X-ray detectors

Claim 2

A detector system comprising a cold finger having a first end coupled to a heat sink at a temperature substantially below ambient temperature, an X-ray detector mounted at an opposite end of the cold finger, wherein heat is transferred along the cold finger to maintain the temperature of the x-ray detector substantially below ambient temperature during normal operation, an envelope surrounding the cold finger, wherein a vacuum is maintained between the cold finger and said envelope; and conditioning means for locally increasing the temperature of the x-ray detector for a predetermined interval while maintaining the heat sink substantially at the operating temperature and maintaining a physical link, in the form of said cold finger, between said heat sink and said detector.

Claim 3

A detector system as in claim 1, wherein heat is applied to the detector by means of an electrical resistance heater.

Claim 4

A detector system as in claim 2, including a temperature sensitive device controlling the electrical power applied to said resistance heater to keep the temperature of the detector from exceeding a predetermined value.

Claim 5

A detector system as in claim 1, wherein the heat sink comprises a vessel containing liquid nitrogen surrounded by an evacuated flask.

Claim 6

A detector system as in claim 1, wherein a molecular sieve for absorbing water molecules is positioned between the vessel and the flask.

Claim 9

A method as in claim 6, wherein electrical power is applied to a resistor to effect said localized heating of the detector.

Claim 10

An electron microscope comprising: a housing and a vacuum system for maintaining the interior of said housing at a pressure less than that of the ambient; a cold finger made of a heat conducting material and having a detector end and a far end, said detector end extending into said housing, an x-ray detector mounted on said detector end of the cold finger such that heat can be transferred between said cold finger and said x-ray detector, and a cooling system for cooling said far end of the cold finger; a local heating device coupled with said x-ray detector to selectively transfer heat thereto; and a control system coupled with said local heating device to selectively energize said device and thereby cause the device to transfer heat to said x-ray detector at a rate sufficient to locally raise the temperature of said x-ray device despite the transfer of heat from the x-ray detector to the cold finger and through the cold finger to the cooling system, for a conditioning cycle of a duration sufficient to condition the x-ray detector while said x-ray detector remains in its place in the electron microscope, and is physically connected to said cooling system through said cold finger.

Claim 11

An electron microscope comprising: a housing and a vacuum system for maintaining the interior of said housing at a pressure less than that of the ambient; a cold finger made of a heat conducting material and having a detector end and a far end, said detector end extending into said housing, an x-ray detector mounted on said detector end of the cold finger such that heat can be transferred between said cold finger and said x-ray detector, and a cooling system for cooling said far end of the cold finger; a local heating device coupled with said x-ray detector to selectively transfer heat thereto; and a control system coupled with said local heating device to selectively energize said device and thereby cause the device to transfer heat to said x-ray detector at a rate sufficient to locally raise the temperature of said x-ray device despite the transfer of heat from the x-ray detector to the cold finger and through the cold finger to the cooling system, for a conditioning cycle of a duration sufficient to condition the x-ray detector while said x-ray detector remains in its place in the electron microscope, and is physically connected to said cooling system through said cold finger.