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Intellectual Property Office

Shielded Capacitive Electrode IB-2513

APPLICATIONS OF TECHNOLOGY:

  • High current, high energy accelerators
  • High voltage probes for appliances and electric utility transmission lines
  • Semiconductor chip fabrication
  • Plasma processing
  • Magnetic fusion
  • Monitoring for corona discharge

ADVANTAGES:

  • Accurate and reliable
  • Suppresses “noise” from stray particles and photons

ABSTRACT:

Michel Kireeff Covo of Berkeley Lab has invented a shielded capacitive electrode to measure particle beam potential. The shielded nature of the sensor eliminates the effect of stray ions, electron clouds, and photons that can distort sensor readings. The signal measured with the device is attenuated by as much as 24 times or more compared to an electrode directly coupled to the beam.

The Berkeley Lab sensor is sized and located so it does not interfere with electric field lines induced by the beam potential nor does it become a significant source of secondary electrons. The beam potential produces electric field lines that bend around the sensor box’s opening to couple with an electrode inside, inducing an image charge. The electrode is held at a negative potential relative to the sensor box to repel electrons that either enter the sensor or are generated by beam interactions with the inside walls of the sensor. Further, the electrode inside the sensor box is recessed from the box’s opening to avoid photons or stray particles from reaching the electrode.

STATUS:

  • Patent pending. Available for licensing or collaborative research.

To learn more about licensing a technology from LBNL see http://www.lbl.gov/Tech-Transfer/licensing/index.html.

REFERENCE NUMBER: IB-2513

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