Cascade voltage amplifier and method of activating cascaded electron tubes

1. A cascade voltage amplifier for producing an amplified output in pulse or continuous wave form, comprising:

a) at least one non-final stage comprising an electron tube configured as a switching and Class A or C amplifying means; and

b) a final stage comprising an electron tube configured as a switching and Class A or C amplifying means; and

c) the at least one non-final stage and the final stage being connected in series; and

d) the amplified output having a voltage of at least 1000 volts.

2. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-final stage and the final stage are physically contained within a common vacuum enclosure.

3. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-final stage and the final stage consist of three stages.

4. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-final stage and the final stage consist of four stages.

5. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 1 , wherein:

a) each stage includes a cylindrical outer electrode encircling at least one concentric cylindrical grid which, in turn, encircles a concentric cylindrical inner electrode;

b) the radial spacing from the cylindrical inner electrode to the cylindrical grid is such as to create therebetween a circular waveguide supporting transverse electromagnetic mode;

c) each non-final stage includes a linking structure for electrically joining, and being the primary mechanical support for, the outer electrode of said each non-final stage and the inner electrode of a subsequent stage; the linking structure having first and second ends and comprising:

i. an electrical interconnection included between the first and second ends;

ii. the first end including means for supporting the outer electrode of the foregoing stage;

the second end including means for supporting the inner electrode of the subsequent stage; and

iv. a common vacuum enclosure for all stages.

6. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 5 , wherein the at least one non-final stage and the final stage each includes a cold cathode field emission electron tube.

7. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 5 , wherein the linking structure of each non-final tube is an integral and gaplessly continuous structure.

8. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 5 , wherein the electrical interconnection comprises an electrical transmission line.

9. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 5 , wherein the final stage includes a linking structure for electrically joining, and being the primary mechanical support for, the outer electrode of said final stage and external circuitry; the linking structure having first and second ends and comprising:

a) an electrical transmission line included between the first and second ends;

b) the first end including means for supporting the outer electrode of the foregoing stage; and

c) the second end including means for connecting to external circuitry.

10. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 9 , wherein the linking structure of each non-final stage is an integral and gaplessly continuous structure.

11. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 5 , wherein the outer electrodes are anodes and the inner electrodes are cathodes.

12. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 5 , wherein the outer electrodes are cathodes and the inner electrodes are anodes.

13. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 5 , wherein the number of non-final stages is two.

14. The cascade voltage amplifier of claim 5 , wherein the number of non-final stages is three.

15. A method of activating a plurality of cascaded electron tube stages within a common vacuum enclosure, the method comprising:

a) interconnecting the plurality of cascaded electron tube stages in series, from a non-final stage to a final stage, in such a manner that in each non-final stage an electrode is connected to an electrode of a subsequent stage by a respective electrical interconnection line;

b) at least one of said respective electrical interconnection lines comprising a linking structure for electrically joining, and being the primary mechanical support for, an electrode of a previous stage with an electrode of a subsequent stage;

c) placing the plurality of cascaded electron tube stages within the vacuum enclosure and exhausting air from the enclosure, and

d) providing electrical voltage between a cathode and an anode of a first serially-connected stage so as to supply electrical energy to the first stage; a sufficient amount of said energy serially propagating through any intervening stage to the final stage so as to facilitate activation of all tube stages.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said providing electrical voltage between the cathode and the anode of the first serially-connected stage provides sufficient energy to cause activation of all stages.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the entire length of each linking structure forms an electrical transmission line.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein said electron tubes are cold cathode field emission electron tubes.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the electrical interconnection line comprises an electrical transmission line.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of cascaded electron tube stages is three in number.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of cascaded electron tube stages is four in number.