US 11,937,361 B1
Annular hollow cathode
Michael McDonald, Springfield, VA (US); and Marcel Georgin, Washington, DC (US)
Assigned to The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Feb. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/668,344.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/148,199, filed on Feb. 11, 2021.
Int. Cl. H05H 1/48 (2006.01); B64G 1/40 (2006.01); H05H 1/34 (2006.01)
CPC H05H 1/481 (2021.05) [H05H 1/3442 (2021.05); B64G 1/405 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cathode emitter assembly including:
a cathode tube having a gas feed portion configured to receive a gas and a plasma outflow portion configured to discharge plasma;
at least one cathode insert in the plasma outflow portion of the cathode tube; and
at least one plasma emission channel extending about the at least one cathode insert within the cathode tube; wherein the cathode emitter assembly is configured to form the plasma within the at least one plasma emission channel such that gas enters a first end of the at least one plasma emission channel and plasma exits a second end of the at least one plasma emission channel.