35results about "Ion diffusion discharge tubes" patented technology

Provided herein are high energy ion beam generator systems and methods that provide low cost, high performance, robust, consistent, uniform, low gas consumption and high current / high-moderate voltage generation of neutrons and protons. Such systems and methods find use for the commercial-scale generation of neutrons and protons for a wide variety of research, medical, security, and industrial processes.

The sputter ion pump (SIP) module comprises a frame structure, an anode coupled to the frame structure, and a shell coupled to the frame structure, the shell at least partially surrounding the frame structure and the anode, and the shell comprises at least one magnet and at least one cathode element.

A vacuum pump comprising a sputter ion pump (SIP) module having a first end and a second end, a non-evaporative getter (NEG) module coupled to the second end of the SIP module, and a conductor of the NEG module extending from the first end to the second end of the SIP module, wherein the SIP module comprises an anode having a first surface and a second surface on the opposite side, with at least a cylindrical opening extending from the first surface to the second surface, the anode further comprising a side extending from the first surface to the second surface, and the conductor being arranged on the side of the anode.

An ion pump and its method of assembly are described. The ion pump comprises: a pump housing enclosing a pumping chamber: one or more anodes a pair of cathode plates; and mounting means for supporting the cathode plates. The mounting means is configured to support the cathode plates in a predefined position within the pumping chamber. The mounting means comprises support means that define a straight path, the path having an open end such that the cathode plate can be slid through the open end along the path and into the predefined position.

This invention provides an on-chip micro-vacuum generation device and method. The device includes: an electron emission and collection structure comprising an insulating substrate, a pair of through electrodes formed on the insulating substrate, an electron emitter located on the substrate and connected to the through electrodes, and a first collector electrode arranged closely around the periphery of the substrate; an insulating spacer layer located on the side of the electron emission and collection structure with the electron emitter, and surrounding the electron emitter to form a through cavity between the electron emission and collection structure and the second collector electrode; and a second collector electrode located on the side of the insulating spacer layer away from the electron emission and collection structure, for capturing ions reaching the second collector electrode via the through cavity. The device proposed in this invention has a simple structure, good vacuum pumping effect, and high vacuum pumping efficiency.

Some embodiments include an apparatus comprising: a vacuum enclosure having an opening; a support structure disposed within the vacuum enclosure, the support structure having a first portion attached to the vacuum enclosure at the opening; and a second portion extending within the vacuum enclosure; and a plurality of getters disposed on the second portion of the support structure.

Method for the regeneration of a volume getter pump in a vacuum apparatus with a volume getter pump and an ion getter pump where the operating voltage of the ion getter pump is reduced, the current through the ion getter pump is recorded for determination of the pressure in the vacuum apparatus and then a heating element of the NEG is controlled as a function of the current of the ion getter pump for the purpose of heating the NEG material.

The sputter ion pump (SIP) module comprises a frame structure, an anode coupled to the frame structure, and a shell coupled to the frame structure, the shell at least partially surrounding the frame structure and the anode, and the shell comprises at least one magnet and at least one cathode element.

A sputter ion pump cathode (106) comprising: a sheet of material (200) having an aperture (202) therethrough; and a protrusion (204) extending along an axis (206) from an edge (208) of the aperture (202) inwards towards a central portion (210) of the aperture (202); wherein the protrusion (204) is twisted about the axis (206), for example, by approximate 90°.

Magnetic assembly for a sputter ion pump, SIP, comprising a pole piece, at least one magnet connected to the pole piece by a magnetic force of the at least one magnet, at least one cathode element connected to the at least one magnet and at least one bracket element connected to the at least one magnet by the magnetic force of the at least one magnet, wherein the at least one bracket element fixes the position of the at least one cathode element.

Vacuum pump comprising: a sputter ion pump, SIP, module, having a first end and a second end; a non-evaporable getter, NEG, module, connected to the second end of the SIP module; an electrical lead of the NEG module running from the first end to the second end of the SIP module; wherein the SIP module comprises an anode having a first surface and an opposite second surface, wherein at least on cylindric opening extends from the first surface to the second surface, wherein the anode further comprises side surfaces extending from the first surface to the second surface, wherein the electrical lead is arranged at the side surface of the anode.

Provided herein are high energy ion beam generator systems and methods that provide low cost, high performance, robust, consistent, uniform, low gas consumption and high current / high-moderate voltage generation of neutrons and protons. Such systems and methods find use for the commercial-scale generation of neutrons and protons for a wide variety of research, medical, security, and industrial processes.

A performance monitoring method for predictive maintenance of an NEG pump in a vacuum system comprising at least one pressure sensor operably connected to a computer that calculates an estimated instantaneous operating parameter curve from pressure sensor readings, and comparing the evolution of the curve with a reference set of curves stored in a computer to obtain a value RUL of the pump remaining useful life.

Sputter ion pump, SIP, module comprising a frame structure, an anode connected to the frame structure, and a shell connected to the frame structure, wherein the shell surrounds at least partially the frame structure and the anode, wherein the shell comprises at least one magnet and at least one cathode element.

To provide a high power ion beam generator system and method.SOLUTION: Provided herein are a high energy ion beam generator system and a method that provide low cost, high performance, robust, consistent, uniform, low gas consumption and high current / high-moderate voltage generation of neutrons and protons. Such a system and a method find use for commercial-scale generation of neutrons and protons for a wide variety of research, medical, security, and industrial processes.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Heat transfer devices are based on using one or more ionic pumps to circulate a dielectric working fluid around a closed circulation path, which may be contained in a conduit. The working fluid may be a liquid or a gas. The ionic pumps are disposed along the closed circulation path. The pumps include an emitter and collector. When a voltage is applied to the emitter, the working fluid is ionized at the emitter. The ionized fluid is drawn electrostatically to the lower-voltage collector, which, through collision with molecules that in turn impart their momentum, creates a flow of the working fluid. This approach may be used with either positive or negative corona devices.

Some embodiments include an apparatus, comprising: a vacuum enclosure including an opening; a support structure disposed in the vacuum enclosure, the support structure comprising: a first portion attached to the vacuum enclosure at the opening; and a second portion extending within the vacuum enclosure; and a plurality of getters disposed on the second portion of the support structure.

The present invention relates to an ion pump (1) equipped with a monitoring system that, by monitoring the temperature present inside the ion pump (1), makes it possible to determine whether the ion pump (1) is in the OFF state or the ON state. In particular, thanks to said monitoring system it is possible to assess the ON state or OFF state of the ion pump (1) even when said pump is operating under low-pressure conditions, with an electric current below the minimum value detectable by conventional reading scales. The present invention further relates to a method of operating an ion pump (1) using said monitoring system to assess the ON / OFF state of said ion pump (1).

Provided herein are high energy ion beam generator systems and methods that provide low cost, high performance, robust, consistent, uniform, low gas consumption and high current / high-moderate voltage generation of neutrons and protons. Such systems and methods find use for the commercial-scale generation of neutrons and protons for a wide variety of research, medical, security, and industrial processes.

The invention relates to an ion pump equipped with a monitoring system and a method of operating the ion pump using the monitoring system. The invention relates to an ion pump (1) equipped with a monitoring system which, by monitoring the temperature inside the ion pump (1), can determine whether the ion pump (1) is in a power-off state or a power-on state when a voltage difference is applied between the pump electrodes (3, 5). In particular, the monitoring system makes it possible to assess the power-on or power-off state of the ion pump (1) even when the pump is operating under low pressure conditions and the current is below a minimum detectable by a conventional reading scale. The invention also relates to a method of operating an ion pump (1) using said monitoring system to assess a power-on / power-off state of said ion pump (1) when a voltage difference is applied between the pump electrodes (3, 5).

An ion pump 10 comprises: a pump housing 12 enclosing a pumping chamber: one or more anodes 1; a pair of cathode plates 2; and mounting means 3 for supporting the cathode plates. The mounting means is

An ion pump is equipped with a monitoring system that, by monitoring the temperature present inside the ion pump, makes it possible to determine whether the ion pump is in an OFF state or an ON state while an electric potential difference is being applied between the pump electrodes. The monitoring system further makes it possible to assess the ON state or OFF state of the ion pump even when the ion pump is operating under low-pressure conditions, with an electric current below the minimum value detectable by conventional reading scales. A method for operating the ion pump utilizes the monitoring system to assess the ON / OFF state of the ion pump while an electric potential difference is being applied between the pump electrodes.

A performance monitoring method for the predictive maintenance of a NEG pump in a vacuum system which includes at least one pressure sensor operatively connected to a computer, which calculates an estimated instant operating parameter (I) curve from pressure sensor readouts and compares the evolution of said (I) curve with a reference set of (II) curves stored in the computer to obtain a value for the pump residual useful life RUL.

A magnet assembly for a sputter ion pump (SIP), comprising a pole piece, at least one magnet coupled to the pole piece by the magnetic force of the at least one magnet, at least one cathode element coupled to the at least one magnet, and at least one bracket element coupled to the at least one magnet by the magnetic force of the at least one magnet, wherein the at least one bracket element fixes the position of the at least one cathode element.

The first part, i.e., the getter module subassembly (10; 20; 30; 40), is rigidly but reversibly coupled to the second part, the heater module subassembly (50), and a snap-on getter pump assembly holding the closed cable module (57, 67), and such an assembly of these two parts is easily attached by inserting and screwing into a support containing a matching plug-and-socket type connection.

Snap-on getter pump assembly where a first part, a getter subassembly (10; 20; 30; 40), is firmly but reversibly coupled with a second part, holding the getter heater (50) and a closed cable module (57; 67), and such assembly of these two parts is easily installed through plugging and screwing into a support comprising a matching plug-and-socket type connection.

A magnet assembly for a sputter ion pump (SIP), comprising a pole piece, at least one magnet coupled to the pole piece by the magnetic force of the at least one magnet, at least one cathode element coupled to the at least one magnet, and at least one bracket element coupled to the at least one magnet by the magnetic force of the at least one magnet, wherein the at least one bracket element fixes the position of the at least one cathode element.

Some embodiments include an apparatus, comprising: a vacuum enclosure 140 including an opening 140c; a support structure 102 disposed in the vacuum enclosure, the support structure comprising: a first portion 102a attached to the vacuum enclosure at the opening; and a second portion 102b extending within the vacuum enclosure; and a plurality of getters 106 disposed on the second portion of the support structure.

A device (100), in particular a filling tool, is described for filling a body (200), in particular a vacuum pump, further in particular an ion pump, with a gas (150), the device (100) comprising: i) a recess (120); ii) a coupling area (110) for coupling a wall (250) of the body (200) such that at least one area of ​​the wall (250) adjoins the recess (120), so that the recess (120) and the wall (250) together form a filling chamber (125); iii) an opening device (130) for forming an opening in the area of ​​the wall (250) which, together with the recess (120), forms the filling chamber (125); and iv) a gas inflow device (140) for allowing the gas (150) to flow into the filling chamber (125) so that the gas (150) can flow through the opening formed into the wall (250) and the body (200) is thereby filled with the gas (150).