摘要:
A system and method for producing a continuous or pulsed source of high energy electrons at or near atmospheric pressure is disclosed. High energy electrons are used to ionize analyte molecules in ambient air through collisions with reactant ions. The device includes an electron emitter, electron optics, and a thin membrane in an evacuated tube. The electron emitter may include a photocathode surface mounted on an optically transparent window and an external source of UV photons. The transparent window may include a UV transparent window mounted on an evacuated tube and/or the evacuated tube may be a transparent tube on which a photocathode surface film is deposited. The electron optics may include successive electrodes biased at increasing voltages. The membrane may include a material transparent or semi-transparent to energetic electrons. Upon impacting the membrane, continuous or pulsed electron packets are partially transmitted through to a high pressure ionization region.
摘要:
A fast switching device employing at least two semiconductor p-n junction devices in a back-to-back arrangement with the voltage which is to be switched applied across the semiconductor devices. If the output is to be a replica of the switched voltage, the latter is also applied to control an electron beam which irradiates one or both semiconductor devices when the switch is to be closed. A square-wave output can be produced by utilizing an electron beam which is not proportional to the switched voltage but is simply turned on and off in synchronism with it and has a constant value when it is on.