US3636302A - Metal vapor generators - Google Patents

Metal vapor generators Download PDF

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Publication number
US3636302A
US3636302A US856567A US3636302DA US3636302A US 3636302 A US3636302 A US 3636302A US 856567 A US856567 A US 856567A US 3636302D A US3636302D A US 3636302DA US 3636302 A US3636302 A US 3636302A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
tube
generating means
metal
vapor
substance
Prior art date
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Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US856567A
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English (en)
Inventor
Paolo Della Ports
Carlo Emill
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SAES Getters SpA
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SAES Getters SpA
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Publication date
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/24—Vacuum evaporation
    • C23C14/243—Crucibles for source material
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B26/00—Obtaining alkali, alkaline earth metals or magnesium
    • C22B26/10—Obtaining alkali metals
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B5/00—General methods of reducing to metals
    • C22B5/02—Dry methods smelting of sulfides or formation of mattes
    • C22B5/16—Dry methods smelting of sulfides or formation of mattes with volatilisation or condensation of the metal being produced
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J9/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture, installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps
    • H01J9/02—Manufacture of electrodes or electrode systems
    • H01J9/12—Manufacture of electrodes or electrode systems of photo-emissive cathodes; of secondary-emission electrodes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J9/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture, installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps
    • H01J9/20—Manufacture of screens on or from which an image or pattern is formed, picked up, converted or stored; Applying coatings to the vessel
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J9/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture, installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps
    • H01J9/38—Exhausting, degassing, filling, or cleaning vessels
    • H01J9/395—Filling vessels

Definitions

  • a metal vapor generator comprising: a hollow tube containing a metal vapor releasing substance, the tube having an opening to permit escape of the metal vapor; a terminal having a cross section of the same size and geometric shape as the cross section of the tube; and a retainer holding the end of the terminal against the end of the tube; whereby the metal vapor releasing substance is held within the tube.
  • the generator can optionally have a flexible member for temperature compensation. These generators are useful for releasing metals such as cesium in tubes such as image intensifiers.
  • Another object is to provide generators free of loose particles both before and after metal vapor release.
  • Yet another object is to provide generators which can be more economically manufactured than prior generators.
  • Still another object is to provide generators exhibiting an even temperature along the length of the tube.
  • An additional object is to provide metal vapor generators having a compensation of thermally induced stresses in the length of the tube.
  • FIG. 1 is a partially exploded isometric view of one embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is an isometric exploded 'view of one end of the generator of the present invention having a flexible member for stress compensation; and
  • I FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the use of generators of the present invention in a vacuum tube.
  • a metal vapor generator comprising: a hollow tube containing a metal-vapor-releasing substance, the tube having an opening to permit escape of the metal vapor; a terminal having a cross section of the same size and geometric shape as the cross section of the tube; and a retainer holding the end of the terminal against the end of the tube; whereby the metal-vapor-releasing substance is held within the tube.
  • the generator When the generator has a terminal in each end, it can optionally have a flexible member comprising a curved strip attached to the terminals to provide temperature compensation.
  • the hollow tube is generally formed of a single sheet of metal which is preferably a metal of high ohmic resistance. This sheet of metal is arcuately bent to form a tube having a cross section of any regular or irregular geometric shape, such as round or hexagonal but preferably trapezoidal.
  • the tube contains and is preferably filled with a metal-vapor-releasing substance. Any metal-vapor-releasing substance employed in prior generators can be employed. In general, the metalvapor-releasing substance can be any material or mixture of materials which, upon heating, releases the desired metal; however, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substance is a mixture of a particulate alkali metalchromate and a stoichiometric excess of a particulate reducing agent for the chromate.
  • alkali metal chromates include, among others, cesium chromate, potassium chromate, and sodium chromate.
  • the substance is a mixture of a reducing agent and a reducible compound of mercury such as mercuric oxide.
  • the substance is in particulate form such as that which passes through a screen of 270 mesh/inch and is retained on a screen of 600 mesh/inch. However, to reduce the danger of loose particles in an electronic tube, the particulate substance is compressed into a coherent form.
  • the generator is provided with at least one, and preferably two, terminals having a cross section of the same size and geometric shape as the crom section of the tube.
  • a retainer provides means for holding the ends of each terminal against the end of the tube in order'to hold the metal-vapor-releasing substance within the tube.
  • the retainer is a band which substantially encircles the tube and the terminals at their plane of contact.
  • the tube 11 is formed of a single sheet of metal of high ohmic resistance and comprises a base 16, two outwardly slanting walls 17 and 18, each of which is respectively connected to a top wall 19 and 20. Top walls 19 and 20 meet in juxtaposed relationship defining an opening 21.
  • the tube 11 can be of any suitable length but preferably has at least one planar end which is preferably perpendicular to the axis of the tube 11.
  • a filled tube 11 of indefinite running length is cut in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the tube 11 by any suitable means such as a high-velocity cutting wheel.
  • the terminal 12 is moved axially towards the tube 11 until the face 29 contacts the planar end of the tube 11.
  • the retainer 14 is then moved downwardly until the top 30 of the retainer 14 rests upon the top 28 of the butting portion 23, as well as a portion of the top walls 19 and 20 of the tube 11.
  • the sides 31 and 32 of the retainer 14 are bent inwardly until'they contact the walls 17 and 18 of the tube 11 and the sides 26 and 27 of the terminal 12.
  • the flexible member is preferably of a material of high ohmic resistance and comprises an S-shaped strip 40 having a width w substantially equal to the transverse dimension of the butting portion 23 measured across the top 28 from side 26 to side 27.
  • the length of the strip 40 is substantially greater than the width w.
  • One planar side 41 of the strip 40 is attached to the butting portion 23 of the terminal 12 at a pointnear the end of the strip 40.
  • the other planar side 42 of the strip 40 is attached to a support 43 which also preferably functions as an electrical lead.
  • the point of attachment of the side 42 is near the end of the strip 40.
  • FIG. 3 Operation of the generator is illustrated by reference to FIG. 3 wherein there is schematically shown a glass vacuum tube 50 such as an image intensifier tube.
  • the generator 10 is mounted within the vacuum tube 50 and has terminals 43 and 43' extending through the walls of the tube 50. Terminals 43 and 43 are connected in series by conductors 51 and 52 to a source of electricity shown schematically as generator 53.
  • the circuit is provided with a switch 54 in series.
  • the tube 50 is evacuated by any known means, whereupon the switch 54 is closed causing current to flow through the terminals 43 and 43', the strips 40 and 40', the retainers l4 and 14', and the tube 11. Due to the high-ohmic resistance, the walls of the tube 11 heat, which in turn heats the substance 22 within the tube 11. When the temperature of the substance 22 has reached about 1,000 K, the silicon reacts with the cesium chromate releasing cesium vapor which escapes from the substance 22 out of the opening 21 shown in FIG. 1.
  • a metal-vapor-generating means comprising:
  • terminals each having a planar end of the same size and geometric shape as the planar ends of the tube.
  • the generating means of claim 8 wherein the metalvapor-releasing substance is a mixture of a particulate alkali metal chromate and a stoichiometric excess of a reducing agent for the chromate.
  • a vacuum tube containing the generating means of claim 1 and having walls fixedly attached to said terminals by flexible members.
  • a metal-vapor-generating means comprising:
  • B. temiinals of high ohmic resistance each having a planar end of a trapezoidal cross section of the same size and shape as the trapezoidal cross section of the tube, a planar end of each terminal contacting a planar end of the tube;
  • a flexible member comprising a curved strip attached to each of the terminals, each flexible member being attached to a support;
  • heating of the tube causes a thermally induced change in the length of the tube while maintaining constant the distance between the supports.
  • a metal-vapor-generating means according to claim 13 wherein the tube, the terminals and the flexible member are all constructed of high ohmic resistance conductive material, whereby said heating can be caused by passing an electrical current through the tube.
  • the generating means of claim 14 wherein the flexible member has a total ohmic resistance such that when passing current through the member and the tube, the temperature of the member is substantially equal to the temperature of the tube.
  • a vacuum tube containing the generating means of claim 14 and having walls fixedly attached to the flexible members.
  • a metal-vapor-generating means comprising:
  • terminals each having a planar end of the same size and geometric shape as the planar end of the tube;
  • a flexible member of high ohmic resistance comprising an S-shaped strip having a width substantially equal to the transverse dimension of the terminal and having a length greater than its width, one planar side of the strip being attached to the terminal at a point near the end of the strip, the other planar side of the strip being adapted to be attached to an electrical lead at a point near the opposite end of the strip.
  • a metal-vapor-generating means adapted for use with first and second sources of electrical potential for obtaining metal vapor by electrically heating a particulate, vapor-releasing substance, comprising:
US856567A 1968-09-13 1969-09-10 Metal vapor generators Expired - Lifetime US3636302A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT2117568 1968-09-13

Publications (1)

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US3636302A true US3636302A (en) 1972-01-18

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US856567A Expired - Lifetime US3636302A (en) 1968-09-13 1969-09-10 Metal vapor generators

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US (1) US3636302A (fr)
FR (1) FR2018044A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB1274528A (fr)
NL (1) NL6913692A (fr)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3999039A (en) * 1973-12-22 1976-12-21 Flachglas Aktiengesellschaft Delog-Detag Resistance heated vaporizer
US20040001916A1 (en) * 2001-05-15 2004-01-01 Saes Getters S.P.A. Cesium dispensers and process for the use thereof
US20050145179A1 (en) * 2002-09-06 2005-07-07 Saes Getters S.P.A. Accessory member for dispensers of alkali metals
US20050284824A1 (en) * 2002-09-07 2005-12-29 International Titanium Powder, Llc Filter cake treatment apparatus and method
US20070235686A1 (en) * 2004-07-23 2007-10-11 Saes Getters S.P.A. Mercury Dispensing Compositions and Manufacturing Process Thereof
US20070267434A1 (en) * 2004-11-24 2007-11-22 Saes Getters S.P.A. Dispensing System For Alkali Metals Capable Of Releasing A High Quantity Of Metals
US20090266201A1 (en) * 2006-03-13 2009-10-29 Saes Getters S.P.A. Use of Magnesium-Copper Compositions for the Evaporation of Magnesium and Magnesium Dispensers
CN105359248A (zh) * 2013-07-11 2016-02-24 工程吸气公司 改进的金属蒸气给料器
CN113201715A (zh) * 2020-01-31 2021-08-03 肯纳金属公司 蒸发舟

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5182567A (en) * 1990-10-12 1993-01-26 Custom Metallizing Services, Inc. Retrofittable vapor source for vacuum metallizing utilizing spatter reduction means

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3999039A (en) * 1973-12-22 1976-12-21 Flachglas Aktiengesellschaft Delog-Detag Resistance heated vaporizer
US20040001916A1 (en) * 2001-05-15 2004-01-01 Saes Getters S.P.A. Cesium dispensers and process for the use thereof
US6753648B2 (en) 2001-05-15 2004-06-22 Saes Getters S.P.A. Cesium dispensers and process for the use thereof
US20040206205A1 (en) * 2001-05-15 2004-10-21 Saes Getters S.P.A. Cesium mixtures and use thereof
US20050145179A1 (en) * 2002-09-06 2005-07-07 Saes Getters S.P.A. Accessory member for dispensers of alkali metals
US20050284824A1 (en) * 2002-09-07 2005-12-29 International Titanium Powder, Llc Filter cake treatment apparatus and method
US7976776B2 (en) * 2004-07-23 2011-07-12 Saes Getters S.P.A. Mercury dispensing compositions and manufacturing process thereof
US7674428B2 (en) * 2004-07-23 2010-03-09 Saes Getters S.P.A. Mercury dispensing compositions and manufacturing process thereof
US20100112369A1 (en) * 2004-07-23 2010-05-06 Saes Getters S.P.A. Mercury dispensing compositions and manufacturing process thereof
US20070235686A1 (en) * 2004-07-23 2007-10-11 Saes Getters S.P.A. Mercury Dispensing Compositions and Manufacturing Process Thereof
US20070267434A1 (en) * 2004-11-24 2007-11-22 Saes Getters S.P.A. Dispensing System For Alkali Metals Capable Of Releasing A High Quantity Of Metals
US7842194B2 (en) * 2004-11-24 2010-11-30 Saes Getters S.P.A. Dispensing system for alkali metals capable of releasing a high quantity of metals
US20090266201A1 (en) * 2006-03-13 2009-10-29 Saes Getters S.P.A. Use of Magnesium-Copper Compositions for the Evaporation of Magnesium and Magnesium Dispensers
US8029597B2 (en) 2006-03-13 2011-10-04 Saes Getters S.P.A. Use of magnesium-copper compositions for the evaporation of magnesium and magnesium dispensers
CN105359248A (zh) * 2013-07-11 2016-02-24 工程吸气公司 改进的金属蒸气给料器
CN105359248B (zh) * 2013-07-11 2017-07-07 工程吸气公司 改进的金属蒸气给料器
CN113201715A (zh) * 2020-01-31 2021-08-03 肯纳金属公司 蒸发舟
US20210238730A1 (en) * 2020-01-31 2021-08-05 Kennametal Inc. Evaporation Boat

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL6913692A (fr) 1970-03-17
GB1274528A (en) 1972-05-17
DE1945507A1 (de) 1970-04-23
FR2018044A1 (fr) 1970-05-29
DE1945507B2 (de) 1972-11-23

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