Submicron fusion devices, methods and systems
View Patent ↗Methods, apparatus, devices, and systems for creating, controlling, conducting, and optimizing fusion activities of nuclei. In particular, the present inventions relate to, 5 among other things, fusion activities that are conducted individually or collectively on a very small scale, preferably on the nano-scale or smaller such as pico to femto scales, for the utilization of energy produced from these activities in smaller devices and for aggregation into larger devices.
1. A system for enhancing electron screening comprising:
an electrically conductive base structure, the base structure including light element atoms and containing free electrons; and
a source of electromagnetic (EM) radiation applied to the base structure, the EM radiation having an excitation frequency, wherein the base structure is configured such that:
in response to the EM radiation, the free electrons oscillate between at least two localized regions of the base structure; and
the oscillation generates periodic charge density variations around a portion of the light element atoms that are disposed in the at least two localized regions.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the oscillation includes a plasmon oscillation.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the source of EM radiation comprises one or more of a laser, a diode, an electron generator, a voltage generator, a microwave generator, a radio wave generator, or a magnetron.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the excitation frequency is at least about 1 GHz.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the base structure comprises a nanostructure.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the source of EM radiation is configured to generate EM radiation having a wavelength of from about 10 microns to about 0.1 micron.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the source of EM radiation is configured to generate EM radiation having X-ray or gamma ray wavelengths.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the base structure includes at least one electrode having a tapering section and a tip, the tip being proximate to a discontinuity.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the discontinuity is configured as a knife edge, an annular knife edge, disposed at the tip.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the source of EM radiation is configured to operate at a power that is generally less than about 1 mW per discontinuity.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the base structure comprises a discontinuity.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the discontinuity comprises a shape that is at least partially generally circular, square, rectangular, elliptical, tubular, or pointed.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the discontinuity comprises a nanostructure.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the discontinuity is coated with a coating material to enhance or facilitate a flow of electrons along its surface.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the coating material is a gold, copper, silver or other conducting material.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the discontinuity has an area of about of about 10 nm 2 or less.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the base structure comprises two or more discontinuities.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the base structure comprises an array of discontinuities.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the array of discontinuities is coupled to at least one substrate arranged on a support structure.
20. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the base structure is coated with a coating material to enhance or facilitate a flow of electrons along its surface.
21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the coating material is a gold, copper, silver or other conducting material.
22. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light element atoms have an atomic mass of 62 or less.
23. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the base structure is configured to exhibit a ratio of light element atoms to other atoms of at least 2 to 1.
24. The system of claim 1 , wherein light element atoms include one or more of hydrogen-1, deuterium, boron-11, lithium-6, lithium-7, deuterium, tritium, helium-3, nitrogen-15 and tritium.
25. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the base structure comprises one or more of palladium, tungsten, boron hydride, titanium, tantalum.
26. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the base structure comprises one or more getter materials.
27. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more antenna structures.
28. The system of claim 27 , wherein said one or more antenna structures comprise a first structure and a second metal structure respectively located on opposite sides of said base structure.
29. The system of claim 1 , wherein the source of EM radiation is configured to operate at a power between about 1 mW and 10 mW.
30. The system of claim 1 , wherein electron screening substantially offsets or reduces the effect of the Coulomb barrier between nuclei of the light element atoms.
31. The system of claim 30 , wherein the oscillating free electrons, create an electric field greater than about 10 8 volts/meter at a location proximate to the two localized regions and provides localized compression by ponderomotive forces that induces a fusion reaction between nuclei of at least a portion of the light element atoms.
32. An apparatus for enhancing electron screening comprising:
an electrically conductive base structure, the base structure including light element atoms and free electrons;
the base structure being configured such that, when subjected to applied electromagnetic (EM) radiation, having an excitation frequency:
in response to the applied EM radiation, the free electrons oscillate between at least two localized regions of the base structure; and
the oscillation generates periodic charge density variations around a portion of the light element atoms that are disposed in the at least two localized regions.
33. The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein the base structure comprises a nanostructure.
34. The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein electron screening substantially offsets or reduces the effect of the Coulomb barrier between nuclei of the light element atoms.
35. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the oscillating free electrons creates an electric field greater than about 10 8 volts/meter at a location proximate to the two localized regions and provides localized compression by ponderomotive forces that induces a fusion reaction between nuclei of at least a portion of the light element atoms.