Patent Number: 043354653
Section: claims

1. An apparatus for producing and accelerating electrons and ions under the application of a voltage, said apparatus comprising: 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said voltage supply means supplies a potential to said electrodes which is inversely proportional to the cube of the product of the gas pressure and the distance between said electrodes. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 or 1, wherein said electrodes are planar and parallel with respect to each other. 4. The apparatus of claim 2 or 1 wherein said means defining at least one aperture defines at least two apertures in each of said electrodes, said apertures being aligned to define at least two convergent gas-discharge paths. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 or 1 wherein there is provided a trigger means connected to at least two electrodes for time wise triggering said spark-like gas-discharge. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 or 1 wherein one of said electrodes is an anode and another is a cathode. 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein additional electrodes are provided with the cathode separating said additional electrodes from said anode and a negative voltage supply means connected to said additional electrodes for the purpose of accelerating ions flowing from said anode towards said cathode. 8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein additional electrodes are provided with the anode separating said additional electrodes from said cathode and a positive voltage supply means connected to said additional electrodes for the purpose of accelerating said electrons flowing from said cathode towards said anode. 9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein adjacent said anode there is provided a chamber filled with low pressure gas, said chamber including a holder means for supporting a work piece for treatment. 10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein adjacent the anode there is provided a terminal electrode means, having a small outflow opening, for constricting the electron flow. 11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein additional electrodes are provided adjacent the cathode and have a potential applied thereto equal to that of an electrode in the center area of the accelerator such that an extensively neutral particle flow is produced. 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the neutral particle flow is utilized in an ion-rocket and means are provided for electrically neutralizing said ions prior to their exit from the ion-rocket engine. 13. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein adjacent said cathode there is provided a chamber for the containing of a material which produces neutrons under the application of ions traveling along said spark-like gas-discharge path. 14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there is additionally provided means for mounting target material along said spark-like gas-discharge path, for releasing the heat of thermo-nuclear fusion. 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein a plurality of particle accelerators are arranged around a covered spherical bowl such that a central point in said spherical bowl is along the gas-discharge paths of each particle accelerator and a target means is provided at the central point of the spherical bowl, said target being covered by thin metallic skin. 16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said gas becomes luminous during said spark-like gas-discharge. 17. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein adjacent said anode, there is located a means for emitting X-ray beams when bombarded with electrons. 18. A method for producing and accelerating ions and electrons in response to an applied voltage, said method comprising the steps of: 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the pressure of said ionizable gas is on the order of 0.5 mbar. 20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the spacing between adjacent ones of said plural spaced electrodes is approximately one mm. 21. The method according to claim 18, wherein said spark-like gas discharge has a duration of only a few nanoseconds. 22. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure of the ionizable gas is approximately 0.5 mbar. 23. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spacing between said at least two spaced electrodes is approximately 1 mm.