Patent ID: 6891321

Claim:
An electron source, comprising: a vacuum chamber maintaining a vacuum therein, said vacuum chamber having a flange at one end and an anode mounting surface at an opposite end, said vacuum chamber having an electron beam axis extending through said vacuum chamber; an insulated receptacle having a receptacle mounting flange secured to said flange, said receptacle mounting flange having a receptacle surface establishing a lateral plane perpendicular to said electron beam axis; an anode provided within said vacuum chamber, said anode having an anode surface exposed to said vacuum; a cathode provided within said vacuum chamber, said cathode having an emitter with an emitter surface exposed to said vacuum, said anode and cathode being aligned with one another along said electron beam axis; an adapter mounted to said receptacle within said vacuum chamber, said adapter retaining said cathode at a predetermined orientation and position with respect to said electron beam axis; and adjustment members mounted to said adapter, said adjustment members being distributed to move said adapter in five degrees of freedom with respect to said electron beam axis and said lateral plane.