Technology Commercialization and Partnerships | BSA 02-23: Delivering Shielded Electron Beams to a Target in a Fluid Environment

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Category: electronics & instrumentation

BSA 02-23: Delivering Shielded Electron Beams to a Target in a Fluid Environment

BNL Reference Number: BSA 02-23

Patent Status: U.S. Patent Number 7,075,030 was issued on July 11, 2006

Summary

Free-standing arc between the Plasma Shield generator and a water-cooled copper plate. The photo was taken through a welding mask (courtesy of Acceleron Inc.).

In many industrial manufacturing processes energized ions, electrons or laser beams are transmitted under high vacuum to prevent beams from degradation. Manufacturing processes such as material modification by ion implantation, dry etching, and micro-fabrication use high energy ion beams in a vacuum to protect the readily attenuated ion beams. Electron beams are another example of high energy beams transmitted under vacuum for electron beam machining, melting, drilling, and welding. And, high energy laser beams are also used for cutting and drilling operations typically performed in atmospheric air instead of high vacuum. The described apparatus allows one to perform the various manufacturing methods or processes in the absence of high vacuum. In addition, the described apparatus can be used in practically any external environment.

Description

The apparatus includes a plasma generator aligned with a beam generator for producing plasma to shield an energized beam. An electrode is coaxially aligned with the plasma generator and followed in turn by a vortex generator coaxially aligned with the electrode. A target is spaced from the vortex generator inside a fluid environment. The electrode is electrically biased relative to the electrically grounded target for driving the plasma toward the target inside a vortex shield.

Benefits

The apparatus permits various manufacturing methods or processes using electron, ion, and laser beams to be performed in practically any external environment such as atmospheric air and water.

Applications and Industries

Using this technology electron beam and laser welding may be performed underwater, with the plasma shield protecting the energized beam in its travel through the water until it reaches the underwater target. The apparatus and its method of use also allow for in situ repair of ship and nuclear reactor components as well as in-air ion implantation of semiconductors.