Mercury releasing getter devices employing intermetallic compounds of mercury with zirconium and/or titanium such as Zr.sub.3 Hg and Ti.sub.3 Hg related compositions of matter and uses thereof to charge electron tubes with mercury.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 78,839 filed Oct. 7, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,589.
A device for releasing water vapor in electron tubes comprises a holder and a water vapor releasing material carried by said holder. In one embodiment the water vapor releasing material is a hydroxide or hydrated oxide of a metallic element in combination with a binder. In another embodiment it is hydrated alumina.
A mercury-dispensing combination suitable to release an amount of mercury higher than 60% during the activation step, even after partial oxidation, includes a mercury-dispensing intermetallic compound A with Hg and a second metal selected among Ti, Zr and mixtures thereof, as well as a promoting alloy or intermetallic compound B including Cu and a second metal selected among Sn, In or Ag or combinations thereof. There is also disclosed a mercury-dispensing device containing a combination of materials A and B, in addition to a process for introducing mercury into electron tubes consisting in the introduction of one of said devices inside the open tube and then heating thereof at a temperature between 550.degree. and 900.degree. C. after the tube sealing in order to get Hg free.
A mercury-dispensing device is disclosed that includes a mercury dispenser having the formula Ti.sub.x Zr.sub.y Hg.sub.z in which x and y are between 0 and 13, inclusive, the quantity x+y is between 3 and 13, inclusive, and z is 1 or 2; and a promoter that comprises copper, silicon and possibly a third metal selected among the transition elements. A getter material selected among titanium, zirconium, tantalum, niobium, vanadium and mixtures thereof, and alloys of these metals with nickel, iron or aluminum can be included in the device. The mercury dispense, promoter and optional getter material are provided preferably in the form of powders compressed as a pellet, or contained in a ring-shaped metallic support or rolled on the surfaces of a metallic strip. Also disclosed is a process for introducing mercury into electron tubes by making use of the above-mentioned mercury-dispensing devices.
A mercury-dispensing device is disclosed that includes a mercury dispenser having the formula Ti.sub.x Zr.sub.y Hg.sub.z in which x and y are between 0 and 13, inclusive, the quantity x+y is between 3 and 13, inclusive, and z is 1 or 2; and a promoter that comprises copper, silicon and possibly a third metal selected among the transition elements. A getter material selected among titanium, zirconium, tantalum, niobium, vanadium and mixtures thereof, and alloys of these metals with nickel, iron or aluminum can be included in the device. The mercury dispenser, promoter and optional getter material are provided preferably in the form of powders compressed as a pellet, or contained in a ring-shaped metallic support or rolled on the surfaces of a metallic strip. Also disclosed is a process for introducing mercury into electron tubes by making use of the above-mentioned mercury-dispensing devices.
A mercury dispensing device is disclosed that includes a mercury dispenser having the formula Ti.sub.x Zr.sub.y Hg.sub.z in which x and y are between 0 and 13, inclusive, the quantity x+y is between 3 and 13, inclusive, and z is 1 or 2; and a promoter that comprises copper, silicon and possibly a third metal selected among the transition elements. A getter material selected among titanium, zirconium, tantalum, niobium, vanadium and mixtures thereof, and alloys of these metals with nickel, iron or aluminum can be included in the device. The mercury dispenser, promoter and optional getter material are provided preferably in the form of powders compressed as a pellet, or contained in a ring-shaped metallic support or rolled on the surfaces of a metallic strip. Also disclosed is a process for introducing mercury into electron tubes by making use of the above-mentioned mercury-dispensing devices.
