Patent US5086248A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5086248A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Microchannel electron multipliers
Assignee: Burle Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1989-08-18
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Granted: 1992-02-04
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Expires: 2009-08-18
Abstract
Abstract Microchannel plates (MCPs) and channel electron multipliers (CEMs) having channels etched by a directionally applied flux of reactive particles are disclosed. The channels are activated with thin film dynodes. Various embodiments including monolithic and stacked devices are disclosed. Activation of the channels is achieved by various techniques including CVD, LPD and native growth by oxidation.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerry R. Horton
- 👤 G. William Tasker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:28
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J43/00; H01J43/04; H01J43/06; H01J43/18; H01J43/24; H01J43/246; H01J9/00; H01J9/02; H01J9/12; H01J2201/00; H01J2201/32; H01J2201/34; H01J2201/342; H01J2201/3421; H01J2201/3423; H01J2201/3426
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
A microchannel plate comprising a monolithic body in the form of a wafer of etchable material having opposite faces and a plurality of uniform microchannels extending through the wafer from one face to the other, the microchannels with wall surface portions being formed in the wafer by a selectively applied direction specific flux of reactive particles directed against at least one face of the wafer for anisotropically etching the microchannels therein, said microchannels having a major transverse dimension on the order of <10 μm, being closely spaced on the order of <2 μm in pitch and having substantially straight, parallel wall portions for receiving a thin film of thickness on the order of about 10 nm-1000 nm said dimension, pitch and thickness being selected so as to result in an operative device; and a continuous thin film dynode to provide electron multiplication formed on the wall portions of the microchannels, said dynode formed by at least one of low pressure chemical vapor deposition, liquid phase deposition and by native growth of a film by an oxidizing reaction with a reactive species above ambient temperature.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
184 words
A microchannel plate comprising a monolithic body in the form of a wafer of etchable material having opposite faces and a plurality of uniform microchannels extending through the wafer from one face to the other, the microchannels with wall surface portions being formed in the wafer by a selectively applied direction specific flux of reactive particles directed against at least one face of the wafer for anisotropically etching the microchannels therein, said microchannels having a major transverse dimension on the order of <10 μm, being closely spaced on the order of <2 μm in pitch and having substantially straight, parallel wall portions for receiving a thin film of thickness on the order of about 10 nm-1000 nm said dimension, pitch and thickness being selected so as to result in an operative device; and a continuous thin film dynode to provide electron multiplication formed on the wall portions of the microchannels, said dynode formed by at least one of low pressure chemical vapor deposition, liquid phase deposition and by native growth of a film by an oxidizing reaction with a reactive species above ambient temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The microchannel plate of claim 1 wherein the microchannels are formed through the body from one side to another.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
The microchannel plate of claim 1 wherein the microchannels are formed in the body a selected distance from one of said faces to closed end portions within the body and a portion of the body beyond the closed end portions is thereafter removed to form the other opposite face and to expose and open said closed end portions so that the microchannels extend through the wafer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The microchannel plate of claim 3 wherein the portion of the body is removed by grinding.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The microchannel plate of claim 3 wherein the portion of the body is removed by chemical etching.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The microchannel plate of claim 3 wherein the portion of the body is removed by plasma etching or ion milling.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The microchannel plate of claim 1 wherein the body is a semiconductive material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The microchannel plate of claim 7 wherein the semiconductive material is selected from the group consisting of GaAs, GaP, InP, AlAs, AlSb and Si.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The microchannel plate of claim 1 wherein the body is a single component dielectric material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The microchannel plate of claim 9 wherein the dielectric is selected from the group consisting of: Si 3 N 4 , AlN, Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 glass.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The microchannel plate of claim 1 wherein the flux of reactive particles is produced by an ion beam.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The microchannel plate of claim 1 wherein the flux of reactive particles is produced by a glow discharge.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The microchannel plate of claim 1 wherein the flux of reactive particles is a plasma assisted ion beam.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The microchannel plate of claim 1 wherein the flux is an ion assisted beam.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
118 words
An electron multiplier comprising at least one monolithic body of etchable material having at least one channel with wall portions formed therein by a selectively applied flux of direction specific reactive particles directed against the body for anisotropically etching at least one channel in the body, said channel having wall portions for receiving a thin film of thickness on the order of about 2 nm-1000 nm; and a continuous thin film dynode to provide electron multiplication formed on the wall portions of the channel, said dynode formed by at least one of low pressure chemical vapor deposition, liquid phase deposition and by native growth of a film by an oxidizing reaction with a reactive species above ambient temperature.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
118 words
An electron multiplier comprising at least one monolithic body of etchable material having at least one channel with wall portions formed therein by a selectively applied flux of direction specific reactive particles directed against the body for anisotropically etching at least one channel in the body, said channel having wall portions for receiving a thin film of thickness on the order of about 2 nm-1000 nm; and a continuous thin film dynode to provide electron multiplication formed on the wall portions of the channel, said dynode formed by at least one of low pressure chemical vapor deposition, liquid phase deposition and by native growth of a film by an oxidizing reaction with a reactive species above ambient temperature.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The electron multiplier of claim 15 wherein the body is a substrate having opposite faces and said at least one channel is formed therein by application of the flux of reactive particles against opposite faces of the substrate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electron multiplier of claim 16 wherein the application of the flux of reactive particles occurs at a selected bias angle for each face of the substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electron multiplier of claim 15 wherein the body has a plurality of channels of differing cross section but with uniform dimensions within a given cross section.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
89 words
The electron multiplier of claim 15 wherein the body of etchable material is in the form of a wafer having opposite planar faces and a plurality of channels formed in the wafer in groups, a first group of said channels is formed therein by the selectively applied flux of reactive particles directed against one face of the wafer and of a second group of said channels is formed in registration and communication with selected ones of the channels in the first group from the opposite face of the wafer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The electron multiplier of claim 19 wherein each channel of said first group of channels is in registration with a selected plurality of the channels in said second group of channels.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
57 words
The electron multiplier of claim 15 wherein a first body is in the form of a wafer having opposite planar faces and said at least one channel is in the form of at least one elongated trench formed in the wafer and having an open side which is enclosed by a planar face of a second body.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
44 words
The electron multiplier of claim 15 wherein the body is a substrate having opposite faces and end wall portions and said at least one channel is in the form of an elongated trench extending through the substrate from one end wall to the other.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
53 words
The electron multiplier of claim 15 wherein the body is in the form of a wafer having opposite planar faces and a plurality of channels in the form of two orthogonal arrays of trenched channels are etched in the wafer from opposing faces thereof and meet within the body is form apertures therein.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electron multiplier of claim 21 wherein said at least one trench is in the form of an elongated continuous interconnected branched trench in the body.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electron multiplier of claim 15 wherein the etchable material is selected from the group consisting essentially of elemental and binary semiconductors and single component dielectrics.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
The microchannel plate of claim 1 wherein the microchannels are formed in the wafer by application of the flux of reactive particles at a selected angle against at least one face thereof.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electron multiplier of claim 18 wherein the channels of differing cross section are disposed in an array at a selected spacing.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The electron multiplier of claim 21 wherein a plurality of wafers are stacked atop one another.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
103 words
A monolithic microchannel plate comprising a body of etchable material in the form of a wafer having opposite faces and interconnected microchannel portions having straight walls and being registrably formed in each face of the wafer by a corresponding selectively applied direction specific flux of reactive particles directed against opposite faces of the wafer for anisotropically etching the microchannel portions into the wafer until said microchannel portions connected there within to form continuous microchannels, said microchannels having walls for receiving a thin film of a thickness not more than 1000 nm; and continuous thin film dynodes formed on the walls of the microchannels.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
103 words
A monolithic microchannel plate comprising a body of etchable material in the form of a wafer having opposite faces and interconnected microchannel portions having straight walls and being registrably formed in each face of the wafer by a corresponding selectively applied direction specific flux of reactive particles directed against opposite faces of the wafer for anisotropically etching the microchannel portions into the wafer until said microchannel portions connected there within to form continuous microchannels, said microchannels having walls for receiving a thin film of a thickness not more than 1000 nm; and continuous thin film dynodes formed on the walls of the microchannels.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
36 words
The electron multiplier of claim 29 wherein the microchannel portions extending into each face of the wafer lie at selected angles so as to form microchannels which change direction at an oblique angle within the wafer.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The electron multiplier of claim 29 wherein the microchannel portions in each face of the body are formed simultaneously.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
146 words
A microchannel plate comprising a body in the form of a wafer of etchable material having opposite faces and a plurality of uniform microchannels extending through the wafer from one face to the other, the microchannels with wall surface portions being formed in the wafer by a selectively applied direction specific flux of reactive particles directed against at least one face of the wafer for anisotropically etching the microchannels therein, said microchannels having a major transverse dimension of less than 4 μm and being closely spaced with a pitch of less than 6 μm and having substantially straight, parallel wall portions for receiving a thin film of thickness of about 2 nm-1000 nm said dimension, pitch and thickness being selected so as to result in an operative device; and a continuous thin film dynode to provide electron multiplication formed on the wall portions of the microchannels.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
146 words
A microchannel plate comprising a body in the form of a wafer of etchable material having opposite faces and a plurality of uniform microchannels extending through the wafer from one face to the other, the microchannels with wall surface portions being formed in the wafer by a selectively applied direction specific flux of reactive particles directed against at least one face of the wafer for anisotropically etching the microchannels therein, said microchannels having a major transverse dimension of less than 4 μm and being closely spaced with a pitch of less than 6 μm and having substantially straight, parallel wall portions for receiving a thin film of thickness of about 2 nm-1000 nm said dimension, pitch and thickness being selected so as to result in an operative device; and a continuous thin film dynode to provide electron multiplication formed on the wall portions of the microchannels.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The microchannel plate of claim 32 wherein the body is a dielectric material and the thin film thickness is about 300 nm.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
22 words
The microchannel plate of claim 32 wherein the body is a semiconductor material and the thin film thickness if about 20 nm.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
79 words
An electron multiplier comprising a body of etchable material having at least one channel with wall portions formed therein by a selectively applied flux of direction specific reactive particles directed against the body for anisotropically etching said at least one channel in the body, said channel having wall portions for receiving a thin film of thickness not more than 1000 nm; and a continuous thin film dynode to provide electron multiplication formed on the wall portions of the channel.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
79 words
An electron multiplier comprising a body of etchable material having at least one channel with wall portions formed therein by a selectively applied flux of direction specific reactive particles directed against the body for anisotropically etching said at least one channel in the body, said channel having wall portions for receiving a thin film of thickness not more than 1000 nm; and a continuous thin film dynode to provide electron multiplication formed on the wall portions of the channel.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electron multiplier of claim 35 wherein the body is a dielectric material and the thin film thickness is about 300 nm.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electron multiplier of claim 35 wherein the body is a semiconductor material and the thin film thickness is about 20 nm.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-02-03 | 1995-08-05 | 1996-02-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-02-03 | 1999-08-05 | 2000-02-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-02-03 | 2003-08-05 | 2004-02-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |