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:
Apr. 19, 2011
Filed:
Sep. 24, 2008
Hans Juergen Walitzki, Portland, OR (US);
Hans Juergen Walitzki, Portland, OR (US);
Borealis Technical Limited, , GI;
Abstract
A thermionic converter is disclosed comprising a single or multiple hot (emitter) and cold (collector) electrodes mounted side-by-side on a single substrate and a static electrostatic field for guiding electron from the emitter to the collector. The thermal path between emitter and collector electrodes is interrupted by cuts or trenches, and electrical connections to the electrodes are routed over a meander-like, high thermal resistance pathway cut into the substrate to further reduce thermal loss. In one embodiment, there is an Avto metal surface texture of nanoscale indents on one or more of the electrodes to lower a work function. A method for fabricating the monolithic thermionic converter is further disclosed.