The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 14, 1986
Filed:
Apr. 08, 1985
Jerg B Jergenson, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Hughes Aircraft Company, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
A process for preparing a liquid metal ion source structure, preferably made from graphite, so that it may be wetted with boron-containing alloys. The process first involves the coating the source structure with elemental boron. The boron is preferably furnished as boron powder in a liquid carrier which may then be coated onto the surface of the source structure substrate. The coated structure is heated for a short time to a temperature whereat the source structure substrate and boron form a liquid layer at the surface of the substrate to 'boronize' the substrate. The final wetted source structure is achieved by mixing a small amount of free boron powder with the alloy to be ion evaporated (also in powdered form), coating the previously boronized source structure with this mixture and heating the contacted boron-augmented source alloy and source structure to a temperature of at least the solidus temperature of the source alloy, at which point the source structure is wetted. Once wetted, a flow of source alloy toward the emitter tip of the source structure can be established during operation of the ion source. Prior boronizing may be omitted for some boron carbide source structures.