Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation

Other

Benchmark Space Systems, Inc.

Mahadevan Krishnan

Andrew N Gerhan

Michael Y Au

Jason Wright

John R Thompson

Jochen Schein

Katherine M Velas

Robyn L Woo

Victor F Tarasenko

Kelan Champagne

Evgeny H Baksht

Mikhail I Lomaev

Michael D McFarland

Dmitry V Rybka

Benjamin Tang

Brian L Bures

Kristi Wilson

A pulsed metal plasma thruster (MPT) cube has a plurality of thrusters, each having a first cathode electrode and a trigger electrode separated from the first electrode by an insulator sufficient to support an initiation plasma, and a porous anode electrode positioned a separation distance from the face of all of the cathode electrodes. The cathode electrode can be either the inner electrode or the outer electrode. A power supply delivers a high voltage pulse to the trigger electrode with respect to the cathode electrode sufficient to initiate a plasma on the surface of the insulator. The plasma transfers between the anode electrode and cathode electrode of selected thrusters, thereby generating a pulse of thrust.

Metal plasma thruster cube

Satellite metal plasma thruster and control circuit

An apparatus for the management of time during a visual presentation such as a talk with slides includes an optical emitter surface and focusing assembly for presentation of a progress plot in circular or linear format onto a presentation display shared by a presentation image. A user interface with policies and rules is operative with a controller for an optical emitter to automatically provide and adjust the brightness and contrast level, select optimal regions for placement of the progress image, and generate the optical image which is displayed in superposition with, or adjacent to, the presentation image.

Time management display for reflective screen

A high speed valve has a conductive flyer plate responsive to eddy currents induced by an adjacent coil. The eddy currents generate a repulsive force which opens the valve, and a low-mass flyer plate and spring combined with a resonant plate and spring combination provide a fast opening and closing time for the valve. A nozzle structure directs a supersonic flow of gas into a rectangular array of high-density gas suitable for interaction with a laser beam transverse to the rectangular array of jets for the production of wakefield interaction, leading to very high-energy electrons from the gas jet.

Resonant supersonic gas valve and nozzle

An apparatus for deposition of plasma reaction films includes a substrate for the deposition of either thin or thick films. The substrate also allows for a film deposition which adheres to the substrate, and also films which may be removed after deposition. The cathode may be fabricated from individual wires, or it may be fabricated from a single conductor. A macro-particle filter which preferentially traps larger particles may be introduced between a porous cathode and the deposition surface. The macro-particle filter may also carry electrical current as is useful for generating a magnetic field such that a Lorentz force acts preferentially on ionized particles, allowing them to pass through the filter while trapping macroparticles that are not influenced by the magnetic field.

Coaxial plasma arc vapor deposition apparatus and method

An apparatus for the deposition of a variable thickness coating onto the inside of a cylindrical tube comprises a variable pressure gas, an cathode coaxially positioned within the cylinder, and a voltage source applied between the cathode and cylindrical tube, which functions as an anode. A radial plasma arc is generated between the anode and cathode at a starting point on the cylinder, and the plasma arc travels down the central axis of the cylinder, providing a helical deposition region on the inside of the cylinder. Selection of the combination of cathode material and gas enable the plasma to generate ionic material which is deposited on the anodic cylinder in the region of the plasma. By varying the pressure of variable pressure gas for each helical path, it is possible to vary the composition of this deposition film.

A Liquid Metal Ion Thruster (LMIT) has a substrate having a plurality of pedestals, one end of the pedestal attached to the substrate, and the opposing end of the pedestal having a tip, the pedestals having grooves and the substrate also having grooves coupled to each other and to a source of liquid metal. An extractor electrode positioned parallel to the substrate and above the pedestal tips provides an electrostatic extraction field sufficient to accelerate ions from the tips of the pedestals through the extractor electrode. A series of focusing electrodes with matching apertures provides a flow of substantially parallel ion trajectories, and an optional negative ion source provides a charge neutralization to prevent space charge spreading of the exiting accelerated ions. The assembly is suitable for providing thrust for a satellite while maintaining high operating efficiencies.

Liquid metal ion thruster array

An apparatus for the formation of a dense plasma focus (DPF) has a center electrode formed about an axis, where the center electrode includes a cylindrical part and a tapered part. An outer electrode is formed about the center electrode, and may be either cylindrical, tapered, or formed from a plurality of individual conductors including a helical conductor arrangement surrounding the tapered region of the center conductor. The taper of the center electrode results in an enhanced azimuthal B field in the final region of the device, resulting in increased plasma velocity prior to the dense plasma focus. Using the outer electrode helical structure an auxiliary axial B field is generated during the final acceleration region of the plasma, which reduces axial modal tearing of the plasma in the final acceleration region.

Dense plasma focus apparatus

A plasma thruster with a cylindrical inner and cylindrical outer electrode generates plasma particles from the application of energy stored in an inductor to a surface suitable for the formation of a plasma and expansion of plasma particles. The plasma production results in the generation of charged particles suitable for generating a reaction force, and the charged particles are guided by a magnetic field produced by the same inductor used to store the energy used to form the plasma.

Vacuum arc plasma thrusters with inductive energy storage driver

An apparatus for providing power to a gas discharge lamp comprises a storage capacitor and an ignition switch coupled through a primarily parasitic first inductor to a parallel combination of a diode assembly and a second inductor in series with a gas discharge lamp. The second inductor is selected to optimize the energy transfer from the capacitor to the gas discharge lamp. During a first interval determined by the time constant of the series combination of a storage capacitor, a first inductor, and a second inductor, the diode assembly is not conducting and a forward sense current builds in the first and second inductors. During a second interval determined by the interaction of the two parallel circuits driving the gas discharge lamp, during which the diode array is conducting, the smaller reversed sense current flowing in the first inductor and a larger forward sense current flowing in the second inductor add, thereby generating a unipolar, forward sense, single pulse current output for the generation of optical energy by a gas discharge lamp.

Gas discharge lamp power supply

An apparatus for producing a vacuum arc plasma source device using a low mass, compact inductive energy storage circuit powered by a low voltage DC supply acts as a vacuum arc plasma thruster. An inductor is charged through a switch, subsequently the switch is opened and a voltage spike of Ldi/dt is produced initiating plasma across a resistive path separating anode and cathode. The plasma is subsequently maintained by energy stored in the inductor. Plasma is produced from cathode material, which allows for any electrically conductive material to be used. A planar structure, a tubular structure, and a coaxial structure allow for consumption of cathode material feed and thereby long lifetime of the thruster for long durations of time.

Growing community of inventors

Oakland, CA, United States of America

Mahadevan Krishnan