Abstract An electronic image pickup device for detecting a radiation image and providing an electrical output corresponding to said radiation image. The pickup tube incorporates a photocathode responsive to input radiation for generating an electron image which is directed through a channel electron multiplying structure for multiplying the electron image and a storage member is incorporated into the output of said channel multiplier to provide a charge image which can be readout by electronic means. In addition, the structure disclosed provides a combination microchannel multiplier and storage electrode which permits either destructive or nondestructive readout of the stored image by the reading electron beam.
An electron imaging device comprising a channel electron multiplier responsive to input radiations for generating and amplifying electrons along individual channels within said electron multiplier, said channel multiplier including an input surface onto which input radiations are directed and an output surface from which an output signal corresponding to said input radiations as amplified by said channel multiplier is derived and means for directing a reading electron beam over said output surface to derive a signal representative of said input radiations amplified by said channel multiplier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
An electron imaging device comprising a channel electron multiplier responsive to input radiations for generating and amplifying electrons along individual channels within said electron multiplier, said channel multiplier including an input surface onto which input radiations are directed and an output surface from which an output signal corresponding to said input radiations as amplified by said channel multiplier is derived and means for directing a reading electron beam over said output surface to derive a signal representative of said input radiations amplified by said channel multiplier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
136 words
An electron image device comprising a channel electron multiplier responsive to input radiations for generating and amplifying electrons along individual individual channels within said electron multiplier, said channel multiplier including an input surface onto which said input radiations are directed and an output surface from which an output signal is derived and means for scanning a reading electron beam over said output surface to derive a signal representative of said input radiations amplified by said channel multiplier, said output surface of said channel multiplier including a first conductive coating provided over the output surface and extending into each of said channels for a minor distance and a coating of insulating material provided on said first electrically conductive coating on the output surface and extending into said channels so as to cover said first conductive coating therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
136 words
An electron image device comprising a channel electron multiplier responsive to input radiations for generating and amplifying electrons along individual individual channels within said electron multiplier, said channel multiplier including an input surface onto which said input radiations are directed and an output surface from which an output signal is derived and means for scanning a reading electron beam over said output surface to derive a signal representative of said input radiations amplified by said channel multiplier, said output surface of said channel multiplier including a first conductive coating provided over the output surface and extending into each of said channels for a minor distance and a coating of insulating material provided on said first electrically conductive coating on the output surface and extending into said channels so as to cover said first conductive coating therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device set forth in claim 2 in which a second electrical conductive coating is provided over a portion of the surface of said insulating coating.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The device set forth in claim 2 in which electrons directed along each of said channels by a potential gradient along said channels accelerates said electrons and bombard said insulating coating projecting into said channel multipliers and thereby establish a charge image on the surface of said insulating coating which may be read out by means of said reading electron beam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
96 words
The device set forth in claim 3 in which the electrons generated within said channel multipliers are accelerated into bombardment with said insulating coating and thereby establishing a charge image on the insulating coating projecting into each of said channel multipliers, means for establishing suitable potentials on said first an and second conductive coatings and said insulating coating such that the scanning electron beam will be modulated by the charge on said insulating coating and collected by said second conductive coating to thereby derive an electrical signal without destroying the charge image on said insulating coating.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
74 words
The device set forth in claim 3 in which means is provided for operating said first conductive coating and said second conductive coating and said insulating coating at suitable potentials so as to permit said reading electron beam to impinge on said insulating coating in an amount corresponding to the charge image thereon and means for deriving a signal from said first conductive coating in which said charge image is destructively read out therefrom.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device set forth in claim 1 in which means is provided for converting said input radiation into electrons which are in turn accelerated into incidence with the channels within said channel multiplier.