Patent ID: 7223914
Filing Date: 2007-05-29
Classification: H01L,H01M,H02N,H02S,Y02E,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A gas-phase-reactant-pulsed electric generator, comprising: an emitter having at least a reaction surface, the emitter operable to emit hot electrons in pulses into the reaction surface to initiate chemical reactions, a reaction region surrounding the emitter operable to contain the chemical reactions initiated on the reaction surface, the chemical reactions producing highly vibrationally excited products; and a collector near the reaction region, the collector comprising at least a conductor whose first surface is in contact with a reaction region that is completely or partly enclosed by the first surface and whose second surface is in contact with a semiconductor, the thickness of the conductor from the first surface to the second surface being sufficiently thin to permit hot electrons emitted from highly vibrationally excited products to the conductor to travel through the conductor into the semiconductor, charging the semiconductor to a useful forward bias that is converted into electrical energy.