A line beam electron gun for rapid thermal processing

Abstract

A line beam electron gun based on the Pierce gun type was developed. The line cathode was realized by a directly heated tungsten rod. The temperature distribution along the tungsten rod was simulated numerically. The simulation shows a flat temperature across 2/3 of the cathode length and it agrees with appropriate measurable parameters. The beam profiles of the electron gun perpendicular to the line direction were examined as a function of electrical and geometrical parameters: The space-charge distribution in front of the cathode was found to be responsible for the shape of the beam profile. The shape of the beam profile is weakly influenced by the acceleration to the anode. The heating current induced voltage drop along the cathode was found to be responsible for the nonuniform emission in line direction. A model for the emission behavior of the line beam electron gun was developed. The model is based on the results of the measurements and on a numerical simulation of the potential distribution in the area between Pierce reflectors and anode. The emission model shows a solution to homogenize the emission by a suitable variation of geometrical parameters in line direction. A linear variation was realized in experiment which enables a uniform emission across 2/3 of the cathode length. The beam profile is adjustable by a bias voltage between the cathode and the Pierce reflectors.