Magnetic OAM Beam Acceleration for Plasma Heating and Lithography

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current particle beam heating techniques for magnetically confined plasmas rely on neutral beam injectors, which result in inefficient confinement due to low magnetic orbital angular momentum, and particle beam lithography techniques require large linear momentum, potentially damaging underlying structures.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for particle acceleration using a magnetic orbital angular momentum beam accelerator with a tapered dipole magnet winding and a field cage to create cyclotron motion, utilizing a complementary electric field to balance gradient-B drift and accelerate particles, allowing for high energy delivery without large linear momentum.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If neutral particles are used for particle beam heating, then particles can enter magnetically confined region, but energy transfer efficiency is low due to low magnetic orbital angular momentum after ionization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy transfer efficiencyVSAvoidmagnetic confinement reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the magnetic field strength parameter along the particle trajectory, transitioning from low magnetic field at injection to high magnetic field in the confinement region. This parameter change enables particles to maintain cyclotron motion and acquire high magnetic orbital angular momentum, resolving the contradiction between energy transfer efficiency and magnetic confinement reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs dynamic magnetic field adjustment where the field strength varies along the particle path. The magnetic field is low at the injection point to allow ballistic entry, then increases to strong values to maintain tight cyclotron orbits and high magnetic orbital angular momentum for efficient energy transfer and reliable confinement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If particles with large linear momentum are used for lithography, then customized shapes can be cut on surfaces, but structure of underlying layers is damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelithography precisionVSAvoidstructural damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional mechanical particle beam lithography with a magnetic field-based cyclotron motion system. Particles follow curved cyclotron trajectories determined by magnetic field gradients rather than straight-line mechanical paths, enabling precise pattern deposition without the high linear momentum that causes structural damage to underlying layers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the particle motion regime from high linear momentum ballistic trajectories to cyclotron motion dominated by magnetic field parameters. By controlling magnetic field strength and gradients, particles achieve precise lateral positioning for lithography while their transverse momentum is continuously redirected, preventing damage to underlying structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach efficiently heats magnetically confined plasmas and performs precise lithography by maintaining magnetic moment invariance, achieving high energy transfer and minimizing structural impact.

Implementation Method 1

causing the particles to be in cyclotron motion in a magnetic field that is strong compared to a momentum of the particles

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCyclotron motion: Cyclotron Radiation

Implementation Method 2

utilizing a complementary electric field to balance a gradient-B drift transverse to the average path of the particles

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGradient-B drift: Lorentz Force

Implementation Method 3

accelerate the particles under work of the transverse gradient

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic field gradient acceleration: Lorentz Force

Data Source

PatentUS12628263B2Magnetic orbital angular momentum beam acceleration

Publication Date: 2026.05.12 THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIV

AI summary

A magnetic orbital angular momentum beam accelerator will accelerate charged particles, electrons or ions, from rest in zero or low magnetic field into a high magnetic field regions with high kinetic energies in the form of magnetic orbital angular momentum. For example, a beam injector that accelerates electrons or ions into 1T magnetic fields with tens of keV kinetic energies transverse to the magnetic fields can be used to heat magnetically confined plasmas, to inject an initial energetic plasma component with high magnetic orbital angular momentum and to produce highly transverse particle momenta to the magnetic field for electron or ion beam lithography.