Wingate Lambertson: WIN Cell

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**Wingate A. LAMBERTSON**

**"E-Dam" ( WIN Cells )**

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[**Wingate A. Lambertson and
His WIN Cells**](#nenews)[**Notes from Jerry Decker (KeelyNet)**](#keelynet)[**Letter from Dr. Wingate Lamberson**](#letter)[**The Cermet of Wingate Lambertson**](#cermet)[**Dr. Brian O'Leary & Stephen
Kaplan : Miracle in the Void: The New Energy Revolution**](#miracle)**[Wingate Lambertson (1920-2010)](#wingate)** [**Remembering energy inventor
Dr. Lambertson**](#Remembering)[**US3467745 : Method of Forming Hot
Pressed Refractory Carbide Bodies having Shaped Cavities**](#US3467745)[**US3205465 : Thermistor assembly**](#US3205465)[**CA661137 : Semi-Conductor Devices**](#CA661137_)

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***New Energy News* Vol. 6 (# 1), p. 1 (October 1966)**

**Wingate A. Lambertson and His WIN Cells**

Win Lambertson, who has a PhD in ceramic engineering, indicates
that he and his E-dam (energy-dam) technology, which he has
cultivated and developed over the years, are alive and well. Win
states that he has been very focused on E-dam circuits over the
last 2 years, and has learned a great deal about semi-conductor
switching circuits in this time frame.

The development and goal of this invention was to extract
energy from the vacuum continuum and began in December, 1972. At
that time, Win placed a conical shaped crystal in a DC magnetic
field from which energy was extracted via a coil of wire.

He borrowed a precision multimeter for his measurements and
promptly fried this multimeter. (Win recalls that he has blown
many multimeters over the years.) Work to improve the efficiency
of this crystal circuit did not begin until 1976, when it was
discovered that removal of the crystal resulted in only a 20
percent reduction of the total energy output. (Win states that
the energy could actually be felt physically.)

Win saw no point in continuing crystal studies if it only added
20 percent to the total energy measured. Win then developed a
ceramic material to convert the ultra-high frequency energy of
the vacuum to a lower frequency energy easily handled by
conventional electronic circuits.

Since that time, a metal has been added to the ceramic making
it a 'cermet', but the original concept of this material has
remained the same, which concept is to collect energy from the
vacuum, store it in the cermet, and then release it to a load
for utlization. The term E-dam was coined to reflect this
concept.

It was originally surmised that the energy for the E-dams was
coming from the aether. Later, it was assumed to be coming from
neutrinos. This hypothesis was then changed to one in which the
3 degree Kelvin background radiation of the universe was the
source.

His current theory is that the energy photons emerging from the
vacuum continuum. In other words, Win has come full circle back
to his original aether theory as the source for the energy of
the E-dams.

The original crystal circuit slowly began to evolve. Initially,
the two electromagnets in the original circuit were replaced
with two bar magnets and then these bar magnets were eventually
eliminated.

The voltages evolved from initially 15 volts DC up to a maximum
of 15,000 volts DC. A spark gap was added to develop high
current, high voltage spikes. At 15,000 volts, Win began to
observe in his garage one summer small, blue electric arcs
moving across his work bench surface. These were as much as
three feet long.

After that observation, the voltage was reduced because of the
danger of sharing his working surface with the high voltage
arcs. A resistance was also added to the circuit to slow down
the electric charge across the arc. Neighbors from a block away
were making snide comments about the noise.

After reviewers charged that the resistor measurements were in
error because of phase angle changes, the load was changed to
many 100 watt incandescent lamps in parallel, following the
example of Dr. T.H. Moray.

Even with 100 lamps in parallel, the lamps would burn out. (100
lamps X 100 Watts each = 10,000 Watts) These lamps were then
replaced with 100 ohm wire wound resistors. These resistors too
would burn out, but it was difficult to know when they had
failed. The next change was to go to industrial eight foot
fluorescent lamps which lasted less than a week. His present
load is a bank of 400 watt H.I.D. mercury lamps, and these have
held up well.

The spark gap switching was abandoned and the change was made
to a MOSFET switching system. This has since been upgraded to
the use of high current IGBT's. In May of 1994, Win Lambertson
presented his results to date on his E-dam circuits at the 2nd
ISNE (International Symposium on New Energy) conference. For
this symposium, Win had calculated a 965 percent over-unity
efficiency.

Later in the summer of 1994, independent testing was conducted
by two electrical engineers, Toby Grotz and Robert Emmerich, on
a similar circuit utilizing solid state switching and E-dams,
which were made to Win Lambertson's specifications.

This testing resulted in the identification of an anomaly in
the test setup, which anomaly was unassociated with the E-dams.

Subsequent studies by Toby Grotz into 1995 of other circuit
variables yielded a better understanding of the anomaly. Later,
in 1996, Toby Grotz applied for an SBIR (Small Business
Innovation Research) grant from the DOE (Department of Energy)
to further research and develop a product based on this
anomalous phenomena.

At the start of 1994 and before the 2nd ISNE conference, Win
was using MOSFETs to switch voltages less than 500 volts in his
E-dam circuits. Today, with the assistance of Walter Rosenthal,
Win has changed over to IGBTs which can switch at voltages up to
1700 volts DC and with currents above 30 amperes.

Win states that he expects to sell his invention later this
year and begin working on the history of the WIN (World into
Neutrinos) process around which this invention is based.

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**Notes from Jerry Decker (KeelyNet)**

I had the good fortune to attend the 2nd ISNE conference and
meet Dr. Lambertson. He hosted a workshop where he passed around
a sample of the cells. I examined it closely, it looked like a
thin Oreo cookie with one wire attached to each outside cermet
and a very thin rubbery material between the two cermets that
looked like RTV silicone.

I speculated to Dr. Lambertson that it could be that he used
ground up quartz or other crystals mixed with the RTV and
secreted between the two cermet discs. Thus by shock exciting
the cermets, a combined piezoelectric discharge might yield more
energy than it took to produce the shock. Dr. Lamberson said
he'd rather not discuss this as he was in process of filing a
patent.

Also at the conference it was discussed how the 100 watt
tungsten filament light bulbs he'd been using kept blowing out
and his wife was upset because he kept using them up. The cause
was believed to be the crystal nature of the tungsten metal
which would fracture and break the filament under the impress of
the high energy discharges being extracted from the aether.

Many of these cells were stacked into columns to increase the
overall power output. The excess energy would come from the
coupling of high intensity, short duration electrical discharges
with the ambient aether/zpe field.

He was a very nice fellow and shared more information about his
discovery than most inventors do, however it is now 2001 and
below is an article from the Space Energy Association newsletter
on September 2000 that you might find of additional interest.

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**Letter from Dr. Wingate Lamberson**

August 9th, 2000   
To: Friends of WIN energy   
From: Win Lambertson   
Subject: Load Study

**Introduction ~**

In my May, 2000 Progress Report I told how I came to understand
the lack of certification of my method. The problem lay in the
electrical measurements that were unable to measure radiant
energy output when no current was moving through the tank
circuit. The solution seemed simple enough. I would substitute a
non-inductive resistance for the lamp load.

**Load Description ~**

For the past eight years my load has consisted of 400-watt
H.I.D. mercury lamps. I started with four in series and
gradually dropped down to one. The major problem that this load
has given me has been its change in resistance with power input.
Figure 1 shows a plot of ohms resistance versus watts.

The hypothesis of my method is that zero-point energy, ZPE, is
collected through the acceleration of an electron charge. The
highest rate of acceleration is achieved with the lowest
resistance.

In a normal series of experiments I would collect data at 0.5,
1.0 and 1.5 DC amperes input. My highest yields were always
found using the lowest current. If the current were much lower
than 0.5 amperes the arc would quench and terminate the
experiment.

The method utilizes a pulsating DC current that shows up as an
alternating current on a digital multimeter. It shows up on the
oscilloscope as a series of square waves. This results from the
IGBT switching system that operates in either the fully closed
or fully open position.

Electrons are knocked out of the mercury vapor atoms to form
ions and the electrons fall back into the ions to form atoms
when the switch opens. Falling back into their orbital results
in the emission of light photons that are measured using 12
photocells mounted around the outside of the lamp in a light
box.

Energy is collected from the vacuum on the electrical charge as
it moves through a collector called an 'E-dam' after the
hydro-electric dam analogy. It was evident that more light came
from the lamp in an alternating current than in a direct
current.

Therefore, it was possible to calibrate the photocells using a
direct current. In the most recent certification attempt, a low
resistance E-dam was used and it was found that the lamp was
collecting ZPE without any contribution from the E-dam. This
action was confirmed in an independent study by Toby Grotz. He
estimated that the total gas discharge ballast market of 275
million units per year could be replaced and cut the power
consumption in half.

My goal is to utilize vacuum energy in all energy applications,
not just in lighting, so I had to study energy collection in a
different type load. A non-inductive resistance load seemed to
be a simple substitute. Energy is lost as heat and heat is
generated only when the charge is moving through the load.

Radio Shack 8 ohm, 20-watt non-inductive resistors were used to
make up the load. These were mounted in eight sets of three in
parallel. The total array had a resistance of 24 ohms with a 480
watt capability. The resistance versus power input curve is
shown in Figure 2 (not shown on my source material).

A total of eight thermistors were mounted in series on the
resistor surfaces with one on each cell. These are calibrated
using a DC current, allowing enough time for the surface
temperature to stabilize. Instead of photocells measuring light
photons, varistor temperature is utilized and measured as
resistance to indicate energy being lost to the garage air.

**E-dam Design ~**

It was clear from my lamp studies that I had to go up in E-dam
resistance in order to collect energy from the vacuum. A new
design was developed based on a pyramid shaped crystal as shown
in Figure 3. This goes back to some early information collected
in 1973. The crystal shown was an attempt to start with a 1/4"
base, optimize it and then go up in size and number of crystals
to increase the power collected.

Details of the overall E-dam must be withheld in this paper in
order to maximize the number of possible claims in the patent
application. It is important for the reader to realize that even
though the basic concept may remain the same; each final design
will be different and will probably change over the years as our
knowledge of materials is enhanced.

To my surprise, the change in loads did not work out as
expected. The first yield was 85 percent, which of course, is
impossible. This meant that some of the energy input was going
through the load without doing any work. Adjusting the circuit
brought it up to 116 percent before I stopped my bench work to
write this paper. The next few days are needed to prepare for
making a videotape of the method.

**Marketing Plan ~**

Individuals interested in marketing my method have requested a
videotape and certification of my method before getting into a
sales negotiation. My time availability has made it necessary to
do the videotape as the next step. Our son, Larry, will be here
over August 14th to 19th and do the videotaping for us. All
funding finders should request a copy of the videotape as soon
as they need it.

 Anyone who needs a certification immediately should feel
free to send in his own certifier at his expense with one-week
notice for scheduling. Otherwise, I will schedule my own
certifier as soon as I feel that I have had enough time to
optimize my circuit.

Wingate A. Lambertson, Ph.D.   
August 9, 2000

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[**http://www.xontek.com/Advanced\_Technology/Alternative\_Energy/Cold\_Fusion/Science\_of\_Free\_Energy-part\_3\_of\_3.shtml**](http://www.xontek.com/Advanced_Technology/Alternative_Energy/Cold_Fusion/Science_of_Free_Energy-part_3_of_3.shtml)

**THE CERMET OF WINGATE LAMBERTSON**

In Florida, Wingate Lambertson, Ph.D., lights a row of lamps in
his garage using what he says is electricity taken from the
energy of space. It took years for Lambertson, a former director
of Kentucky's Science and Technology Commission, to overcome his
academic skepticism about claims that you could get something
for nothing yet energy freely available from space could be
tapped for useful work.

After getting his doctorate from Rutgers University, Lambertson
works for United States Steel in Chicago before going into the
United States Navy. After going back to Rutgers for more
postgraduate work, he joined Argonne National Laboratory, where
he worked on nuclear fuel technology.

Then Lambertson discovered the large body of space-energy
literature that has been written by researchers in the field.
Eventually, he came to believe that something similar to an
nether - the basic stuff Of the universe discussed in Chapter
Could exist, and that where collected, it could be used to make
electricity.

After more than two decades of research and experimentation,
Lambertson is certain that space energy can be turned into a
practical power source through a process he calls World Into
Neutrinos (WIN). He envisions it being engineered into units
that will probably be set outside the home on a small concrete
pad, like central air conditioning units are now, and wired into
the home's master electric switchbox. The price? About $3,000
for either sale or lease cheaper than buying or leasing a car.

**The WIN Process and Cermet ~**

The most important part of the WIN process is Lambertson's
E-dam, and the most interesting component in the E-dam is
cermet. Cermet is a heat-resistant ceramic-and-metal composite
invented in 1948 and considered by NASA for rocket nozzles and
jet-engine turbine blades. Lambertson, who spent almost his
entire career working with advanced ceramics, is experimenting
to develop the best cermet for his device. The E-dam contains a
plate of cermet formed into a round spacer about three inches in
diameter, sandwic hed between metal plates of the same size.

The process starts with an electrical charge basically, a
stream of electrons from a standard power supply. The charge
flows into the E-dam, where it is held in the cermet: "It stores
electrons like a [regular] dam stores water," Lambertson says.
When the dam is opened, the electrons are released. As they
accelerate, the falling electrons gain energy from the space
energy that is present in the E-dam. This gain in energy is what
allows the device to put out more power than it takes in.

The current of electrons then flows into the device to be
powered, such as a lamp, and then moves into another E-dam for
recycling. Lambertson says there is no way for the process to
become dangerous - if too much power were generated, the E-dams
would overheat, shutting down the system.

For years, Lambertson was more interested in proving that the
process gained energy than in the actual amount of energy
gained, since he thought scaling up the process to higher
efficiencies would be a relatively simple engineering problem.
When his first of three patent applications was rejected, he saw
it as a blessing because it forced him to study the space-energy
literature more carefully. By the fall of 1994, he had improved
the process to the point where it put out twice as much energy
as it started with.

**Lambertson Finds Help ~**

Meanwhile, Lamberston was having a frustrating time in trying
to find funding and marketing help. Responses to his proposals
usually fell into one of two categories:

"This will not work, your calculations are in error."

"You get it working and free of all technical problems, and we
will take it off your hands."

He learned, as have other inventors in this book, that it's a
waste of time to try to convince people of the validity of one's
claims when those people don't want to listen. But he did find
support in 1987, when he spoke at a new-energy conference in
Germany. There, he found people who saw the need for his
invention and agreed to market it when the WIN process is
perfected.

Lambertson says that he now has active associates in
Switzerland, in addition to interest shown by the United States
Navy. Three different groups have shown interest in taking over
and developing the WIN method.

Wingate A. Lambertson, Ph.D. believes you can power your home
on space energy. Lambertson, an inventor from Florida, has
developed a device he believes will tap the energy freely
available in space. After earning his doctorate from Rutgers
University, Lambertson went to work for US Steel before
enlisting in the Navy, where he taught explosive ordnance. After
going back to Rutgers for post-graduate work he joined the
Argonne National Laboratory to work on nuclear fuel technology.

Once the public learns... it will be like taking the genie out
of the bottle.

Lambertson, the former director of Kentucky's Science and
Technology Commission, admits that he was skeptical about space
energy and that it took time for him to overcome that
skepticism. He now believes, however, that space energy is real
and that it can be tapped for useful purposes. He describes
zero-point energy this way: "Zero-Point Energy is energy from
the vacuum continuum and is responsible for gravity, inertia,
the Lamb Shift and the Casimir force (1,2). It is essentially
inexhaustible and has no polluting byproducts." (3)

Lambertson has been working working for over two decades on an
energy collecting process he calls "World Into Neutrinos (WIN)"
when he thought that neutrinos were his source. He went through
three other concepts before arriving at his present acceptance
of ZPE as his source. In his method, energy is collected in a
device consisting of a Cermet (ceramic metal) positioned between
two metal plates and called an "E-dam" after the analogy to a
hydroelectric dam. A charge of electrons is cycled between the
E-dam to collect the energy and a lamp load to discharge the
energy. Charge acceleration results in the addition of kinetic
energy from the vacuum to the charge of electrons. The research
apparatus used is all solid state and has no moving parts.
Cermet, Lambertson believes, is the key to the device.
Lambertson begins the process by supplying an initial charge to
the E-Dam where he claims that the charge is held in the Cermet:
"It stores electrons like a [regular] dam stores water,"
Lambertson says (4). When the dam is opened, Lambertson believes
that the electrons gain energy from the background zero-point
energy present in the dam and that this gain in energy can be
made dramatic enough to power a modern home.

Patrick G. Bailey, in a publication for the International Forum
on New Science, describes the WIN device: "[Lambertson] places a
semiconductor ceramic barrier with a parallel capacitance
between an oscillating tank circuit and a power supply. He has
included test results that indicate a power input of 84 Watt-sec
producing an output of 810 Watt-sec, for an over-unity ratio of
9.6." (5) The Institute for New Energy has also tested
Lambertson's WIN device, though apparently without significant
result so far (6).

Lambertson and his device have not met with widespread
acceptance. In his preliminary solicitation to three energy
companies and nine large energy users, he received responses
from only four and all were negative. He concluded that any
development of his method would have to come from entrepreneurs
and venture capitalists. The U.S. Navy has shown an interest,
but he requires a working model before they will consider it
further.

The problem, which Lambertson has had to solve, was
stabilization of his E-dams that have changed between the time
of his apparent energy gain and the time in which a certifier
has made measurements. It took him three years to understand the
chemistry of the change which was going due to the electrical
charge passing through his cermet. He has had to redesign his
basic composition and the cermet structure several to achieve
his present design.

The best results that Lambertson has had, thus far, is a yield
of 175%. He is presently making a study of simplification of his
method to one E-dam and one lamp load, and he plans to build
several revised models for evaluation by interested venture
capital sources. He has identified at least three venture
capital sources ready to invest in the new energy field of
zero-point energy collection.

Lambertson is currently working on the right combination of
ceramic and metal for the E-Dam to boost the performance level
of his device; stating much remains to be done. He is confident
that he can perfect the process and foresees a time in the
future when a modern home can be powered on energy drawn freely
from the zero-point energy he and others believe to be all
around us in space. "Once the general public learns that it can
take control over its own energy supply," Lambertson says, "it
will be like taking the genie out of the bottle."

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**"Miracle in the Void: The New Energy Revolution"**

**Dr. Brian O'Leary & Stephen Kaplan**

A pioneering solid-state technology is Wingate Lambertson's
World into Neutrinos (WIN) process. Dr. Lambertson has conducted
materials research and development for such organizations as
U.S. Steel, the Universities of Toledo and Rutgers, Argonne
National Laboratory, the Carborundum Company and Spindletop. He
has been doing independent research over the past two decades on
a a solid state device which he believes can provide a practical
source of power through the harnessing of zero-point energy.3

Lamberton's "electron dam" (E-dam) is made out of Cermet, a
highly advanced heat-resistant ceramic and metal composite. An
accelerated electrical charge sends a stream of electrons into
the E-dam, and the electrons become stored much like a
conventional dam stores water. When the electrons are released,
they gain energy from the zero-point energy present in the
E-dam. After they flow into the unit to be powered, they move
into another E-dam for recycling.

Lambertson changed his cermet chemistry and E-dam design when
he learned that an unexpected chemical reaction was taking
place. A different combination of materials and composite design
appears to stabilize the process, and a yield of 145 percent was
achieved in tests conducted in 1998. Since that time an
induction effect has become a major problem which severely
inhibits charge acceleration and yield. The present direction of
his research is towards reducing induction in his E-dam using
two different complementary approaches. It appears that these
approaches will solve his remaining major problem. His highest
yield using these approaches in June 1999 was 109 percent.
Lambertson is confident that he will achieve higher yields with
further experimentation, probably as high as 200 per cent, the
level needed for commercial viability. He is currently exploring
future production with interested manufacturers. Lambertson has
a strong interest in providing new solutions for the energy
needs of developing nations.

Highly regarded Canadian inventor John Hutchinson has developed
a solid state "crystal energy converter" made out of very common
materials which is an electrical power source he claims behaves
like a battery and never runs down. This small, self-running
power source, which typically puts out DC power amounting to one
or two volts, has produced up to six watts of power, and he
believes it could be engineered to replace batteries and other
power needs.

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[**http://www.arc-ethic.com/wordpress/tout-les-articles/les-inventeurs-dans-lenergie/**](http://www.arc-ethic.com/wordpress/tout-les-articles/les-inventeurs-dans-lenergie/)  

**Wingate Lambertson (1920-2010)  
  
![](Win-Lambertson.jpg)**

  
In Florida, Dr. Wingate Lambertson light a series of bulbs, he
said, the electricity energy in the room. Lambertson is a former
director of the Science and Technology Commission of Kentucky, and
it took him years to overcome his academic skepticism of those who
claimed to be able to get something out of nothing - the energy
available in space could be captured and used for practical
purposes.  
  
After over twenty years of research and experimentation,
Lambertson is now sure that the energy of the space can be
transformed into a working power source through a process he
called the World in Neutrinos ( World Into Neutrinos = WIN). He
intends to manufacture small parts, which will probably be placed
on the outside of the house, on a small concrete foundation, as
are air conditioners today, joined by son in the main electrical
panel in homes. Their price: $ 3,000; we can buy or rent - it's
cheaper than buying or leasing a car.  
  
The most important part of the process is the WIN-E displeasure
Lambertson, and most important component of E-dam is the cermet.
The cermet is a composite ceramic and heat-resistant metal,
invented in 1948, NASA contemplated use in nozzles of its rocket
and turbine blades in jet engines. Lambertson, who spent most of
his career working on advanced ceramics, is now testing what
cermet be best for his camera. The E-dam contains a disc-shaped
plate cermet of about 7.5 centimeters in diameter, placed between
metal plates of the same size. The process begins with an
electrical charge (actually an electron current) provided by a
standard source of energy. The charge flows into the E-dam, where
it is retained in the cermet "it stores the electrons like a dam
usually holds water," says Lambertson. When the dam is opened, the
electrons are released. When accelerating, the ropy electrons
gaining energy through the energy of this space in the E-dam. This
energy gain allows the device to release more power than it
consumes. The flow of electrons then enters the object you want to
run, such as a light bulb, and then enters another E-dam for a new
cycle. Lambertson said that the method can never be dangerous, if
the energy was too large, the E-dams overheat and would stop the
system.  
  
For years Lambertson was more interested in proving that the
process is capable of obtaining energy, rather than how much
energy was won, because he thought the adaptation process to
higher yields was a relatively simple technical problem. When the
first of three patent applications was rejected, he finally took
very good because it forced him to look more closely
bibliographies energy space. In fall 1994, he improved the process
to the point that it produced two times more energy than it
consumes.  
  


---

  
[**http://changingpower.net/remembering-energy-inventor-dr-lambertson/**](http://changingpower.net/remembering-energy-inventor-dr-lambertson/)

**Remembering energy inventor Dr. Lambertson**

  
At the end of July my next bimonthly column  this time honoring
Dr. Wingate Lambertson  will be published in Atlantis Rising
magazine. He died recently, mere weeks before his 90th birthday.
His wife Eileen passed on earlier this year. They had chosen
Florida for most of their retirement years, so his final month was
also shadowed by news of oil drifting toward familiar beaches.  
  
Seeing the possibility of a new energy source, Dr. Lambertson had
wanted to bring clean energy and jobs to replace coal mining in
his home state of Kentucky.  
  
But he didnt ever get the funding that could have hired a team of
specialists to help him refine and further develop his solid-state
zero-point energy converter. (He named the method  which was
based on acceleration of electron charges  the World into
Neutrinos (WIN) process.) At the end of this lifetime he had a
dream telling him that in the year 2018 his process would finally
be ready for use by the world. Before his daughter told me about
that dream, I wondered why I decided to write my Report from the
Front column about an invention whose inventor didnt live to see
it vindicated.  
  
Then I received confidential information from another scientist,
whose very recent small-scale but precise experiments, done in
collaboration with a colleague, prove that a field exists in
space which can do work on a mechanical system to increase its
kinetic energy when acceleration is present.  
  
The cautious experimenter speculated: Possibly, this field is a
consequence of the ether Einstein alluded to in 1920. (A patent
is pending on the device used in this new experiment, so no more
will be said about it at this time.)  
  
Coincidentally, acceleration (in Dr. Lambertsons case it was
acceleration of electron charges) was the vital part of both
experiments, including the un-named device tested this month.
Acceleration was the factor that Win Lambertson believed enabled
his WIN system to tap into the background energy of space and
therefore added excess energy to the output of his system.  
  
He wasnt a stereotypical garage inventor. Instead, he was a
former executive director of Kentuckys Science and Technology
Commission who overcome his academic skepticism about
extraordinary claims that energy freely available from space could
be tapped for useful work.  
  
Following are excerpts from what his daughter wrote:  
  
Wingate Augustus Lambertson, Ph.D., 89, of Lexington, Kentucky,
departed this earth on May 10, 2010 at St. Joseph Hospital.  
  
Mr. Lambertson attended Rutgers University where he received his
masters and Ph.D. in Ceramic Engineering.  While at Rutgers,
he invented a ceramic coating for boiler-furnace refractories for
use by the Navy.  This invention proved to add substantially
to boiler life for the Navy fleet and was very important to the
sea-keeping ability of the fleet.  
  
Dr. Lambertson left Rutgers to work in Chicago at the Argonne
National Laboratories.  While there, he worked on refractory
problem involved in atomic energy.  He then went to Toledo,
Ohio, to teach at Toledo University.  Next he went to Grand
Island, NY to work at Carborundum.  In 1963 he moved his
family to Lexington, KY to work at Spindletop Research where he
once again was doing research.  
  
He retired to Florida in 1980 where he could devote all his time
to his energy research, specifically Zero Point Energy, ZPE. 
He was a dreamer beyond his time and very late in life still
believed that there is a very viable energy source out there and
believed that it will come to fruition in 2018.  He continued
reading and writing right up to the end of his very active life.  
  
A memorial was held on Thursday, May 13, 2010 in Lexington, KY and
his ashes are buried next to his beloved wife of 63 years who
passed away on January 25, 2010.  
  
The following is adapted from my earlier book, The Coming Energy
Revolution (Avery Publishing Group, 1996, now out of print):  
  
THE CERMET OF WINGATE LAMBERTSON  
  
In Florida, Wingate Lambertson, Ph.D., lights a row of lamps in
his garage using what he says is electricity taken from the energy
of space. It took years for Lambertson, a former director of
Kentuckys Science and Technology Commission, to overcome his
academic skepticism about claims that you could get something for
nothing yet energy freely available from space could be tapped for
useful work.  
  
After getting his doctorate from Rutgers University, Lambertson
worked for United States Steel in Chicago before going into the
United States Navy. After going back to Rutgers for more
postgraduate work, he joined Argonne National Laboratory, where he
worked on nuclear fuel technology.  
  
Then Lambertson discovered the large body of space-energy
literature that has been written by researchers in the field.
Eventually, he came to believe that something similar to an aether
 the basic stuff of the universe  could exist, and that where
collected, it could be used to make electricity.  
  
After decades of research and experimentation, Lambertson was
certain that space energy can be turned into a practical power
source through a process he called World Into Neutrinos (WIN). He
envisioned it being engineered into units that will probably be
set outside the home on a small concrete pad, like central air
conditioning units are now, and wired into the homes master
electric switchbox. The price? Cheaper than buying or leasing a
modestly-priced car.  
  
The most important part of the WIN process was Lambertsons E-dam,
and the most interesting component in the E-dam was cermet. Cermet
is a heat-resistant ceramic-and-metal composite invented in 1948
and considered by NASA for rocket nozzles and jet-engine turbine
blades. Lambertson, who spent almost his entire career working
with advanced ceramics, experimented to develop the best cermet
for his device. The E-dam contains a plate of cermet formed into a
round spacer about three inches in diameter, sandwiched between
metal plates of the same size.  
  
The process starts with an electrical charge, a stream of
electrons from a standard power supply. The charge flows into the
E-dam, where it is held in the cermet: It stores electrons like a
regular dam stores water, Lambertson said. When the dam is
opened, the electrons are released. As they accelerate, the
falling electrons gain energy from the space energy that is
present in the E-dam. This gain in energy is what allows the
device to put out more power than it takes in.  
  
The current of electrons then flows into the device to be powered,
such as a lamp, and then moves into another E-dam for recycling.
Lambertson said there is no way for the process to become
dangerous  if too much power were generated, the E-dams would
overheat, shutting down the system.  
  
For years, Lambertson was more interested in proving that the
process gained energy than in the actual amount of energy gained,
since he thought scaling up the process to higher efficiencies
would be a relatively simple engineering problem. When his first
of three patent applications was rejected, he saw it as a blessing
because it forced him to study the space-energy literature more
carefully. Eventually, he improved the process to the point where
it put out twice as much energy as it started with, but he still
needed to perfect it into a reliable product.  
  
(Keep in mind, that chapter excerpt was written in 1994-5.)  
  


---

  

**METHOD OF FORMING HOT PRESSED REFRACTORY
CARBIDE BODIES HAVING SHAPED CAVITIES**  
**US3467745 / CA838015**

  
This invention relates to improvements in hot pressing refractory
carbide bodies, and more particularly to a new and improved method
of forming hot pressed refractory carbide bodies having shaped
cavities.  
  
A primary object of the present invention is to form a hot pressed
refractory carbide body having a shaped cavity by filling the
oversize cavity in the oversize body with a water-reactive carbide
forming or 10 containing mixture and by heating such body above
the reactive carbide forming temperature prior to hot pressing to
size and shape.  
  
Following such hot pressing, the mixture is readily removed by
reacting the reactive carbide with water, thereby leaving a cavity
of the desired size and shape in the hot pressed refractory
carbide body.  
  
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become
apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description
and accompanying drawings, wherein:  
  
**Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of an oversize
cup-shaped refractory carbide body having an oversize cavity
filled with a water -20 reactive carbide forming or containing
mixture and placed in a mold prior to the hot pressing
operation;** **Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but following the hot
pressing operation;** **Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the hot pressed, cup-shaped
body having a shaped cavity following removal of the filling;** **Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 1,
but showing an oversize serrated refractory carbide body having
oversize cavities filled with a water-reactive carbide forming
or containing mixture and placed in a mold prior to the hot
pressing operation. 30 Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but
following the hot pressing operation; and** **Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the hot pressed serrated
body having shaped cavities following removal of the filling.**  
  

![](ca838015a.jpg)

  
Referring to Figs. 1-3, which are generally to scale, the
inventive method is shown as applied to forming a cup-shaped, hot
pressed refractory carbide body having a shaped cavity in
accordance with the following example.  
  
EXAMPLE 1  
  
239.3 grams of niobium carbide having a particle size of -325 mesh
was mixed with 15 cc of a 10 percent polyvinyl alcohol solution
and cold pressed to form an oversize cup-shaped, cylindrical body
10 having the following approximate dimensions: an outer diameter
of 10 1-5/8 inches, an inner diameter of 1-1/8 inches, an overall
length of 3 inches and a bottom wall thickness of l/2 inch, and
being provided with an oversize cavity 12. After drying, body 10
was placed in a cylindrical graphite mold 14 having opposed
plungers 16, 18 and its cavity 12 was filled with a water-reactive
carbide containing mixture 20 of equal volumes of calcium carbide
having a particle size range of +60 -40 mesh and 20 grams of
amorphous carbon having a particle size range of +600 -325 mesh.
Body 10 was heated in an induction furnace (not shown) under argon
and no applied positive mechanical pressure until the temperature
reached 1000 degC. At this 20 point, while the heating continued, the
plungers 16, 18 were actuated by suitable means (not shown) to
maintain contact pressure with body 10 and which pressure was
gradually increased from 1400 degC to a maximum of 3000 pounds per
square inch at the hot pressing temperature of 2000 degC. This
maximum pressure was held at 2000 degC for 20 minutes until the hot
pressing operation was completed, with the total time of the run
being 80 minutes. The furnace was shut off and the pressure
released during cooling.  
  
As shown in Fig. 2, the hot pressed refractory carbide body 100
was reduced to the desired size and shape, having about the same
outer 30 and inner diameters as body 10, but a reduced length of
about 1-1/2  
inches, and a reduced bottom wall thickness of about l/4 inch. At
the same time, the cavity 120 was also reduced to the desired size
and shape, while the hot pressed mixture 200 continued to fill
cavity 120.  
  
When body 100 had cooled sufficiently to permit handling, it was
removed from mold 14, and immersed in water. Thereupon, the entire
mixture was readily removed by reaction between the calcium
carbide and the water, leaving the hot pressed body 100 and cavity
120 of the desired size and shape, as shown in Fig. 3.  
  
Referring to Figs. 4-6, which are generally to scale, but enlarged
in the horizontal direction to more clearly illustrate structural
details, the inventive method is shown as applied to forming a
serrated hot pressed refractory carbide body having shaped
cavities or serra-10 tions in accordance with the following
examples.  
  
EXAMPLE 2  
  
Fifty grams of niobium carbide having a particle size of -325 mesh
was loaded into a cylindrical graphite mold 22 having an internal
diameter of 1 inch and oppositely disposed plungers 24, 26. This
was lightly compressed to form circular bottom layer 28a of
oversize body 28. Then, a 1 inch wide sheet metal divider (not
shown) was set on edge .into the mold touching the layer 28a. One
side was loaded with 12.5 grams of the niobium carbide and the
other side with an equal volume of a water-reactive carbide
containing mixture, both sides being 20 lightly compressed to the
same height to form semi-circular layers 28b of body 28 and 30a of
the mixture filling lower oversize cavity 32a of the body. The
water-reactive carbide containing mixture was composed of, by
volume, 25 percent calcium carbide having a particle size range of
+60 -40 mesh and 75 percent amorphous carbon having a particle
size range of +600 -325 mesh.  
  
Another, intermediate circular layer 28c of 50 grams of niobium
carbide was loaded and compressed above the divided layers 28b,
30a, followed by loading and compressing of corresponding divided
layers 28d, 30b and the final or top layer 28e corresponding to
layers 28a and 28c. 30 Thus, the oversize serrated refractory
carbide body 28 was completed to have the following approximate
dimensions, an outer diameter of 1 inch, an overall height of
3-1/2 inches and three circular layers 28a, 28c, 28e each 5/6 inch
thick and separated by two oversize cavities 32a, 32b each 1/2
inch thick and filled with layers 30a, 30b respectively of the
water-reactive carbide containing mixture.  
  
Body 28 was heated in an induction furnace (not shown) under argon
and only contact pressure by plungers 24, 26 up to the hot
pressing temperature of 1500 degC. At this temperature, the plungers
24, 26 were actuated to increase the positively applied mechanical
pressure to the maximum of 1000 pounds per square inch, which was
held for 20 minutes until the hot pressing operation was
completed, with the total time of the run being 77 minutes. At
this point, the furnace was shut off and 10 the pressure released
during cooling.  
  
As shown in Fig. 5, the resulting hot pressed refractory carbide
body 280 was reduced to the desired size and shape, having the
same outer diameter as body 28, but a shorter length of about
2-5/8 inches, the thickness of layers 280a, 280c, and 280e being
reduced to about 5/8 inch each, and the thickness of cavities
320a, 320b and layers 280b, 280d being reduced to about 3/8 inch
each, with the hot pressed mixture of layers 300a and 300b filling
cavities 320a, 320b.  
  
When body 280 had cooled sufficiently to permit handling, it was
removed from mold 22 and immersed in water. Within 10 minutes,
most 20 of the moderate and steady reaction between the
water-reactive carbide and the water was completed permitting
ready removal of layers 300a, 300b. It was noted that while C2H2
was evolving during the reaction, it literally "kicked" the excess
carbon out into the water, thereby assisting in ejection of the
layers 300a, 300b from cavities 320a, 320b respectively. When
removed from the water, the hot pressed body 280 and cavities
320a, 320b were: of the desired size and shape, as shown in Fig.
6.  
  
EXAMPLE 3  
  
Example 2 was repeated, except that the water-reactive carbide 30
containing mixture of layers 30a, 30b was composed of, by volume,  
  
10 percent aluminum carbide having a particle size of -200 mesh
and 90 percent carbon. Actually a combination, by volume, of 75
percent aluminum carbide and 25 percent graphitic carbon having a
particle size of -200 mesh was mixed with enough amorphous carbon
having a particle size range of +600 -325 mesh to provide the
aforesaid mixture.  
  
Following completion of the 68 minute run and cooling, body 280
was immersed in water, as before. While the reaction was slow, it
was steady, and eventually layers 300a and 300b disintegrated and
dropped out leaving a serrated body of the desired size and shape.  
  
EXAMPLE 4  
  
Example 2 was repeated, except that the water-reactive carbide
forming mixture of layers 30a, 30b was composed of, by volume, 6.5
10 percent aluminum having a particle size of 270 mesh and 93.5
percent amorphous carbon having a particle size range of +600 -325
mesh. The purpose of this mixture was to produce a partially
converted mixture during firing of, by volume, 10 percent aluminum
carbide and 90 percent carbon.  
  
Following the 80 minute run and cooling, body 280 was immersed in
water with immediate reaction. Although the reaction was slow, it
was steady, and eventually layers 300a and 300b disintegrated and
dropped out, leaving a serrated body of the desired shape.  
  
From the foregoing, it is now evident how the invention 20
accomplishes the desired results and numerous advantages of the
invention likewise are apparent. While the inventive method has
been described and illustrated herein by reference to certain
preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that various changes
and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art
without departing from the inventive concept, the scope of which
is to be determined by the appended claims.  
  
For example, while niobium carbide was used in the examples, the
inventive method is equally applicable to hot pressing various
refractory carbides such as ZrC, HfC, SiC, TaC, and B^C. Likewise,
a water-reactive 30 carbide forming mixture composed of calcium
said carbon could be used in the inventive method, provided
calcium of sufficiently small particle size, on the order of about
-200 mesh is employed and care is taken to prevent oxidation.  
  


---

  

**Thermistor assembly**  
**US3205465**

**Also published as:** **GB990417 / NL267879****PATENT SPECIFICATION**  
  
Semi-conductor Devices We, THE CARBORUNDUM COMPANY, of Niagara
Falls, in the County of Niagara and State of New York, United
States of America, a Gorporation organized and existing under the
laws of the State of Delaware, United States of America, do hereby
declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be
granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to
be particularly described in and by the following statement: -  
  
THIS INVENTION RELATES TO electrical resistance bodies, and more
particularly to thermistor assemblies.  
  
A thermistor, as the term is employed herein, is an electrical
resistance body having a high sensitivity to changes in
temperature over a wide temperature range. Thus its electrical
resistance is sensitive to change with changes in temperature.
Thermistors which decrease in resistivity with increase in
temperature are said to have a negative temperature coefficient of
resistivity.  
  
Thermistors are widely employed in temperature measuring and
controlling devices and their uses have grown very rapidly in
recent years. Among present uses of thermistors are included
replacements for thermocouples, especially for use at moderate
temperatures up to about 600 F. In this application they offer
several advantages over thermocouples, since they are more
sensitive to temperature change than thermocouples.  
  
Furthermore, thermocouples produce a relatively weak signal which
must be amplified to actuate controlling circuits, whereas
thermistors are adapted to actuate relays directly, thereby
minimizing the cost of control equipment. Thermistors are also
used to compensate for changes in amBient temperature in order to
maintain the accuracy of electrical measuring equipment over wide
ranges of \_ ambient temperature. Thermistors are also useful in
time-delay applications.  
  
An object of the present invention is to provide improved
thermistor assemblies.  
  
According to the present invention, there is provided a thermistor
assembly, comprising a single crystal of pure silicon carbide or
silicon carbide modified by the presence throughout the body
thereof of an element selected from Groups IIIA and VA of the
periodic chart, and electrical leads joined by high temperature
fusion respectively to isolated areas of said crystal.  
  
An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of
example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in
which:Figure 1 is a perspective view of a thermistor assembly made
in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 is a top
plan view of an operating device embodying the thermistor of
Figure 1.  
  

![](us3205465.jpg)

  
In accordance with the present invention a selected silicon
carbide, in the form of a single crystal, is positioned between at
least two electrically-conductive leads and in contact therewith.
The parts are then secured in relationship to each other as by the
spring tension of the leads and thereafter subjected to a
temperature sufficient to fuse the leads to contact points of the
crystal. The fusion is preferably performed in a protective
atmosphere such as argon, helium, hydrogen or vacuum to avoid
oxidation of the leads and the silicon carbide.  
  
The fusion can be effected in two different ways. In one method of
fusion, which has been employed in the present invention, the
electrical leads are Tieated by their inherent resistance by
passing an electrical current therethrough to bring them to fusion
temperature for a sufficient interval of time to If effect the
fusion and joining. As an alternative of this method, a heating
circuit can be established from a source of current through one
lead, thence through the crystal, back through the other lead, and
to the source of current.  
  
In a second method, the entire assembly is placed in a furnace and
raised to a temperature at which the fusion will be effected.  
  
As will be seen in the drawings, thermistor assemblies of the
present invention include a single crystal 10 of silicon carbide
which is positioned between two electrical leads 11.  
  
The parts are assembled and held in fixed relationship to each
other and heated to fusion temperature by one of the methods
hereinbefore described to join the electrical leads to isolated
points of the crystal. As shown in Figure 1, a globule of ceramic
or porcelain cement 12 is thereafter placed on either side of the
crystal 10, in surrounding relationship to the electrical leads
and is allowed to harden to hold the parts in fixed, assembled
relationship, and to strengthen the assembly.  
  
An operating device, made in accordance with the present invention
is illustrated in Figure 2. As shown in this latter figure, the
crystal I0 of silicon carbide is fused between two isolated
electrical leads 11 which are supported on either side of the
crystal by globules of ceramic cement 12. The terminal ends 13 of
the electrical leads are exposed to the atmosphere, beyond the
ceramic cement. However, the other ends of the electrical leads
extend into a twin conduit porcelain insulator 14 which can be a
part of a probe assembly, of which the thermistor assembly forms a
part.  
  
Silicon carbide crystals applicable to use in the present
invention include the following 5 types:  
  
1. Intrinsic. This designation relates to theoretically pure
silicon carbide. Intrinsic silicon carbide would provide a high
resistivity material with a very high sensitivity to temperature
changes. It would have a B value of 27,600 K.  
  
The B value or characteristic is a measure of the sensitivity of
the resistance of the body to temperature change over a given
range of temperature. It is calculated from the formula 2.303 log
R, R2 B1 1 T, T2 wherein R1 equals the resistance in ohms at
temperature (T,) and R2 equals the resistance in ohms at
temperature (To) and T, and T2 are temperatures in degrees Kelvin.  
  
2. Compensated. This designation relates to silicon catrbide
having P-type and N-type impurities consisting of elements of
groups IIA and VA of the periodic table in balanced amounts, in
trace quantities of only a few parts per million. Compensated
silicon carbide may have a resistivity from about 100 ohmcm, to 10
ohm-cm, at room temperature, depending upon how well compensated
the particular material happens to be. Commercial colourless
silicon carbide is a typical compensated material and has a B
value of about 2000 K. Commercial colourless crystals are obtained
by selecting them from commercial green crude silicon carbide.  
  
3. P-type. This designation relates to silicon carbide
characterised by electrical conduction by positive charge
carriers. The positive charge carriers are pictured as the absence
of electrons (holes). A P-type semiconductor contains a small but
effective amount of trivalent impurity namely elements from group
IliA of the periodic chart, which cause impurity semiconduction by
motion of positive electrical charge carriers. These include
boron, aluminium and gallium in trace amounts.  
  
Commercial black silicon carbide contains P-type crystals which
usually have a room temperature electrical resistivity in the
range from about 0.1 to about 1 ohm-cm., depending upon the
concentration of impurity.  
  
P-type gilicon carbide crystals having an impurity level
sufficiently high to impart a resistivity of about 10 ohm-cm.
could be quite useful as a high wattage thermistor.  
  
In the P-type materials, aluminium and boron can provide B values
of about 2500 K.  
  
4. N-type. This designation relates to silicon carbide in which
electrical conduction occurs by motion of negative charge
carriers.  
  
The resistivity is low, being in the range 100 from about 0.01 to
0.1 ohm-cm., and it is characterized by low sensitivity to thermal
change.  
  
Commercial green silicon carbide contains N-type crystals, the
presence of nitrogen 105 therein in trace amounts contributing
N-type characteristics. A B value of about 1250 K is provided by
nitrogen.  
  
Phosphorus and arsenic in trace amounts also contribute N-type
characteristics. Thus 110 the N-type materials include nitrogen,
phosphorus or arsen'ic, representing Group VA of the periodic
chart of the elements.  
  
N-type silicon carbide would be quite useful as a thermistor for
very low temperature 115 indications in the vicinity of the
temperature of liquid oxygen. The low resistivity and the low
temperature sensitivity of resistivity of N-type silicon carbide
would be an advantage in this range. P-type and N-type silicon
123) carbide, of the 5 materials contemplated for use in the
present invention, are of the lowest resistivity, and the
resistivity will depend upon the concentration of impurities,
990,417 990,417 However, a given amount of impurities of the
P-type silicon carbide would be higher in resistivity than the
same amount of impurities of the N-type silicon carbide. Likewise
the temperature sensitivity of resistivity for the P-type material
would be higher than that for the N-type material.  
  
5. Boron solid solution with silicon carbide. This material is
readily distinguishable from P-type silicon carbide. The Ptype
silicon carbide containing boron is lower in resistivity, the
boron level being in the range below 0.01% by weight. However, the
solid solution of boron in silicon carbide, boron content above
about 1% by weight, shows an increase in resistivity due to the
distortion of the silicon carbide lattice.  
  
The crystals of boron solid solution with silicon carbide are
obviously different from normal silicon carbide crystals; they
have a definite fish scale appearance, whereas, silicon carbide
crystals show definite formations of hexagonal crystal faces.
There is also a definite shift in the X-ray diffraction lines
produced from the crystals of boron solid solution with silicon
carbide. This is proof that the normal silicon carbide crystal
lattice has been distorted and the spacing between individual
atoms has been changed.  
  
The crystals of boron solid solution with silicon carbide can be
formed by two methods.  
  
In one method, silicon carbide is recrystallized in the presence
of boron. In the other method the crystals are formed directly
from a mix containing silicon carbide-formning ingredients, namely
SiO, and carbon, and a desired amount of boron.  
  
Thermistors made in accordance with the present invention, from
boron solid solutions with silicon carbide have generally
displayed B values in the range from about 1200 K. to about 1800
K.  
  
A thermistor of boron solid solution with silicon carbide is
advantageous because the electrical properties are not sensitive
to minor fluctuations of boron content. For example, when boron in
the range from about 1 to about 10% by weight is added to the mix
before the crystals are formed by recrystallization, there is very
little difference 'in the resistivity of the resultant crystals at
room temperature. A boron content from about 1 to about 3% by
weight is provided by the above additions of boron.  
  
The following specific examples illustrate and highlight the
present invention.  
  
EXAMPLE I  
  
A pair of tungsten lead Wires approximately 0.005 inch in diameter
were supported at their ends by spot welding to the ends of larger
diameter nickel wires and a crystal of compensated silicon carbide
approximately 0.05 inch square by 0.01 inch thick was positioned
therebetween with the opposite major surfaces of the crystal
contacting the leads. The crystal was held by the spring tension
of the leads.  
  
Thereafter alternating current at 2.5 amperes and 6-8 volts was
run through the leads until they were heated to a temperature of
about 1950 C., which was maintained for a period of about 5
seconds to weld the leads to the crystal. The assembly was then
cooled and globules of ceramic cement were applied to the lead
wires adjacent the crystal to strengthen the assembly.  
  
The thermistor so produced had a B value of 1860 K.  
  
EXAMPLE II  
  
A pair of tungsten lead wires approximately 0.005 inch in diameter
were supported at their ends by spot welding to the ends of larger
diameter nickel wires and a crystal of boron solid solution with
silicon carbide containing about 3% by weight of boron,
approximately 0.05 inch square by 0.01 inch thick was positioned
therebetween with the opposite major surfaces of the crystal
contacting the leads. The crystal was held by the spring tension
of the leads.  
  
Thereafter alternating current at 2.5 amps and 6-8 volts was run
through the leads until they were heated to a temperature of about
1950 C., which was maintained for a period of about 5 seconds to
weld the leads to the crystal. The assembly was then cooled and
globules of ceramic cement were applied to the lead wires adjacent
the crystal to strengthen the assembly.  
  
The thermistor so produced had a B value of 1500 K.  
  
The amount of the Groups liIA and VA elements to be included
within silicon carbide crystals for use in the present invention
will be in the range of a significant amount up to about 5% by
weight of the crystal.  
  
Electrical leads adapted to use in the present invention are of a
selected number.  
  
It has been found that those made of substantially pure tungsten
and substantially pure tantalum are preferred. However, it is to
be included within the scope of the invention to utilize leads
made of tungstentantalum alloys and of alloys of tungsten and
tantalum with other alloying metals.  
  
Rhenium, molybdenum and iridium can also be employed. Other metals
such as iron, cobalt, nickel, rhodium and platinum can be used.
However, when the latter metals are used, some free silicon should
be added at the interface, otherwise a graphite layer tends to
form at the interface between the metal and the crysal which
weakens the bond.  
  
The lead wires can be placed on opposite faces of the crystal to
form a thermistor, and this is a convenient way to form the
device. Also the lead wires can be attached to opposite edges of
the crystals or to isolated areas on one face of the crystal. In
forming the thermistor, the crystal is preferably supported
between leads by the spring tension of the leads so that no
extraneous supporting structure is present to contaminate the
finished thermistor.  
  


---

  

**SEMI-CONDUCTOR DEVICES****CA661137**

  
This invention relates to electrical resistance bodies, and more
particularly to thermistor assemblies including a single crystal
of a silicon carbide>>  
  
A thermistor, as the term is employed herein, is an electrical
resistance body having a high sensitivity to changes in
temperature over a wide temperature range. Thus its electrical
resistance is sensitive to change with changes in temperature.
Thermistors which decrease in resistivity with increase in
temperature are said to have a negative temperature coefficient of
resistivity.  
  
Thermistors are widely employed in temperature measuring and
controlling devices and their uses have grown very rapidly in
recent years. Among present uses of thermistors are included
replacements for thermocouples, especially for use at moderate
temperatures up to about 600 degF, In this application they offer
several advantages over thermocouples, since they are more
sensitive to temperature change than thermocouples. Furthermore,
thermocouples produce a relatively weak signal which must be
amplified to actuate controlling circuits, whereas thermistors are
adapted to actuate relays directly, thereby minimizing the cost of
control equipment. Thermistors are also used to compensate for
changes in ambient temperature in order to maintain the accurancy
of electrical measuring equipment over wide ranges of ambient
temperature. Thermistors are also useful in time-delay
applications.  
  
It is an important object of the present invention to provide
novel thermistor assemblies.  
  
A further object is to provide thermistor assemblies made of a
single crystal of pure silicon carbide or of a selected silicon
carbide characterized by the presence throughout the body thereof
of an element from Groups IIIA and VA of the period chart.  
  
A further object is to provide a thermistor assembly made up of a
silicon carbide crystal and having electrical leads joined to
isolated points of said crystal by high temperature fusion only#  
  
These and other objects and advantages accruing from the invention
will become more apparent from the following description and the
accompanying drawings, wherein  
  

![](ca661137a.jpg)

  
In accordance with the present invention a selected silicon
carbide, in the form of a single crystal, is positioned between at
least two electrically-conductive leads and in contact therewith.
The parts are then secured in relationship to each other as by the
spring tension of the leads and thereafter subjected to a
temperature sufficient to fuse the leads to contact point s of the
crystal. The fusion is preferably performed in a protective
atmosphere such as argon, helium, hydrogen or vacuum to avoid
oxidation of the leads and the silicon carbide.  
  
The fusion can be effected in two different ways. In one method of
fusion, which has been employed in the present invention, the
electrical leads are heated by their inherent resistance by
passing an electrical current therethrough to bring them to fusion
temperature for a sufficient interval of time to effect the fusion
and joinder. As an alternative of this method, a heating circuit
can be established from a source of current through one lead,
thence through the crystal, back through the other lead, and to
the source of current.  
  
In a second method, the entii\*e assembly is placed in a furnace
and raised to a temperature at which the fusion will be effected.  
  
As will be seen in the drawings, thermistor assemblies of the
present invention include a single crystal 10 of silicon carbide
which is positioned between two electrical leads 11. The parts are
assembled and held in fixed relationship to each other and heated
to fusion temperature by one of the methods hereinbefore described
to join the electrical leads to isolated points of the crystal. As
shown in Pig. 1, a globule of ceramic or porcelain cement 12 is
thereafter placed on either side of the crystal 10, in surrounding
relationship to the electrical leads and is allowed to harden to
hold the parts in fixed, assembled relationship, and to strengthen
the assembly.  
  
An operating device, made in accordance with the present invention
is illustrated in Pig. 2, As shown in this latter figure, the
crystal 10 of silicon carbide is fused between two isolated
electrical leads 11 which are supported on either side of the
crystal by globules of ceramic cement 12. The terminal ends 13 of
the electrical leads are exposed to the atmosphere, beyond the
ceramic cement. However, the other ends of the electrical leads
extend into a twin conduit porcelain insulator 11+ which can be a
part of a probe assembly of which the thermistor assembly forms a
part.  
  
Silicon carbide crystals applicable to use in the present
invention include the following 5 types:  
  
1, Intrinsic. This designation relates to theoretically pure
silicon carbide. Intrinsic silicon carbide would provide a high
resistivity material with a very high sensitivity to temperature
changes. It would have a B value of 27,600 degK.  
  
The B value or characteristic is a measure of the sensitivity of
the resistance of the body to temperature change over a given
range of temperature. It is calculated from the formula  
  
2.303 log Rj  
  
B = 1-1 . T ^2  
  
wherein R^ equals the resistance in ohms at temperature (T^) and
Rg equals the resistance in ohms at temperature (T^) and T^ and Tg
are temperatures in degrees Kelvin,  
  
2, Compensated. This designation relates to silicon carbide having
P-type and N-type impurities in balanced amounts, in trace
quantities of only a few parts per million. Compensated silicon
carbide may have a resistivity from about 100 ohm-cm. to 10^
ohm-cm. at room temperature, depending upon how well compensated
the particular material happens to be. Commercial colorless
silicon carbide is a typical compensated material and has a B
value of about 2000 degK. Commercial colorless crystals are obtained
by selecting them from commercial green crude silicon carbide.  
  
3. P-type. This designation relates to silicon carbide
characterized by electrical conduction by positive charge
carriers. The positive charge carriers are pictured as the absence
of electrons (holes). A P-type semiconductor contains a small but
effective amount of trivalent impurity such as elements from
column IIIA of the periodic chart, which cause impurity
semiconduction by motion of positive electrical charge carriers.
These include boron, aluminum and gallium in trace amounts.  
  
Commercial black silicon carbide contains P-type crystals which
usually have a room temperature electrical resistivity in the
range from about 0.1 to about 1 ohm-cm., depending upon the
concentration of impurity.  
  
P-type silicon carbide crystals having an impurity level
sufficiently high to impart a resistivity of about 10 ohm-cm,
could be quite useful as a high wattage thermistor. i  
  
In the P-type materials, aluminum and boron provide B values of
about 2j?00 K.  
  
]+. N-type. This designation relates to silicon carbide in which
electrical conduction occurs by motion of negative charge
carriers. The resistivity is low, being in the range from about
0,01 to 0.1 ohm-cm., and it is characterized by low sensitivity to
thermal change.  
  
Commercial green silicon carbide contains N-type crystals, the
presence of nitrogen therein in trace amounts contributing N-type
characteristics, A B value of about 1250 degK, is provided by
nitrogen.  
  
Phosphorus^nd arsenic in trace amounts also contribute N-type
characteristics. Thus the N-type materials include nitrogen,
phosphorus and arsenic, representing Group VA of the periodic
chart of the elements.  
  
N-type silicon carbide would be quite useful as a thermistor for
very low temperature indications in the vicinity of the
temperature of liquid oxygen. The low resistivity and the low
temperature sensitivity of resistivity of N-type silicon carbide
would be an advantage in this range, P-type and N-type silicon
carbide, of the $ materials contemplated for use in the present
invention, are of the lowest resistivity, and the resistivity will
depend upon the concentration of impurities. However, the same
amounts of impurities of the P-type silicon carbide would be
higher in resistivity than the N-type silicon carbide. Likewise
the temperature sensitivity of resistivity for the P-type material
would be higher than that for the N-type material.  
  
5, Boron solid solution with silicon carbide.  
  
This material is readily distinguishable from P-type silicon
carbide. The P-type silicon carbide containing boron is lower in
resitivity, the boron level being in the range below 0.01$.
However, the solid solution of boron in silicon carbide, boron
content above about 1shows an increase in resistivity due to the
distortion of the silicon carbide lattice.  
  
The crystals of boron solid solution with silicon carbide are
obviously different from normal silicon carbide crystals; they
have a definite fish scale appearance, whereas, silicon carbide
crystals show definite formations of hexagonal crystal faces.
There is also a definite shift in the X-ray diffraction lines
produced from the crystals of boron solid solution with silicon
carbide. This is proof that the normal silicon carbide crystal
lattice has been distorted and the spacing between individual
atoms bas been changed.  
  
The crystals of boron solid solution with silicon carbide can be
formed by two methods. In one method, silicon carbide is
recrystallized in the presence of boron. In the other method the
crystals are formed directly from a mix containing silicon
carbide-forming ingredients, namely SiC^ and carbon, and a desired
amount of boron.  
  
Thermistors made in accordance with the present invention, from
boron solid solutions with silicon carbide have generally
displayed B values in the range from about 1200 degK. to about
l800 degK.  
  
A thermistor of boron solid solution with silicon carbide is
advantageous because the electrical properties are not sensitive
to minor fluctuations of boron content. For example, when boron in
the range from about 1 to about 10$ is added to the mix before the
crystals are formed by reorystallization, there is verly little
difference in the resistivity of the resultant crystals at room
temperature, A boron content from about 1 to about 2>f deg by
weight is provided by the above additions of boron.  
  
The following specific examples illustrate and highlight the
present invention.  
  
EXAMPLE I  
  
A pair of tungsten lead wires approximately 0.005 inch in diameter
were supported at their ends by spot welding to the ends of larger
diameter nickel "wires and a crystal of compensated silicon
carbide approximately 0.05 inch square by 0.01 inch thick was
positioned therebetween with the opposite major surfaces of the
crystal contacting the leads. The crystal was held by the spring
tension of the leads.  
  
Thereafter alternating current at 2,5 amperes and i  
  
6-8 volts was run through the leads until they were heated i to a
temperature of about 1950GC,, which was maintained for a period of
about 5 seconds to weld the leads to the crystal. The assembly was
then cooled and globules of ceramic cement were applied to the
lead wires adjacent the crystal to strengthen the assembly.  
  
The thermistor so produced had a B value of 1860 degK,  
  
EXAMPLE II  
  
A pair of tungsten lead wires approximately 0\*005 inch in diameter
were supported at their ends by spot welding to the ends of larger
diameter nickel wires and a crystal of boron solid solution with
silicon carbide containing about yfo by weight of boron,
approximately 0,05 inch square by 0,01 inch thick was positioned
therebetween with the opposite major surfaces of the crystal
contacting the leads. The crystal was held by the spring tension
of the leads.  
  
Thereafter alternating current at 2,5 amps and 6-8 volts was run
through the leads until they were heated to a temperature of about
1950 degC,, which was maintained for a period of about 5 seconds to
weld the leads to thecrystal. The assembly was then cooled and
globule\* of ceramic cement were applied to the lead wires adjacent
the crystal to strengthen, the assembly.  
  
The thermistor so produced had a B value of 1500 degK.  
  
The amount of the Groups IIIA and VA elements to be Included
within siltoon carbide crystals of the present invention will be
in the range of a significant amount of up to about 5$ by weight
of the crystal.  
  
Electrical leads adapted to use In the present invention are of a
selected number. It has been found that those made of
substantially pure tungsten and substantially pure tantalum are
preferred. However, it is to be included Within the scope of the
invention to utilize leads made of j tungsten-tantalum alloys and
of alloys of tungsten and tanta-j lum with other alloying metals.
Rhenium, molybdenum and iridium are also definite possibilities.
Other metals such as iron, cobalt, nickel, rhodium and platinum
can be used. However, when the latter metals are used, some free
silicon should be added at the interface, otherwise a graphite
layer tends to form at the interface between the metal and the
crystal which weakens the bond.  
  
The lead wires can be placed on opposite faces of the crystal to
form a thermistor, and this is a convenient way to form the
device. Also the lead wires can be attached to opposite edges of
the crystals or to isolated points on one face of the crystal. In
forming the thermistor, the crystal is preferably supported
between leads by the spring tension of the leads so that no
extraneous supporting |structure is present to contaminate the
finished thermistor>>  
  
While the invention has been described in connection with specific
embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of
further modification, and this application is intended to cover
any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following,
in general, the principles of the invention and including such
departures from the present disclosure as come within known or
customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and
as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set
forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits
of the appended claims.  
  


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