Vacuum encapsulated, high temperature diamond amplified cathode capsule and method for making same

1. A method for fabricating a diamond amplified cathode capsule for generating an electron beam of secondary electrons, the method comprising:

providing a cathode element having a primary emission surface adapted to emit primary electrons;

providing an annular insulating spacer;

providing a diamond window element comprising a diamond material and having a secondary emission surface adapted to emit secondary electrons in response to primary electrons impinging on the diamond window element;

stacking a first high-temperature solder blank between the diamond element and the annular insulating spacer;

heating the first high-temperature solder blank under vacuum to form a weld between the diamond element and the annular insulating spacer thereby forming a welded diamond element and annular insulating spacer sub-unit;

stacking a second high temperature solder blank between the cathode element and the welded diamond element and annular insulating spacer sub-unit;

sealing off the diamond element from the second high temperature solder blank; and

heating the second high temperature solder blank under vacuum to form a weld between the cathode element and the welded diamond element and annular insulating spacer sub-unit, thereby forming a vacuum encapsulated, diamond amplified cathode capsule with a hermitically sealed chamber defined therein,

wherein the diamond element is protected from out gassing from the second high temperature solder blank during said second heating due to said sealing off of the diamond element.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising coating interface surfaces of the cathode element, the annular insulating spacer and the diamond window element with a metallic wetting material, the metallic wetting material being in contact with the first and second solder weld blanks to promote atomic adhesion therebetween.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 , wherein the metallic wetting material is coated on the interface surfaces by a vacuum sputtering process.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein providing the diamond window element comprises:

forming a diamond base;

metalizing one face of the diamond base;

vacuum sputtering a wetting material on an outer peripheral rim of the diamond base to form a wetting material coated diamond base;

cleaning the coated diamond base through abrasion; and

etching the coated diamond base.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the cathode element comprises a photo-sensitive material such that the cathode element forms a photocathode element.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the welded diamond element and annular insulating spacer sub-unit is loaded in an alignment locking mechanism prior to said second heating, the lock mechanism including a sealing element for sealing the diamond element during said second heating.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 , wherein the welded diamond element and insulating spacer sub-unit is retained within a clamp member of the alignment locking mechanism, the clamp member further providing a heat sink for preventing the weld between the diamond element and the annular insulating spacer from melting during said second heating.

8. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first and said second high temperature solder blanks are heated to about 370° C.