Plasma Reflex Discharge Device

This invention relates generally to discharge devices and in particular to discharge devices having a high energy density.

Commonly used prior art devices such as thyratrons, ignitrons, spark gaps, etc., are operated at very high current densities by making use of ionized gases to neutralize the space charge of the electrons flowing from cathode to anode.

In such prior art devices utilizing conventional plasma discharges, positive ions and electrons are introduced as a background gas which is then ionized by various techniques common in the art. The region between the cathode and anode is filled with a plasma comprising low energy electron and ions in which collisions between electrons and ions are an important effect. The electrical current is carried as a conduction current in this plasma.

The plasma reflex discharge apparatus of the present invention differs from these prior art devices in that both the electrons and ions are accelerated into the region between the cathode and anode by the large electric fields used to create a plasma comprising high energy counterstreaming electron and positive ion particles for which particle-particle collisions are not a dominant effect. In the discharge device of the present invention, the source of electrons is at the cathode and the source of ions is at the anode. This combination of multiple reflected electrons and positive ions results in the unique properties of the apparatus of the present invention.

The apparatus of the present invention comprises, basically, one or more generally electron transparent thin foil anodes arranged parallel to and spaced apart between a pair of cathodes or a cathode and an electron opaque anode, and which are then raised to a potential difference between the cathode and anode by a pulsed energy source to cause electrons to be reflected back and forth through the thin foil anode with a concurrent high density flow of ions to the cathode.

It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the multiple reflection of electrons through a thin foil anode.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for controlling the flow of current between an anode and a cathode.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for producing a high density flow of ions.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for switching high currents.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for pumping a gas filled laser.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for electron heating of a plasma.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a device for the velocity bunching of ions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for high density ion bombardment of a nuclear fusionable material.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for producing neutrons from the controlled fusion of a nuclear fusionable material.

These and other objects of the present invention will be manifest upon study of the following detailed description, when taken together with the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an elevational sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention utilizing a foil anode arrangement between two cathodes.

FIG. 2 is an elevational sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention utilizing an electron opaque anode to create a virtual cathode in place of a real cathode.

FIG. 3 is an elevational sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention for achieving ion bombardment of a specimen in a cathode disposed between two electron transparent foil anodes having outer electron opaque anodes.

FIG. 4A is a partial diagramatic and elevational, sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention being employed as a switch shown in the "on" condition.

FIG. 4B is a partial diagramatic and elevational, sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention being employed as a switch shown in the "off" condition.

FIG. 5A is partial elevational sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the use of multiple anodes to create velocity bunching of ions during one time period.

FIG. 5B is a partial elevational sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the use of multiple anodes to create velocity bunching of ions during a second and later time period.

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating its use to heat a plasma.

With reference to FIG. 1, there is illustrated the basic configuration of the reflex diode 10 of the present invention, which comprises, basically, an evacuated chamber or housing 11 in which are disposed a generally planar, generally or semi-electron transparent thin foil anodes 12a and 12b defining anode member 12 arranged parallel to and spaced apart between two generally planar cathodes 14 (14a and 14b) with power supply 16 used to create a potential difference between cathodes 14 and anodes 12.

A pair of conduits 19 and 21 are arranged in fluid communication with the space between foil anodes 12a and 12b for the purpose of evacuating the space using vacuum pumps enclosed in housings 23 and 25 or to introduce gases into the same space which are also contained in housings 23 and 25, to be acted upon by the electrons passing through anode member 12. Such gases can include laser pumpable gases such as Carbon Dioxide.

Although anodes 12a and 12b and cathodes 14a and 14b are shown as generally planar in the figures, they need not be limited to that configuration but may also be in the form of parallel surfaces which can be concentric cylinders, concentric spheres or other shapes not necessarily parallel.

It will be noted for the present invention the apparatus configuration is generally symmetric either about a single or group of anodes or a single or group of cathodes and, for this reason, each symmetrical pair of anodes or cathodes will be designated by a single element number either without a suffix letter or followed by the suffix letter "a" or "b" when referring to a particular left hand or right hand element, respectively.

When such a potential difference is created, electrons will flow, as shown by electron trajectories 18a and 18b toward anode 12 to pass through the semi-transparent foils 12a and 12b and then be reflected back and forth across anode member 12.

Concurrently, ions will flow, as shown by ion trajectories 20 toward cathodes 14a and 14b, in the opposite direction from the electron flow.

Thus, basically, the discharge of reflex diode 10 comprises multiply reflected electrons and a counter stream of positive ions.

The electrons are oscillated between cathode 14a and 14b to the anode 12 by virtue of the potential difference created by power supply 16. Although it may be possible to apply a continuous direct current potential to anode member 12 and cathodes 14a and 14b, the apparatus of the present invention and power supply 16 contemplate the use of a high energy pulsed voltage to produce an intermittent pulsed electron potential difference.

The high energy electrons which reach anode member 12, pass through the thin foils 12a and 12b thereof and are reflected by the electric fields on the other side caused by the oppositely disposed cathode. The electrons make several transits through anode 12 before coming to rest. The positive ions emitted by the plasma covering the anode surfaces are accelerated toward both cathodes 14a and 14b.

Under certain conditions, the current densities of the electrons leaving cathodes 14a and 14b, and the positive ions leaving anode 12, can become orders of magnitude greater than the space charge limited values of electron and ion currents which would flow in the absence of multiply reflected electrons. Basically, these high currents are due to the partial neutralization of the space charge of the multiple reflected electrons by the positive ions.

The use of a thin foil anode or some other means to produce the energy and angular distribution of the electrons, which is required for high current flow, is essential to the operation of the reflex discharge apparatus 10 of the present invention.

As used to describe the thin foil anode of the present invention, the term "generally transparent" and "semi-transparent" is intended to mean a thin foil for which as electron loses a fraction of its energy during each pass through the foil.

The unique features of the device of the present invention are associated with certain charge and potential distributions in the anode-cathode region. These charge and potential distributions are a direct consequence of the energy and angular distribution of the electrons which are produced by the energy loss and scattering of the electrons in the anode, or by some equivalent means such as a magnetic field or particle plasma. For mesh anodes, most of the electrons either pass through the anode with no energy loss or are stopped completely. The resulting energy spectrum does not produce the high currents found in the plasma reflex apparatus 10 of the present invention.

With reference to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a reflex discharge apparatus 10b of a configuration similar to the reflex diode 10a of FIG. 1 however, with cathode 14b replaced by electron opaque anode 22 used to create a virtual cathode 14x indicated by the dashed line. Virtual cathode 14x is created because of the potential well induced by the space charge of the electrons. Anode 22 is, of course, electrically connected to anode 12 and maintained at the same potential.

Other techniques and apparatus may also be used to create a virtual cathode such as a magnetic mirror or similar electromagnetic devices, or other electrostatic devices.

With reference to FIG. 3, there is illustrated a configuration for the reflex diode device 10c of the present invention for ion bombardment of a specimen material and comprises, basically, a cathode 26 in which is contained a specimen holder 28 having generally ion transparent windows or foils 30a and 30b and containing specimen 32.

Cathode 26 is arranged parallel to and spaced apart between electron opaque anodes 34a and 34b disposed outermost along with generally electron transparent thin foil anodes 36a and 36b disposed, respectively, parallel to and spaced apart between anode 34a and cathode 26, and between anode 34b and cathode 26, respectively.

By virtue of the spaced apart relation of anodes 34a, 36a and 34b, 36b, virtual cathodes 38a and 38b are, respectively, created between anode 34a - 36a and anodes 34b - 36b.

Thus, the "a" and "b" sides of the reflex discharge apparatus apparatus 10c, define twin diodes having a common real cathode.

Anodes 34a, 34b, 36a, and 36b are all electrically connected together and are maintained at the same potential.

Power supply 16, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, is used to energize and create a potential difference between the anodes and cathodes of reflex discharge apparatus 10c.

When energized by a high voltage pulse, electrons are emitted from cathodes 26 and are accelerated toward anodes 36a and 36b for multiple reflection through foil anodes 36a and 36b as shown by electron trajectories 40a and 40b, respectively. Concurrently, a high density flow of ions are emitted from anodes 36a and 36b and are accelerated toward cathode 26, through ion transparent windows, grids or foils 30a and 30b where they are caused to collide with and bombard specimen 32.

With reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B, there is illustrated the use of the plasma reflex device apparatus 10d of the present invention as a high energy switch 50.

Basically, reflex discharge device 10d of FIG. 4A is identical to reflex discharge 10b of FIG. 2, and comprise thin anode foil 12a disposed parallel to and spaced apart between cathode 14a and electron opaque anode 22, which creates virtual cathode 14x.

However, the switch 50 of FIG. 4A and 4B further comprises an energy absorbing load 52 connected in series with pulse operated switch 53 (spark gap) to define an energy absorbing load circuit 55 which is connected between cathode 14a and anodes 12a and 22.

An energy storage circuit 60 comprises a switch 61, capacitor 62 and an induction coil 63 all connected in series and energized by power supply 65, which circuit 60 is also connected between cathode 14a and anodes 12a and 22.

Also included as a part of high energy switch 50 is vacuum pump 67 used to evacuate chamber 72 within housing 11 of most of its gases and ionizable gas supply 69 which is in fluid communication with chamber 72 through conduit 71 and whose flow is controlled by valve 73.

Housing 11 is divided into two chambers 72 and 76, by thin foil anode 12a. A second vacuum pump 74 is arranged in fluid communication with chamber 76 to create a high vacuum on the cathode side of anode 12a.

To operate switch 50 of the present invention, chamber 72 and 76 are evacuated to a condition permitting the electrons to be accelerated from cathode 14a and be reflected back and forth across anode 12a as shown by electron trajectory 18.

The operating characteristics of the reflex discharge device 10d of the present invention are essentially those of a constant voltage device in which the voltage is determined by the thickness of the anode foil, and, within limits, is independent of the current, the anode-cathode spacing or the cathode area. The current through reflex discharge device 10d is determined, essentially, by the external circuitry, and is orders of magnitude greater than the Langmuir-Child current corresponding to the operating voltage.

Initially, the region between anodes 12a and 22 (chamber 72) is filled with a gas from gas supply 69 at a low pressure, low enough to initially keep the gas from being ionized.

Switch 61 is switched to permit capacitor 62 to become charged by power supply 65. After capacitor 62 is fully charged by power supply 65, switch 61 is then switched over to connect capacitor 62 in series with induction coil 63 and reflex discharge device 10d. As the current "I" initially begins to flow through induction coil 63 it will also initially begin to flow through diode 10d, in particular, from cathode 14a through foil anode 12a and then reflected to make multiple passes through anode 12a such that virtually all of the initial current flows through reflex discharge device 10d and back to the other side of capacitor 62. In other words, the electrons which are accelerated from cathode 14a to anode 12a through which they penetrate, create a space charge and virtual cathode 14x by which they are reflected back to anode 12a to make multiple transits therethrough. This combination of multiple reflected electrons and positive ions flowing from anode 12a to cathode 14a, creates a total net current "I" which may be very large for even small values of the potential difference between cathode 14a and anode 12a.

Switching of reflex discharge device 10d occurs when the gas between anodes 12a and 22 breaks down and becomes a good conductor eliminating virtual cathode 14x as shown in FIG. 4B, causing reflex discharge apparatus 10d to revert to those conditions appropriate for Langmuir bipolar flow of current "I" which is substantially less current flow than when operating in the multiple reflected electron flow mode of FIG. 4A.

When this change in characteristics occurs, the effect is the same as that of converting reflex discharge device 10d into a high resistance thereby producing a rapid and very large increase in voltage across reflex discharge device 10d. When this voltage is sufficiently high to cause impulse switch (spark gap) 53 to close (arc over), the high voltage is then placed across energy absorbing load 52 causing the energy stored in induction coil 63 to then be transferred to load 52.

The time at which the gas breaks down and causes the switch 10d to open can be controlled by varying the gas pressure or the spacing between 12a and 22, or by such external means (not shown) such as a separate electrical discharge in the gas in chamber 72.

With reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B, there is illustrated a cathode-anode configuration in which ions can be concentrated at the specimen by step increases in velocity of subsequent pulses or bunches of ions, i.e. "velocity bunching".

The release of fusion energy from either pellets containing nuclear fusionable materials such as deuterium or tritium, or a magnetically contained particle plasma, require very concentrated heating in order to achieve a fusion reaction. By use of the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, high concentrations of ions can be achieved.

The apparatus of FIG. 5A is basically similar to that of FIG. 3 in that a cathode 26 includes a specimen holder 28 containing a sample 32, and is disposed equidistantly between a plurality of spaced apart anodes 80a-80b, 81a-81b, 82a-82b, and 83a-83b, all of which are electrically interconnected and maintained at the same potential with respect to cathode 26.

A power supply 16 is used to create the potential difference between anodes 80 through 83 and cathode 26.

An ion transparent window, grid or foil 30a and 30b is provided on each end of specimen holder 28 to enclose sample 32 within holder 28.

Anodes 80a-80b, 81a-81b, 82a-82b and 83a14 83b are spaced apart and parallel to each other to define spaces 95a-95b, 96a-96b and 97a-97b. Between each anode is an ionizable gas at a low pressure, about 50 microns, with the specific gas pressure between anodes 80a and 81a (space 95a), and between 80b and 81b (space 95b), respectively, set to ionize or break down sequentially just after the beginning of the pulse. The gas pressure between anodes 81a-82a (space 96a), and 81b-82b (space 96b), respectively, is set to ionize or break down a short time later during the pulse. The gas pressure between anodes 82a-83a (space 97a) and 82b-83b (space 97b), is set to break down still later during the same pulse.

To operate the apparatus of FIG. 5A, a high voltage pulse is applied across cathode 26 and anodes 80a-80b through 83a-83b by pulsed power supply 16.

At the beginning of the pulse, and prior to breakdown of the gas in space 95a between anodes 80a-81a and space 95b between anodes 80b-81b, virtual cathodes 85a and 85b are established between the respective anodes causing electrons emitted by cathode 26 to be reflected back and forth across anodes 80a-80b as illustrated by electron trajectories 86a and 86b. Concurrently, a group of ions 87a-87b will be emitted and accelerated from anodes 80a and 80b toward cathode 26 and specimen 32.

After the gas in space 96a between anodes 80a-81a and space 96b between anodes 80b-81b breaks down, as shown in FIG. 5B, the effective thickness of the anode increases and thus the operating voltage of the diode increases and a virtual cathode 89a-89b is formed in space 96a between anodes 81a-82a and in space 96a between anodes 81b-82b, respectively, with the electrons being reflected back and forth through anodes 80a-81a and 80b-81b as shown by electrons trajectories 86a and 86b.

At this higher voltage, a group of ions 92a and 92b are accelerated from anodes 80a-81a and 80b-81b at a higher velocity, as indicated by arrow 92v, than the previous groups 87a and 87b, as indicated by shorter arrow 87v, such that the arrival time at specimen 32 of ion groups 92a-92b is the same as the arrival time of the previous emitting groups of ions 87a-87b. In a like manner, when the gas in space 97a between anodes 82a-83a and in space 97b between anodes 82b-83b, respectively, breaks down, a further increase in voltage occurs to accelerate a third bunch or group of ions from the anodes at an even higher velocity, also to arrive at specimen 32 at the same time as ion groups 87a-87b and 92a-92b. Thus a very high concentration or density of ions can be achieved at the location of specimen 32 for each pulse.

With reference to FIG. 6, there is illustrated a reflex discharge device 10e used to heat a plasma 100.

Basically, the apparatus of diode 10e comprises a pair of rings cathodes 111a and 111b about which and spaced apart therefrom are concentric hollow, thin foil anodes 112 and 112b, respectively.

An elongated magnetic coil 114 is provided between rings 112a-112b and 111a-111b for the purpose of controlling the trajectory 17 of electrons emitted from cathodes 111a and 111b.

The entire combination is contained in evacuated housing 115.

A power supply 116 is used to create the high voltage between anodes 112a-112b and cathodes 111a-111b.

The spacing between anodes 112a and 112b is made large compared to the diameter of plasma 100 such that, although the loss of plasma out of the ends of the plasma body may be large, the total loss will be relatively small when compared with the total plasma volume. For example, for a plasma diameter of a few centimeters, the distance between anodes 112a and 112b can be of the order of 100 meters.

To operate discharge device 10e of FIG. 6, housing 115 is evacuated and filed to a relatively low pressure, about 50 microns, with an ionized or unionized gas. Magnet coil 114 is energized by a second power supply 119 to create a magnetic field as show by magnetic lines of force 118. A voltage pulse is generated by power supply 116 causing electrons to be emitted from cathode 111a and 111b, whereby they follow magnetic lines of force 118 through anodes 112a and 112b where they are reflected back and forth through anodes 112a and 112b as indicated by electron trajectories 117, several times before losing their energy to heat plasma 100. It can be seen that magnet 114 causes the electrons to be highly concentrated along axis of rotation 120 of ring cathodes 111a-111b and thus the plasma ions are rapidly heated to create a very concentrated cylinder of plasma 100 whose longitudinal axis is coincident with axis 120 of ring cathode 111a-111b and thus ionize and rapidly heat a very concentrated cylinder of gas or plasma 100 coincident with axis 120.