Glow-discharge-created electron beams: Cathode materials, electron gun designs, and technological applications

Abstract

The operating characteristics of glow-discharge-created electron beams are discussed. Ten different cathode materials are compared with regard to maximum electron beam current achieved and the beam generation efficiency as measured calorimetrically. Specific electron gun designs are presented for a variety of applications that include: cw ion laser excitation; electron beam assisted chemical vapor deposition of microelectronic films; and wide area annealing of ion-implantation damage to silicon substrates. The use of sintered metal-ceramic (e.g., Mo-Al2O3) cathodes to generate multikilowatt electron beams in a pure noble gas discharge is reported. Cathode materials with high secondary electron emission coefficients by ion bombardment allow for electron beam production in glow discharges at 50%–80% generation efficiency values.