Abstract:
Method of manufacturing a dispenser cathode, in which method tungsten and a scandium-containing material are mechanically alloyed and the product thus formed is pressed into a cathode body. The cathode body is further provided with a barium-containing component. In the mechanical alloying process the tungsten is highly deformed and the scandium-containing material is mixed with the tungsten so as to be very finely distributed therein, so that an improved dispensation of scandium and hence an improved recovery after ion bombardment of the final cathode is attained.
Abstract:
An emitter-dispenser housing (48) for a controlled porosity dispenser cathode manufactured of a single material as a unitary piece by a chemical vapor deposition process in which a configured mandrel (20) is coated with a layer of material (36 and 40) such as tungsten, for example, so that when the mandrel (20) is removed from the coating of material (36), a hollow housing (48) is formed having a side wall (36 and 40) and an end wall (42) which define a reservoir (44). In addition, intersecting strips (28 and 30) of this same material as the coating, which had been placed in the mandrel (20), extend transversely across the reservoir (44) with the edges thereof bonded by atomic-crystalline growth to the coating (36 and 40) during the chemical vapor deposition to form a unitary piece. Thereafter, an array of apertures (46) is formed in the end wall (42) of the housing by laser drilling to create an emitter-dispenser (42).
Abstract:
An impregnated cathode structure using an impregnated cathode substrate which includes a large grain size, low porosity region and a small grain size, high porosity region disposed on the side of an electron emission surface of the large grain size, low porosity region, having a mean grain size smaller than a mean grain size in the large grain size, low porosity region and having a porosity greater than the porosity in the large grain size, low porosity region, and which is impregnated with an electron emission material.
Abstract:
Porous agglomerates (14) are made from pure tungsten by sintering fine particles together and mechnically breaking down the mass to form some agglomerates (14) considerably larger than the particles. These agglomerates (14) are mixed with fine iridium powder (18) and sintered to form a porous mass. The mass is machined to the cathode shapes (10') and impregnated with an alkaline earth aluminate (18). The large agglomerates (14) alloy with the iridium only on their outer surface. Their pure tungsten interior provides the surfaces to reduce the alkaline earth oxide to the metal which activates the cathode.