Patent attributes
A neutron generator includes a sealed envelope providing a low pressure environment for a gas. One end of the envelope defines an ion source chamber. A target electrode is disposed at the other end of the envelope. An extracting electrode is spaced apart from the target electrode by an accelerating gap. The extracting electrode bounds the ion source chamber. A dispenser cathode electrode and grid electrode are disposed in the ion source chamber for inducing ionization in the ion source chamber. The dispenser cathode electrode, the grid electrode and the extracting electrode operate at a positive high voltage potential and the target electrode operates at or near ground potential. This configuration provides an electric field gradient that accelerates ions towards the target electrode to induce collisions of ions with target material, thereby causing fusion reactions that generate neutrons. High voltage power supply circuit means supplies a positive high voltage signal to the electrodes of the ion source. The positive high voltage signal has a low voltage signal component floating on a positive high voltage signal component. For the dispensing cathode electrode, the low voltage signal component can be a DC or AC signal suitable for emitting electrons from the dispensing cathode electrode. For the grid electrode, the low voltage signal component can be a positive pulsed-mode signal (preferably with magnitude in the range between 100 to 300 volts). High voltage insulation surrounds and electrically insulates the high voltage power supply circuit means. Other ion source electrode configurations, such as cold cathode (Penning) ion source and RF-driven ion source, can also be used.
