  • the supply of alkali metal 3 is enclosed in a glass container 2 which slightly projects beyond the envelope 1.
  • the container has sealed to it a metal chamber 12 the upper wall of which has an aperture 13 formed in it.
  • the aperture 13 opens out into a chamber 14 the upper surface 16 of which constitutes the anode which has an aperture formed in it.
  • a heater 15 is arranged to surround the chamber 14.
  • the device comprises in addition an accelerating electrode 17, a device 19 for use of the ions and a collecting electrode 18.
  • vapour pressure of the alkali metal is independent of the anode temperature and this may increase the ionisation efiiciency.
  • regeneration of the tube may be effected by cooling the supply 3 and heating the tube 1 to bring about retro-vaporisation of alkali metal.
  • An ion device comprising a source of readily vola tilising metal, an anode positioned to receive the metal volatilized from said source, means for heating the anode at a given operating temperature to ionize said metal, said anode being constituted of a material at which the ratio of the total number of ions produced and the total number of metal atoms volatilised is substantially equal to unity, and a collecting electrode spaced from said anode and positioned to collect the ions emanating therefrom, said collecting electrode being adapted to retain the ions collected thereby.
  • An ion device comprising a source of readily volatilizing metal, an anode positioned to receive the metal volatilized from said source, means for heating the anode at a given operating temperature to ionize said metal, said anode being constituted of a material at which the ratio of the total number of ions produced and the total number of metal atoms volatilized is substantially equal to unity, a collecting electrode spaced from the anode and positioned to collect the ions emanating therefrom, and a coating of material capable of absorbing ions on said collecting electrode.
  • An ion device comprising a source of readily volatilizing metal selected from the group consisting of cesium, rubidium, potassium, barium, sodium and lithium, an anode positioned to receive the metal volatilized from said source, means for heating the anode at a given operating temperature to ionize said metal, said anode being constituted of platinum, and a collecting electrode spaced from the anode and positioned to collect the ions emanating therefrom.
  • anode material is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, tungsten and carbon.
  • An ion device comprising a housing, a supply chamber disposed on the bottom of said housing, a supply of a readily volatilising metal disposed in said chamber, an anode disposed Within said housing and communicating with said chamber, said anode having a small aperture therein, heating means disposed adjacent said anode for heating said anode to an operating temperature to ionize metal volatilized thereon, said supply chamber being at a temperature difierent from said operating temperature of said anode, an accelerating electrode disposed.
  • said anode in front of said anode for removing ions produced thereby, and a collector electrode spaced from said accelerating electrode on the side thereof remote from said anode to collect the ions emanating therefrom, said collecting electrode being arranged to retain the ions collected thereby, said anode being constituted of a material at which the ratio of the total number of ions produced and the total number of metal ions volatilized is substantially equal to unity.
  • a device as claimed in claim 8 in which the inner wall of the housing and the other electrodes are provided with a coating of material capable of absorbing and re taining ions.
  • An ion device comprising a supply chamber including an outlet, a supply of readily volatilisable metal disposed in said chamber, an anode plate spaced from and facing said outlet of' said chamber, means for heating the chamber to volatilise the metal and cause the same to flow toward the anode, means for heating the anode to convert the volatilised metal into ions, said anode being constituted of a material at which the ratio of the total number of ions produced and the total number of metal ions volatilised is substantially equal to unity, and a collecting electrode spaced from said anode, and positioned to collect the ions emanating therefrom,-said electrode being provided with a layer of a material capable of absorbing and retaining ions.
  • An ion device comprising a supply chamber, a supply of readily volatilisable metal disposed in said chamber, a wall of said chamber being porous and serving as an anode, means for heating the chamber to volatilise the metal and also ionize the latter, said anode being constituted of a material at which the ratio of the total number of ions produced and the total number of metal ions volatilized is' substantially equal to unity, and a collecting electrode spaced from said anode and positioned to collect the ions emanating therefrom, said electrode being prov vided with a layer of a material capable of absorbing and retaining ions.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Electron Sources, Ion Sources (AREA)
  • Lasers (AREA)
US343372A 1954-05-25 1953-03-19 Ion source Expired - Lifetime US2754442A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR778434X 1954-05-25
FR1087764T 1954-05-25

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2754442A true US2754442A (en) 1956-07-10

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ID=26220381

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US343372A Expired - Lifetime US2754442A (en) 1954-05-25 1953-03-19 Ion source
US509024A Expired - Lifetime US2835835A (en) 1954-05-25 1955-05-17 Ion source

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US509024A Expired - Lifetime US2835835A (en) 1954-05-25 1955-05-17 Ion source

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (2) US2754442A (fr)
CH (2) CH322047A (fr)
FR (2) FR1087764A (fr)
GB (2) GB745441A (fr)
NL (1) NL89525C (fr)

Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2979631A (en) * 1958-05-14 1961-04-11 Nat Res Corp Process for the production of ion-emitting surfaces, particularly for halogen leak detectors
US3117416A (en) * 1960-06-10 1964-01-14 Itt Electronic fluid flow control valve
US3119232A (en) * 1960-10-04 1964-01-28 Edward A Richley Rocket engine
US3155849A (en) * 1962-03-20 1964-11-03 Sperry Rand Corp Thermionic converter
US3173246A (en) * 1963-03-12 1965-03-16 Carl T Norgren Colloid propulsion method and apparatus
US3210576A (en) * 1961-02-02 1965-10-05 Avco Corp Magnetohydrodynamic apparatus for generating electrical energy
US3233404A (en) * 1962-04-02 1966-02-08 Csf Ion gun with capillary emitter fed with ionizable metal vapor
US3268746A (en) * 1960-12-29 1966-08-23 United Aircraft Corp Magnetogasdynamic electric generator
US3270498A (en) * 1963-11-05 1966-09-06 Gen Electric Controllable vaporizing gas accelerator
US3279176A (en) * 1959-07-31 1966-10-18 North American Aviation Inc Ion rocket engine
US3299299A (en) * 1962-07-19 1967-01-17 Gen Electric Apparatus for generating electrical energy by the application of heat
US3369148A (en) * 1961-07-05 1968-02-13 William J. Hitchcock System for mixing opposite polarity ions on magnetic field axis
US3379909A (en) * 1965-05-25 1968-04-23 Asea Ab Electron beam generator including a plasma beam in a condensing chamber
US3382397A (en) * 1963-11-20 1968-05-07 Philips Corp Ion source having a high work function material coating the outer surface of the ionizer
US3383149A (en) * 1965-06-29 1968-05-14 Midwest Research Inst Method of improving the operational characteristics of cold cathode devices having crossed electric and magnetic fields
US3421864A (en) * 1965-06-07 1969-01-14 Nasa Multilayer porous ionizer
US3452224A (en) * 1965-08-18 1969-06-24 Atomic Energy Commission Method of operating a thermionic converter
US3955118A (en) * 1975-02-19 1976-05-04 Western Electric Company, Inc. Cold-cathode ion source
US4516052A (en) * 1981-06-02 1985-05-07 Dublier Scientific Limited Dispenser for ion source
US5646483A (en) * 1995-05-30 1997-07-08 Matsushita Electronics Corporation Discharge lamp having cesium compound

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3254244A (en) * 1961-06-27 1966-05-31 Westinghouse Electric Corp Thermionic power conversion triode
JPS58225537A (ja) * 1982-06-25 1983-12-27 Hitachi Ltd イオン源装置
FR2564636B1 (fr) * 1984-05-16 1990-07-06 Onera (Off Nat Aerospatiale) Source d'ions operant par ionisation de surface, notamment pour la realisation d'une sonde ionique

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1931254A (en) * 1928-02-28 1933-10-17 Electrons Inc Electronic tube
US2078112A (en) * 1934-04-20 1937-04-20 Wologdin Valentin Vacuum relay
US2281638A (en) * 1940-05-17 1942-05-05 Thomas W Sukumlyn Electron camera
US2697169A (en) * 1946-04-12 1954-12-14 Alfred G Emslie Delay device

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2499289A (en) * 1947-07-02 1950-02-28 John G Backus Ion generator

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1931254A (en) * 1928-02-28 1933-10-17 Electrons Inc Electronic tube
US2078112A (en) * 1934-04-20 1937-04-20 Wologdin Valentin Vacuum relay
US2281638A (en) * 1940-05-17 1942-05-05 Thomas W Sukumlyn Electron camera
US2697169A (en) * 1946-04-12 1954-12-14 Alfred G Emslie Delay device

Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2979631A (en) * 1958-05-14 1961-04-11 Nat Res Corp Process for the production of ion-emitting surfaces, particularly for halogen leak detectors
US3279176A (en) * 1959-07-31 1966-10-18 North American Aviation Inc Ion rocket engine
US3117416A (en) * 1960-06-10 1964-01-14 Itt Electronic fluid flow control valve
US3119232A (en) * 1960-10-04 1964-01-28 Edward A Richley Rocket engine
US3268746A (en) * 1960-12-29 1966-08-23 United Aircraft Corp Magnetogasdynamic electric generator
US3210576A (en) * 1961-02-02 1965-10-05 Avco Corp Magnetohydrodynamic apparatus for generating electrical energy
US3369148A (en) * 1961-07-05 1968-02-13 William J. Hitchcock System for mixing opposite polarity ions on magnetic field axis
US3155849A (en) * 1962-03-20 1964-11-03 Sperry Rand Corp Thermionic converter
US3233404A (en) * 1962-04-02 1966-02-08 Csf Ion gun with capillary emitter fed with ionizable metal vapor
US3299299A (en) * 1962-07-19 1967-01-17 Gen Electric Apparatus for generating electrical energy by the application of heat
US3173246A (en) * 1963-03-12 1965-03-16 Carl T Norgren Colloid propulsion method and apparatus
US3270498A (en) * 1963-11-05 1966-09-06 Gen Electric Controllable vaporizing gas accelerator
US3382397A (en) * 1963-11-20 1968-05-07 Philips Corp Ion source having a high work function material coating the outer surface of the ionizer
US3379909A (en) * 1965-05-25 1968-04-23 Asea Ab Electron beam generator including a plasma beam in a condensing chamber
US3421864A (en) * 1965-06-07 1969-01-14 Nasa Multilayer porous ionizer
US3383149A (en) * 1965-06-29 1968-05-14 Midwest Research Inst Method of improving the operational characteristics of cold cathode devices having crossed electric and magnetic fields
US3452224A (en) * 1965-08-18 1969-06-24 Atomic Energy Commission Method of operating a thermionic converter
US3955118A (en) * 1975-02-19 1976-05-04 Western Electric Company, Inc. Cold-cathode ion source
US4516052A (en) * 1981-06-02 1985-05-07 Dublier Scientific Limited Dispenser for ion source
US5646483A (en) * 1995-05-30 1997-07-08 Matsushita Electronics Corporation Discharge lamp having cesium compound

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB745441A (en) 1956-02-29
US2835835A (en) 1958-05-20
FR65999E (fr) 1956-03-27
CH322047A (de) 1957-05-31
GB778434A (en) 1957-07-10
FR1087764A (fr) 1955-02-28
NL89525C (fr)
CH329189A (de) 1958-04-15

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