Self-regenerating nanotips for low-power electric propulsion...

Details Self-regenerating nanotips for low-power electric propulsion... Self-regenerating nanotips for low-power electric propulsion...

2007-09-07

2011-12-20

Roy, Sikha (Department: 2879)

Electric lamp and discharge devices

With positive or negative ion acceleration

C313S309000, C313S326000, C313S351000, C313S362100, C313S336000, C445S050000, C445S051000, C250S42300F

Reexamination Certificate

active

08080930

ABSTRACT:
Spindt-type field-emission cathodes for use in electric propulsion (EP) systems having self-assembling nanostructures that can repeatedly regenerate damaged cathode emitter nanotips. A nanotip is created by applying a negative potential near the surface of a liquefied base metal to create a Taylor cone converging to a nanotip, and solidifying the Taylor cone for use as a field-emission cathode. When the nanotip of the Taylor cone becomes sufficiently blunted or damaged to affect its utility, the base metal is re-liquefied by application of a heat source, a negative potential is reapplied to the surface of the base metal to recreate the Taylor cone, and a new nanotip is generated by solidifying the base metal.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3754397 (1973-08-01), Kidd et al.
patent: 3763346 (1973-10-01), Drechsler et al.
patent: 3789471 (1974-02-01), Spindt et al.
patent: 3789608 (1974-02-01), Free
patent: 4328667 (1982-05-01), Valentian et al.
patent: 4721878 (1988-01-01), Hagiwara et al.
patent: 4762975 (1988-08-01), Mahoney et al.
patent: 5034612 (1991-07-01), Ward et al.
patent: 5123039 (1992-06-01), Shoulders
patent: 5194739 (1993-03-01), Sato et al.
patent: 5697827 (1997-12-01), Rabinowitz
patent: 5764004 (1998-06-01), Rabinowitz
patent: 5967873 (1999-10-01), Rabinowitz
patent: 5977549 (1999-11-01), Wang et al.
patent: 6362574 (2002-03-01), Aguero et al.
patent: 6429596 (2002-08-01), Jamison et al.
patent: 6516604 (2003-02-01), Mojarradi et al.
patent: 6528807 (2003-03-01), Koops et al.
patent: 6531811 (2003-03-01), Kudo et al.
patent: 6607415 (2003-08-01), Dunfield et al.
patent: 6750076 (2004-06-01), Corso
patent: 6798126 (2004-09-01), Schwind et al.
patent: 6852560 (2005-02-01), Corso
patent: 6996972 (2006-02-01), Song
patent: 7059111 (2006-06-01), King
patent: 7129513 (2006-10-01), Zhou et al.
patent: 7175802 (2007-02-01), Sandlin et al.
patent: 7420181 (2008-09-01), Kaga et al.
patent: 7696489 (2010-04-01), Pilz et al.
patent: 2005/0269559 (2005-12-01), Zhou et al.
patent: 2006/0076866 (2006-04-01), Terui et al.
patent: 2006/0202130 (2006-09-01), Kollmer et al.
Domonkos, M. T., “Evaluation of Low-Current Orificed Hollow Cathodes,” Dept. of Aerospace Engineering, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 1999, pp. 1-155.
Fossum, E. C., Sommerville, J. D. and King, L. B., “Characterization of Near Field Plasma Environment of a Hollow Cathode Assembly,” 40th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, Paper No. AIAA-2004-3795, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 2004, pp. 1-10.
Goebel, D. M., Watkins, R. M. and Jameson, K. K., “LaB6Hollow Cathodes for Ion and Hall Thrusters,” 41st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit,Journal of Propulsion and Power, 23(3), May-Jun. 2007, pp. 552-558.
Sengupta, A., “Destructive Physical Analysis of Hollow Cathodes from the Deep Space 1 Flight Spare Ion Engine 30,000 Hr Life Test,” 29th International Electric Propulsion Conference, Paper No. IEPC-2005-026, Princeton, NJ, Oct. 31-Nov. 4, 2005, pp. 1-17.
Patterson, M. J. and Oleson, S. R., “Low-Power Ion Propulsion for Small Spacecraft,” 33rd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, Paper No. AIAA-97/3060, Seattle, WA, 1997, pp. 1-13.
Khayms, V. and Martinez-Sanchez, M., “Preliminary Experimental Evaluation of a Miniaturized Hall Thruster,” 25th International Electric Propulsion Conference, Paper No. IEPC-97-077, Cleveland, OH, 1997, pp. 483-489.
Marcuccio, S., Saviozzi, M., Rugo, F. and Andrenucci, M., “One Millinewton FEEP Thruster Tests,” 1999 International Electric Propulsion Conference, Paper No. IEPC-99-069, 1999, pp. 443-447.
Gomer, R., “Field Emission and Field Ionization,” Harvard University Press, 1961, pp. 1-195.
Marrese, C. M., “A Review of Field Emission Cathode Technologies for Electric Propulsion Systems and Instruments,” IEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings, 4, 2000, pp. 85-97.
Spindt, C. A., Holland, C. E., Schwoebel, P. R. and Brodie, I., “Field-Emitter-Array Development for Microwave Applications (II),”Technical Digest of IVMC'97, Kyongju, Korea, 1997, pp. 200-205.
Marrese, C.M., “Compatibility of Field Emission Cathode and Electric Propulsion Technologies,” Dept. of Aerospace Engineering, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 1999, pp. 1-160.
Gasdaska, C. J., Falkos, P., Hruby, V., Robin, M., Demmons, N., McCormick, R., Spence, D. and Young, J., “Testing of Carbon Nanotube Field Emission Cathodes,” 40th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, Paper No. AIAA-2004-3427, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 2004, pp. 1-7.
Gilchrist, B. E., Jensen, K. L., Gallimore, A. D. and Severns, J. G., “Space Based Applications for FEA Cathodes (FEAC),” Materials Research Society Symposium, vol. 621, 2000, pp. R4.8.1-R4.8.7.
Morris, D., Gilchrist, B., Gallimore, A. D. and Jensen, K., “Developing Field Emitter Array Cathode Systems for Electrodynamic Tether Propulsion,” 36th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, Paper No. AIAA-2000-3867, Huntsville, AL, 2000, pp. 1-11.
Marrese, C. M., Polk, J. E. and Mueller, J., “Field Emitter Cathodes and Electric Propulsion Systems,” Materials Research Society Symposium, vol. 621, 2000, pp. R4.7.1-R.4.7.6.
Marrese-Reading, C. M. and Polk, J. E., “Spacecraft Propulsion Applications for Field Emission Cathodes,” IEEE Vacuum Microelectronics Conference, 2001, pp. 123-124.
Kovaleski, S. D., “Ferroelectric Emission Cathodes for Low-Power Electric Propulsion,” 38th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, Paper No. AIAA-2002-4242, Indianapolis, IN, 2002, pp. 1-10.
Kent, B. J., Aplin, K. L., Wang, L., Huq, S. E., Stevens, R., Malik, A. and Nicolini, D., “A Field Effect Spacecraft Neutralizer for the LISA Pathfinder Mission,” Classical and Quantum Gravity, 22, 2005, pp. S483-S486.
Driesel, W., Dietzsch, Ch. and Mühle, R., “In Situ Observation of the Tip Shape of AuGe Liquid Alloy Ion Sources Using a High Voltage Transmission Electron Microscope,”Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, 14(5), 1996, pp. 3367-3380.
Fehringer, M., Rüdenauer, F. and Steiger, W., “Micronewton Indium Ion Thrusters,” 1999 International Electric Propulsion Conference, Paper No. IEPC-99-072, Kitakyushu, Japan, 1999 pp. 1-6.
Nicolini, D., Chesta, E. and Gonzalez Del Amo, J., “Plume Characteristics of the Indium Needle Emitter (InFEEP)Thruster,” 27th International Electric Propulsion Conference, Paper No. IEPC01-291, Pasadena, CA, 2001, pp. 1-6.
Suvorov, V. G. and Litvinov, E. A., “Dynamic Taylor Cone Formation on Liquid Metal Surface: Numerical Modelling,”Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 33, 2000, pp. 1245-1251.
Swanson, L. W. and Schwind, G. A., “Electron Emission from a Liquid Metal,”Journal of Applied Physics, 49(11), 1978, pp. 5655-5662.
Gomer, R., “On the Mechanism of Liquid Metal Electron and Ion Sources,”Applied Physics, 19, 1979, pp. 365-375.
Rao, K. A., Bell, A. E., Schwind, G. A. and Swanson, L. W., “A Combination Electron/Ion Field Emission Source,”Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, 7(6), 1989, pp. 1793-1797.
Hsieh, W.-P., and Wang, Y. L., “Prolonged Electron Emission as a Method to Fabricate a Stable and Bright Dual Ion/Electron Point Source,”Applied Physics Letters, 87, 2005, pp. 194107-1 to 194107-2.
Mitterauer, J., “Pilot Experiments on Microstructured Liquid Metal Ion and Electron Sources,”Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, 13(2), 1995, pp. 625-629.
Mitterauer, J., “Field Emission from Microstructured Cesiated Surfaces,”Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, 14(3), 1996, pp. 2083-2086.
Sheu, B. L. and Wang, Y. L., “Emission Properties of a Dual Ion/Electron Source Based on Au-In Alloy,”Applied Physics Letters, 80(8), 2002, pp. 1480-1482.
Knapp, W., Bischoff, L.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Self-regenerating nanotips for low-power electric propulsion... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Self-regenerating nanotips for low-power electric propulsion..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Self-regenerating nanotips for low-power electric propulsion... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-4311255