Optimized design of 3D electron devices

Calabazas Creek Research, Inc. (CCR) and North Carolina State University (NCSU) are funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to develop optimization techniques for designing complex, 3D devices. Work is in progress to design a sheet beam electron device with a non-periodic magnetic field and a doubly convergent multiple beam electron gun. The sheet beam research is using optimization to develop iron structures to locally modify the magnetic field to prevent curling of the beam edges. The multiple beam gun research is using optimally shaped surfaces and directional beam launching to avoid beam spiraling and preserve the beam shape as it is compressed about its local axis and the axis of the device by electrostatic and magnetostatic fields. Results from this research are presented as well as a brief description of the optimization techniques.