1. System overview:

This document summarizes essential details for materials, setup, and operation. This is for transcription, archival, and research purposes only. It is based on an old patent and is not intended as a finished product. Operating conditions described require specialized handling and safety precautions, and the descriptions outlined here do not constitute a recommendation or endorsement to build or operate the device. Attempts to replicate or build upon these models are entirely at your own risk.

Source patent:

• Shoulders, Kenneth R. U.S. Patent No. 5,123,039. Issued June 16, 1992.
• Image: Figure 25
• Text: FROM Column 24 line 11 UNTIL Column 26 line 37

1.1. Purpose

Basic Function:
The Launcher example shown in Figure 25 shows a cylindrical line-source EV emitter releasing EVs onto the dielectric tip of the launcher, from where it releases towards a cylindrical guide. This gives an example of how EVs can be encouraged to release themselves from a surface in a specific direction. This seemingly only differs from earlier described generators or cathodes in that the structure of the launcher encourages a specific direction of emission.

Core Behavior:
EVs are generated at relatively low voltage due to close spacing between the circular line-source emitter cathode and counterelectrode, after which this same field leads the EV to the tip of the launcher. At the tip, the field of the dielectric mass and counterelectrode strength of the tubular guide element take over, leading the EV to the guide tube.

Scale & Format:
The EV launcher is mentioned as having a diameter of 0.1 mm at the circular line-emitter end of the cathode, leading to a rough outer diameter of ~0.25 mm and inner hollow diameter of ~0.125 mm.

1.2. Components

Diagram(s):

Parts list:

• The spacing between the launcher tip and the nearest inside surface of the guide member may be 1 millimeter or less.
• The cathode coating on the conically-tipped dielectric should not extend further along the tip than the counterelectrode inside the tip.
• The entire cylindrical composition is merely one (and the only) example of ways in which the principles of a launcher may be applied.

1.3. Behavior

Expected Behavior:
A pointed (222) cylindrical dielectric (218) separates the cathode (226) on the outside from a counterelectrode (224) on the inside, the counterelectrode extending slightly further into the inside of the tip than the cathode, which terminates in a ring around the dielectric tip. When a sufficiently strong negative pulse is applied to the cathode, one or more EVs are emitted from the line-source emitting cathode, which will follow the field effects of the dielectric and counterelectrode to the tip of the dielectric (222). Once an EV arrives at the tip of the launcher, its adhesion to the tip's dielectric surface is weak compared to the field of the negative conical dielectric (230) of the tubular guide structure (220) and the grounding/constant-voltage counterelectrode (228) attracting it in.

Notes:
Aside of just forces attracting/repelling the EV, the propensity of EVs to travel through free space is strongly influenced by the pressure and polarizability of the atmosphere in that free space. In a < 10^-2 Torr atmosphere of mercury or xenon, the EV is supposed to adhere well to the alumina dielectric surface, especially in a groove or tube where it is surrounded by dielectric. At higher pressures (10^-3 torr) of this highly polarizable gas, the gas itself seems to provide some of the same benefits as the dielectric, without the drawback of the EV imparting charge on it that builds up without discharging, from which the EV is eventually repelled. There is a focus on mercury and xenon as gases, which are both strongly polarizable, suggesting that similar properties may be achieved in lighter gasses at higher pressures. It also suggests better surface adhesion may be achieved not just by lowering the gas pressure, but also by using lighter, less polarizable gases.

While the image in the patent is drawn in a way that shows the emitter tip inside the guide tube's negative cone, this is not required. A distance of "1 mm or less" of separation is suggested, and through using better geometries, counterelectrode voltages, or gas pressures, different separation distances may be feasible. A crucial constraint on this is that the EV does not disconnect from the launcher before it arrives at the tip, and that once arriving at the tip, the most attractive path does not lead to the guide tube's counterelectrode (228) outside the guide tube itself.

At the end of the "11. Launchers" section, after discussing only this design as an example, it is mentioned that planar devices serving similar purposes may be made using thin-film methods as well. The short description (without illustration) describes a lithographic process where an anode is formed, a dielectric material such as alumina or diamond-like carbon is coated/deposited on the anode, molybdenum is evaporated onto the dielectric material and treated such that mercury can be applied to it. In these constructions the devices can be operated at even lower voltages: "With dimensions of approximately 1 micrometer thickness for the dielectric base of the generator, an EV may be formed and launched at a potential difference be tween the cathode and anode of the generator of less than 100 volts." (column 26 line 29).

2. Device materials and environment

2.1. Materials

Suggested Materials: All dielectric components should be made of aluminum oxide. The electrodes as mentioned in the patent are all sintered-on silver paste, with the cathode being wetted with mercury.

2.2. Operating Conditions

Electrical:

• Counterelectrodes are presumed to be at 0V, connected to ground
• At <10^-3 Torr, at a separation of 1.0 mm or less, a -500V pulse to the cathode should emit an EV
• At ~10^-2 Torr of mercury or xenon, only a -200V pulse may be needed. Environment:
• For higher-voltage operations, <10^-3 Torr of Hg or Xe.
• For lower-voltage operations, ~10^-2 Torr of Hg or Xe.
• Higher- and lower-voltage operations may be ran at elevated pressures of gas with lower polarizability.

3. Additional information

3.1. Additional information

From column 26:

"While a generally cylindrically symmetric launcher 218 is illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that the launcher technique can be applied to EV generating and manipulating components of any kind. For example, the planar generator and guide illustrated in FIGS. 22-24 may employ the launcher technique to overcome a large gap to a subsequent guide member, for example, particularly when a low voltage is utilized to generate the EV's."

"In general, EV's may be formed and launched at lower voltages if the dimensions of the components are decreased. For low voltage operation, it is desirable to use film coating methods to fabricate the components."

"Although the preferred embodiments of a launcher for EV's have been illustrated and described herein, those skilled in the art will realize that launchers for EV's may be constructed in various other forms."

3.2. Attachments

• FCStd files of Launcher 1 with and without patent image and measurements
• STL file of Launcher 1
• Images of objects for illustration purposes.