Multilayer vacuum electron device and method of manufacture

Abstract

Vacuum electronic devices (VEDs) having multiple two-dimensional layers of various materials are bonded together to simultaneously form one or more VEDs. The two-dimensional material layers are machined to include features required for device operation, such that when assembled and bonded into a three-dimensional structure, three-dimensional features are formed. The two-dimensional layers are bonded together into a sandwich-like structure. The manufacturing method is capable of incorporating metal materials, magnetic materials, ceramic materials, and other materials as required for VED fabrication, while maintaining the required positional accuracy and ability to produce multiple devices per batch.

Description

[0001] Statement regarding relevant applications and priority claims

[0002] This application claims priority based on the following: (1) U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 198,817 entitled “Multil-ayered multi-material manufacturing process for vacuum electronic devices”, filed on November 15, 2020, in the name of inventor Diana Gamzina Daugherty and generally possessed thereon, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as fully set forth herein; and (2) U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 198,915 entitled “Electronic magneto-electrostatic sensing, focusing, and steering of electronbeams in microwave, millimeter wave, and near-terahertz vacuum electronic devices”, filed on November 21, 2020, in the name of inventor Diana Gamzina Daugherty and generally possessed thereon, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as fully set forth herein.

[0003] This application may be considered related to another patent application filed on November 12, 2021: U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17 / 525,698, entitled “Magneto-Electrostatic Sensing, Focusing, and Steering of Electron Beams in Vacuum Electron Devices,” filed in the name of inventor Diana Gamzina Daugherty and generally possessed thereto, which in turn claims priority based on: (1) U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 198,817, entitled “Multi-layered multi-material manufacturing process for vacuum electronic devices,” filed in the name of inventor Diana Gamzina Daugherty on November 15, 2020 and generally possessed thereto; and (2) U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 198,817, entitled “Electronic magneto-electrostatic sensing, focusing, and steering of electron beams in microwave, millimeter,” filed in the name of inventor Diana Gamzina Daugherty on November 21, 2020 and generally possessed thereto. U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 198,915, concerning “wave, and near-terahertz vacuum electronic devices”. The contents of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17 / 525,698 are hereby incorporated by reference, as if fully set forth herein. Technical Field

[0004] This disclosure generally relates to a method for manufacturing a vacuum electronic device (VED) having multiple two-dimensional layers of various materials, which are bonded together to simultaneously form one or more VEDs. The two-dimensional material layers are machined to include features required for device operation, such that when assembled and combined into a three-dimensional structure, three-dimensional features are formed. The two-dimensional layers are bonded together to form a sandwich structure. The manufacturing method can incorporate metallic, magnetic, ceramic, and other materials required for VED manufacturing while maintaining the required positional accuracy and the ability to produce multiple devices per batch. Background Technology

[0005] Vacuum electronic devices (VEDs) operate in a vacuum environment and utilize the interaction between one or more electron beams and an electromagnetic field generated in the interaction region of the VED. The construction of a VED requires incorporating metallic, ceramic, magnetic, and other materials into a single component, which can be maintained in or enclosed in a vacuum to ensure unimpeded electron transport from the cathode (electron emitter) to the collector (electron receiver) of the VED. The vacuum region, also known as a vacuum chamber, vacuum cavity, vacuum tunnel (electron beam tunnel), or RF interaction region, is where the interaction between the electron beam(s) and electromagnetic waves(s) occurs. Examples of such VEDs in the prior art include (but are not limited to) particle accelerators, klystrons, gyroscopes, cyclotrons, cyclotron amplifiers, traveling wave tubes (TWTs), cyclotron TWTs, backward wave oscillators, inductively coupled output tubes (IOTSs), magnetrons, cross-field amplifiers, free-electron lasers, ubitrons, microwave masers, diodes, transistors, tetrodes, pentodes, etc. Some gas ion lasers, although they do not operate strictly in a vacuum but at very low pressures and often lack an RF interaction region, operate in very similar ways.

[0006] Existing VEDs are generally manufactured by combining individual two-dimensional and three-dimensional sub-components into an assembly, attaching the assembly to a housing to provide structural support and a vacuum enclosure, and then performing conventional vacuum processing and sealing procedures to produce a functional VED. Depending on the complexity of the device, such procedures can take weeks or longer to complete a single device and require a significant amount of highly skilled manual labor and large cleanrooms to perform. Today, with the surge in demand for high-bandwidth wireless data communications from earth stations to satellites to cellular towers, as well as local Wi-Fi systems and ground-based backbone systems, there is a huge demand for a large number of such low-cost devices. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The subject matter described herein generally relates to the fabrication of vacuum electronic devices (VEDs) using parallel material sheets, which are assembled into a stack and joined together to form a three-dimensional VED. One advantage of this approach is that multiple VEDs with the same structure can be fabricated simultaneously and can be easily detached for individual use upon completion, as is typically done in semiconductor device manufacturing, thus significantly reducing the manufacturing cost per device.

[0008] The foregoing review is an overview and therefore may contain simplifications, generalizations and omissions of details; therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that the review is merely illustrative and not intended to be limiting in any way. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more exemplary embodiments and, together with the description of these exemplary embodiments, serve to illustrate the principles and implementation schemes of the invention.

[0010] In the attached diagram:

[0011] Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view of a multilayer, multimaterial assembly for VED according to one embodiment, which incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0012] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of a multilayer, multimaterial assembly for VED according to another embodiment, which incorporates conductive material layers, magnetic material layers, and insulating layers, while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a transparent cross-sectional view of a multi-layered, multi-material assembly used in VED, which incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a top view of a trio of VEDs using a multi-layered, multi-material assembly that incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0015] Figure 5 It is along Figure 4 The cross-sectional view taken by line 5-5 in the figure shows the internal structure of the VED using a single multilayer multimaterial assembly that incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a top view of a multi-layered, multi-material assembly for a triple VED, which incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0017] Figure 7 It is along Figure 6 The cross-sectional view taken by line 7-7 in the figure shows the internal structure of the VED using a single multilayer multimaterial assembly that incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0018] Figure 8This is a top view of a triple VED assembly with multiple layers and materials, incorporating conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction. This view is shown after a gap has been created between the substrate assembly and the individual VEDs, either by cutting or otherwise.

[0019] Figure 9 It is along Figure 8 The cross-sectional view taken by line 9-9 in the figure shows the internal structure of the VED using a single multilayer multimaterial assembly that incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0020] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a process or method for manufacturing a vacuum electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] This document describes exemplary embodiments in the context of VEDs such as TWTs (RF signal amplification, commonly used in high-bandwidth data communication systems). Those skilled in the art will recognize that the following description is merely illustrative and not intended to be limiting in any way. Other embodiments will readily conceive of by those skilled in the art upon receiving this disclosure. Implementations of the exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings and the following description, the same reference numerals will be used wherever possible to refer to the same or similar items.

[0022] For clarity, not all conventional features of the embodiments described herein are shown or described. It should be understood, of course, that in the development of any such practical embodiment, many implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific objectives, such as compliance with application-related and business-related constraints, and these specific objectives will vary depending on the implementation and the developer. Furthermore, it should be understood that such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, but this remains conventional engineering practice for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure.

[0023] References to "one implementation," "an embodiment," "an implementation scheme," or "an implementation scheme" in this document refer to specific features, structures, parts, functions, or characteristics described in connection with exemplary embodiments that may be included in at least one exemplary embodiment. Phrases such as "in one embodiment" or "in one implementation scheme" appearing in different places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same implementation or scheme, nor are they necessarily separate and alternative implementations that are mutually exclusive with other implementations.

[0024] According to this disclosure, various techniques can be used to implement the components and method steps described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventive concept described herein.

[0025] The description herein includes examples of embodiments of the invention. It is certainly impossible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methods in order to describe the claimed subject matter, but it should be understood that many further combinations and arrangements of the invention are possible. Therefore, the claimed subject matter is intended to cover all such changes, modifications, and variations falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the above description of the illustrated embodiments disclosed herein, including those described in the abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosed embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. Although specific embodiments, examples, and implementations have been described herein for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of such embodiments and examples.

[0026] Specifically, and with regard to the various functions performed by the aforementioned components, devices, systems, etc., unless otherwise indicated, the terminology used to describe such components is intended to correspond to any component (e.g., a functional equivalent) that performs the specified function of said component, even if it is not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure that performs the function of the exemplary aspects of the claimed subject matter shown herein.

[0027] Furthermore, while a particular feature of the invention may be disclosed only with respect to one of several embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features in other embodiments, which may be desirable and advantageous for any given or particular application. Moreover, with regard to the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” “containing,” and variations thereof, as well as other similar words, used in the detailed description or claims, these terms are intended to be included in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as an open transition word, without excluding any additional or other elements.

[0028] Furthermore, the terms “example” or “exemplary” as used herein refer to those serving as examples, instances, or illustrations. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or superior to other aspects or designs. Rather, the use of the terms “example” or “exemplary” is intended to present the concept in a specific manner. As used in this application, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless otherwise specified or clear from the context, “X adopts A or B” is intended to mean any natural inclusive arrangement. That is, if X adopts A; X adopts B; or X adopts both A and B, then “X adopts A or B” is satisfied in any of the foregoing cases. In addition, the articles “a” and “an” used in this application and the appended claims should generally be interpreted as meaning “one or more” unless otherwise specified or clear from the context to refer to the singular form.

[0029] In the accompanying drawings, when illustration numbers or reference symbols are used in more than one drawing, they are intended to refer to the same or similar parts, components or steps, unless such intention is not expressly stated in this disclosure.

[0030] The apparatus and methods described herein can be used for VEDs utilizing pencil beams, sheet beams, rectangular beams, elliptical beams, hollow beams, distributed beams, and multiple beams.

[0031] Although most of the following description concerns constructing a VED in layers from below to above the electron beam, with the plates arranged parallel to the electron beam, it is also considered that such a device can be constructed orthogonally to the electron beam in a relatively direct manner, as taught herein. If desired, such a device can also be constructed at any angle to the electron beam, for example, in a distributed beam device.

[0032] While a major benefit of the present invention is that it allows multiple VEDs to be manufactured simultaneously in a batch and then cut into individual parts, manufacturing a single prototype device using the present invention has also proven to be more cost-effective than prior art.

[0033] Generally, magnets are used in VEDs to provide at least some electron beam shaping and aiming functionality. If the electron beam is not properly guided from the cathode to the collector, it may collide with other parts of the VED structure, causing damage and contamination of the vacuum region. The ability to incorporate various types of magnetic materials is beneficial for VED assembly. Hallbach arrays or quadrupole arrays are often used to focus the electron beam, much like solenoids are deployed around the electron beam at a distance. Another major benefit of this invention is its ability to provide a higher intensity magnetic field at the electron beam for a given magnet (electromagnetic solenoid or fixed type), because this invention allows the magnet to be placed closer to the electron beam without placing them in the vacuum chamber. Since the magnetic field from the magnet decreases with the square of the distance from the magnet, the magnet can be placed much closer and thus smaller with the help of this invention. Magnetic steering can be performed using actual magnets and combinations of magnets with magnetically sensitive materials, which together with the magnets establish the desired magnetic field within the VED to properly steer the electron beam. Because magnetic materials and / or iron- and nickel-containing materials are not good electrical conductors, electromagnetic circuits are generally made of materials like copper (or tungsten for helical devices), thus moving the focusing structure further away from the electron beam. Magnets and / or iron- and nickel-containing materials can be plated with highly conductive materials such as copper to mitigate this problem; however, this arrangement can introduce potential vacuum purity issues for the VED, as this material degrades over time within the VED. Vacuum double-fused irons with high-quality nickel plating can be used inside the vacuum enclosure. In most cases, permanent magnet materials such as SmCo and NbFeB must be added to the outside of the vacuum enclosure (because heating permanent magnets above their Curie point causes them to lose magnetism), and cryogenic bonding techniques (adhesives or solid-state ultrasonics) are used to hold such materials in place.

[0034] In one embodiment, magnets can be added to the circuitry of the present invention as follows. To bond copper sheets to create a TWT circuit (e.g.), each sheet is sputter-coated with a gold or silver layer several hundred nanometers thick, and then bonded to adjacent layers in a hydrogen furnace at approximately 1000 degrees Celsius with a weight of approximately 50 pounds or in a jig that holds these layers in place. To add magnetic components to the layered copper circuitry, an iron (vacuum double-melted) layer or stainless steel layer (one or more) is nickel-plated with magnetic block recesses, and copper-gold or copper-silver brazing pads (approximately 25 micrometers thick) are used to create brazing joints. The iron / stainless steel layer is then brazed to the copper circuitry by melting the brazing pads, but still outside the vacuum zone of the VED. Magnetic blocks are then inserted into pre-made recesses in the assembly, while another layer of material is added over the magnets and secured with a low-temperature adhesive to hold the magnets in place.

[0035] Electrostatic focusing can also be used to provide certain electron beam shaping and aiming functions in a VED. The ability of this invention to introduce electrical conductors into a vacuum structure now allows for precise electrostatic focusing within the vacuum structure by applying a voltage across two or more plates positioned around the electron beam. Multiple sets of such plates can be used if required or demanded by the specific application.

[0036] The fabrication method described herein can be used to manufacture VEDs at various frequencies, but is particularly advantageous for VEDs operating between approximately 25 GHz and approximately 1 THz. Due to the small feature scale (in some cases, from micrometers to millimeters), fabricating such devices using conventional hand-operated assembly components is challenging.

[0037] Now turn to the attached image. Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view of a multilayer, multimaterial assembly for VED according to one embodiment, which incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0038] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, VED 100 includes component 101 having a first planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 102 formed of a conductive material (such as copper), a second planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 104 formed of a conductive material (such as copper), and a plurality of planar nonmagnetic interaction structured plates 106a, 106b, and 106c disposed between the first planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 102 and the second planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 104. When an external fixed magnetic field is used for electron beam control, component 101 may be disposed against the first planar magnetic plate, which is formed of a magnetic material such as iron, nickel, or similar material and includes one or more permanent magnets disposed thereon or embedded therein. Optionally, a sandwich structure may be formed from two such plates 108 and 110, such that component 101 is disposed between the first planar magnetic plate 108 and the second planar magnetic plate 110. Alignment features (discussed in more detail below) 112 may be provided to provide a simple mechanism for aligning the plurality of parallel plates. It is also contemplated that the magnet layer may comprise solid planar permanent magnets, rather than being made of a plurality of smaller magnets. This method allows for the magnetic focusing of planar "sonic fields." When needed, the conductive plate can be coated on one or both sides with an insulator suitable for vacuum, such as sputtered alumina (Al2O3) or other convenient insulators that do not leak into the vacuum environment heated by the presence of the electron beam, thus enabling the construction of more complex circuits.

[0039] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of a multilayer, multimaterial assembly for VED according to another embodiment, which incorporates conductive material layers, magnetic material layers, and insulating layers, while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0040] exist Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, VED 200 includes component 201 having a first planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 202 formed of a conductive material (such as copper), a second planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 204 formed of a conductive material (such as copper), and a plurality of planar nonmagnetic interaction structured plates 206a, 206b, 206c, 206d, and 206e disposed between the first planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 202 and the second planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 204. When an external fixed magnetic field is used for electron beam control, component 201 can be disposed against the first planar magnetic plate, which is formed of a magnetic material such as iron, nickel, or similar material and includes one or more permanent magnets disposed thereon or embedded therein. Figure 1 As shown. Optionally, the sandwich structure can be formed by two such plates 108 and 110, such that the assembly 201 is disposed between the first planar magnetic plate 108 and the second planar magnetic plate 110, as shown. Figure 1 As shown. Alignment features (discussed in more detail below) 112 can be provided to offer a simple mechanism for aligning multiple parallel plates. According to... Figure 2 In this implementation, the “inside” of plates 202 and 204 (i.e., those plates labeled 202a and 204a) is coated with an electrical insulator to form an insulating surface, allowing the assembly of plates 206a, 206b, 206c, 206d, and 206e to float relative to plates 202 and 204. In this way, the electrostatic field caused by the voltage difference applied across plates 202 and 204 can be used for electron beam control, either together with or separately from the magnetic beam control discussed above. Furthermore, conductors placed on the electrical insulator can deliver current to specific locations within the assembly as needed. For example, such conductors can deliver and extract RF signals to and from the interaction region. They can also be used to deliver fixed or varying voltages to control other components within the VED.

[0041] exist Figure 2 In this embodiment, a pair of electrical conductors 208a and 208b are disposed on an insulating surface 202a. The same arrangement is not shown on an insulating surface 204a. The electrical conductors 208a and 208b can be deposited or placed. They should be suitable for a vacuum environment, i.e., leak-proof at the high temperatures expected in a VED. Plates 206a and 206e include openings as shown to isolate the respective electrical conductors, such as 208a and 208b, from contact with plates 206a and 206e. Plates 206b and 206d respectively include a lower interaction structure 210 and an upper interaction structure 212, while plate 206c includes an electron beam tunnel 214, which is thus surrounded by the lower interaction structure 210 and the upper interaction structure 212.

[0042] Figure 3This is a transparent cross-sectional view of a multi-layered, multi-material assembly used in VED (Vibration Electron Diode). This assembly incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction. Essentially, it is when... Figure 2 A view of the structure formed when the components are joined together as intended.

[0043] Figure 4 This is a top view of the Triple VED 400 using a multi-layer, multi-material assembly that incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0044] Figure 5 It is along Figure 4 The cross-sectional view taken by line 5-5 in the figure shows the internal structure of the VED 400 using a single multi-layered, multi-material assembly that incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0045] exist Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, VED 400 includes component 401 having a first planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 402 formed of a conductive material (such as copper), a second planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 404 formed of a conductive material (such as copper), and a plurality of planar nonmagnetic interaction structured plates 406a, 406b, and 406c disposed between the first planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 402 and the second planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 404. In this embodiment, an external fixed magnetic field is used for electron beam control, therefore component 401 (also referred to as a “circuit assembly”) is disposed between first planar magnetic plates 408, which are formed of a magnetic material such as iron, nickel, or similar materials and include one or more permanent magnets 412 disposed thereon or embedded therein. Optionally, a sandwich structure may be formed from two such plates 408 and 410, such that component 401 is disposed between the first planar magnetic plate 408 and the second planar magnetic plate 410. Alignment features (discussed in more detail below) may be provided to provide a simple mechanism for aligning the plurality of parallel plates during manufacturing.

[0046] Figure 6 This is a top view of the Triple VED 600 using a multi-layer, multi-material assembly that incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0047] Figure 7 It is along Figure 6 The cross-sectional view taken by line 7-7 in the figure shows the internal structure of the VED using a single multilayer multimaterial assembly that incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0048] exist Figure 6 and 7 In the illustrated embodiment, VED 600 includes component 601 having a first planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 602 formed of a conductive material (such as copper), a second planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 604 formed of a conductive material (such as copper), and a plurality of planar nonmagnetic interaction structured plates 606a, 606b, 606c, 606d, and 606e disposed between the first planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 602 and the second planar nonmagnetic conductive plate 604. In this embodiment, an external fixed magnetic field is used for electron beam control, therefore component 601 (also referred to as a “circuit assembly”) is disposed against a first planar magnetic plate 608, which is formed of a magnetic material such as iron, nickel, or similar material and includes one or more permanent magnets 612 disposed thereon or embedded therein. Optionally, a sandwich structure may be formed by two such plates 608 and 610, such that component 601 is disposed between the first planar magnetic plate 608 and the second planar magnetic plate 610. Alignment feature 112 (discussed in more detail below) can be provided to offer a simple mechanism for aligning multiple parallel plates during manufacturing. According to Figure 6 and Figure 7 In this implementation, the “inside” of plates 602 and 604 (i.e., those plates labeled 602a and 604a) is coated with an electrical insulator to form an insulating surface, allowing the assembly of plates 606a, 606b, 606c, 606d, and 606e to float relative to plates 602 and 604. In this way, the electrostatic field caused by the voltage difference applied across plates 202 and 204 can be used for electron beam control, either together with or separately from the magnetic beam control discussed above. Furthermore, conductors 614a, 614b, 614c, and 614d (as shown here), placed on the electrical insulator, can deliver current to specific locations within the assembly as needed. For example, such conductors can deliver and extract RF signals to and from the interaction region. They can also be used to deliver fixed or varying voltages to control other components within the VED.

[0049] Figure 8 This is a top view of the triple VED 600 using a multi-layer, multi-material assembly that incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction. This view is shown after a gap 802 has been created between the substrate assembly 804 and the individual VED 806, either by cutting or otherwise.

[0050] Figure 9 It is along Figure 8The cross-sectional view taken by line 9-9 in the figure shows the internal structure of VED 806 using a single multilayer multimaterial assembly 800, which incorporates conductive and magnetic material layers while creating three-dimensional openings for electron beam propagation and electromagnetic wave interaction.

[0051] The gap 802 can be cut, diced, machined, pierced, or otherwise created by any conventional method suitable for cutting such materials, such as laser, high-pressure water, diamond-bladed saw, etc. Once the gap 802 is formed, the individual VED 806 can be removed and individually packaged for use in a conventional manner known to those skilled in the art.

[0052] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a process or method 1000 for manufacturing a vacuum electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. (In conjunction with...) Figure 10 The described process steps can be executed sequentially, or they can be executed in part or all at once.

[0053] Frame 1002 is the first step: forming a first planar non-magnetic conductor plate from a non-magnetic conductive material.

[0054] Box 1004 is the second step: forming a second planar non-magnetic conductor plate from a non-magnetic conductive material.

[0055] Frame 1006 is the third step: an interaction structure is formed by multiple conductive non-magnetic interaction structure forming plates arranged in parallel with each other, and a portion of the interaction area is cut into its respective conductive non-magnetic interaction structure forming plate.

[0056] Box 1008 is the fourth step: setting the first planar non-magnetic conductor plate, the interaction structure and the second planar non-magnetic conductor plate as a stack, such that the first planar non-magnetic conductor plate and the second planar non-magnetic conductor plate are outside the stack.

[0057] Box 1010 is the fifth step: combining the first planar nonmagnetic conductor plate, the interaction structure, and the second planar nonmagnetic conductor plate together.

[0058] Box 1012 is the sixth step: forming a first planar magnetic plate from magnetic material and placing at least one magnet thereon.

[0059] Box 1014 is the seventh step: On the side opposite to the first planar non-magnetic conductor plate and the plurality of non-magnetic interaction structure forming plates, a first planar magnetic plate is set parallel to the first planar non-magnetic conductor plate.

[0060] Box 1016 is the eighth step: bonding the first planar magnetic plate to the first planar non-magnetic conductor plate.

[0061] Box 1018 is the ninth step: forming a second planar magnetic plate from magnetic material and placing at least one magnet thereon.

[0062] Frame 1020 is the tenth step: On the side opposite to the second planar non-magnetic conductor plate and the plurality of non-magnetic interaction structure forming plates, a second planar magnetic plate is set parallel to the second planar non-magnetic conductor plate.

[0063] Box 1022 is step eleven: attaching the second planar magnetic plate to the second planar non-magnetic conductor plate.

[0064] Those skilled in the art will recognize that these steps can be performed in the order most convenient for manufacturing without having to follow a locked sequence. For example, the joining steps can all be performed at once; the forming steps can be performed in advance to manufacture parts for later assembly; and so on.

[0065] When joining these two-dimensional sheets together, the following methods can be used: brazing, diffusion bonding, assisted diffusion bonding, solid-state bonding, cold welding, ultrasonic welding, or a combination of one or more of the aforementioned methods. The seam formed between two adjacent sheets should maintain a strength greater than 1 × 10⁻⁶. -6 The bonding process should be carried out in a non-reactive environment, such as hydrogen, nitrogen, or vacuum. Prior to bonding, each layer should be cleaned or plasma-etched to remove surface oxide layers and kept in a vacuum environment to facilitate a good seal. If necessary, each layer can be coated (sputtering, electroplating, metallization, and / or painting) with a vacuum-compatible material that enhances the vacuum-compatible interface between the two corresponding layers (which may be different materials). Coatings may include one or more of the following: nickel, gold, silver, molybdenum-manganese, copper, copper-gold, copper-silver, titanium-nickel, gold-copper-titanium, copper-silver-titanium, copper-silver-titanium-aluminum, titanium-nickel-copper, gold-copper-titanium-aluminum, silver-copper-indium-titanium, copper-germanium, palladium-nickel-copper-silver, gold-palladium-manganese, silver-palladium, gold-copper-nickel, gold-copper-indium, silver-copper-indium, gold-nickel, gold-nickel-chromium, etc. In this way, the combined layers form a high-strength component, resulting in relatively high energy processing power and high gradient capability VED.

[0066] These layers may also be coated (sputtered, electroplated, metallized, and / or painted) with electrically insulating or conductive materials to manage potential and heat flow within the VED. The coating may also include materials designed to be thermally conductive (e.g., diamond films, diamond conduction channels, cooling channels, heat pipes, etc.) to better manage heat flow within and out of the VED. The layers may be made of an insulator (e.g., Al₂O₃) and then plated with conductive paths to form electrodes and electrical paths used to bias the electrodes.

[0067] Cutouts or cavities can be formed in the conductive sheet of a VED using techniques such as milling, turning, electrical discharge milling, photolithography, etching, laser cutting, electron beam cutting, and water jet cutting. These cutouts and cavities can then be filled with components such as ceramic materials, vacuum windows, circuit-cutting materials (attenuators used to improve device stability), electron emission materials, vacuum pumping materials, gas-absorbing materials, magnets, iron parts, shielding materials, insulating materials, wires, connectors, waveguides, and couplers.

[0068] The incorporation of ceramic materials allows for the addition of electrostatic beam-shaping lenses or regions within the VED to aid in focusing, propagation, guidance, steering, and ultimately improving electron beam propagation between the cathode and collector. By building this capability into the VED itself, rather than providing it outside the vacuum region of the VED, finer and lower-power control of the electron beam is possible.

[0069] During manufacturing, alignment features 112 can be used to align adjacent material layers or sheets within the VED. These features can be alignment holes, alignment pins, rectangular features, combinations thereof, optical (visible) markings suitable for robotic assembly techniques, etc., as discussed elsewhere in this document. Sheet assembly can be achieved through manual assembly, robotic assembly, translation stages, automated translation, robotic placement, micron- to nanometer-level video alignment, vernier scales, etc.

[0070] It should be noted that the aforementioned method allows for the construction of VEDs without any magnets and using pure electrostatic focusing.

[0071] Although exemplary embodiments and applications have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure that various modifications, variations and adaptations may be made to the various exemplary embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vacuum electronic device comprising: First planar non-magnetic conductor plate; Second planar non-magnetic conductor plate; A plurality of planar nonmagnetic interaction structure forming plates are disposed between the first planar nonmagnetic conductor plate and the second planar nonmagnetic conductor plate, one or more of the plurality of planar nonmagnetic interaction structure forming plates having at least a partial vacuum region, the first planar nonmagnetic conductor plate, the second planar nonmagnetic conductor plate and the plurality of planar nonmagnetic interaction structure forming plates are arranged in a stack and joined together, the plurality of planar nonmagnetic interaction structure forming plates being joined together to form the vacuum region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first planar magnetic plate formed of a first magnetic material and including at least one magnet, wherein the first planar magnetic plate is disposed as the stack on the side opposite to the first planar nonmagnetic conductor plate and the plurality of planar nonmagnetic interaction structure forming plates.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a second planar magnetic plate formed of a second magnetic material and including at least one magnet, wherein the second planar magnetic plate is disposed as the stack on the side of the second planar nonmagnetic conductor plate opposite to the plurality of planar nonmagnetic interaction structure forming plates.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein one or more recesses are formed in the first planar nonmagnetic conductor plate.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the one or more recesses comprises a suction material.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one of the one or more recesses comprises an electron-emitting material.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one of the one or more recesses comprises a circuit-cutting material.

8. A method for manufacturing a vacuum electronic device, the method comprising: A first planar nonmagnetic conductor plate is formed from a first nonmagnetic conductive material; A second planar nonmagnetic conductor plate is formed from a second nonmagnetic conductive material; Multiple conductive nonmagnetic interaction structure forming plates are formed, each of one or more corresponding conductive nonmagnetic interaction structure forming plates having at least a partial vacuum region; The first planar non-magnetic conductor plate, the plurality of conductive non-magnetic interaction structure forming plates and the second planar non-magnetic conductor plate are arranged in a stack, such that the first planar non-magnetic conductor plate and the second planar non-magnetic conductor plate are located outside the stack; The first planar non-magnetic conductor plate, the plurality of conductive non-magnetic interaction structure forming plates, and the second planar non-magnetic conductor plate are combined together, and the plurality of non-magnetic interaction structure forming plates are combined together to form the vacuum region.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: A first planar magnetic plate is formed from a first magnetic material and at least one magnet is disposed thereon; On the side opposite to the first planar nonmagnetic conductor plate and the plurality of conductive nonmagnetic interaction structure forming plates, the first planar magnetic plate is disposed on the stacked material onto the first planar nonmagnetic conductor plate.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: The first planar magnetic plate is bonded to the first planar non-magnetic conductor plate.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: A second planar magnetic plate is formed from a second magnetic material and at least one magnet is disposed thereon; On the side of the second planar nonmagnetic conductor plate opposite to the plurality of conductive nonmagnetic interaction structure forming plates, the second planar magnetic plate is disposed on the stacked material onto the second planar nonmagnetic conductor plate.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: The second planar magnetic plate is bonded to the second planar non-magnetic conductor plate.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming one or more recesses in the first planar nonmagnetic conductor plate.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising placing a suction material into at least one of the one or more recesses.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising placing an electron-emitting material into at least one of the one or more recesses.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising placing circuit-cutting material into at least one of the one or more recesses.

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