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US 4,070,578 AGranted
Detector array and method
OwnerJohn G. Timothy, Richard Lee Bybeeinventors
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OwnerJohn G. Timothy, Richard Lee Bybeeinventors
Estimating the term…
A detector array and method are disclosed in which plural sets of electrode elements are provided with each set comprising a plurality of linear extending parallel electrodes. The sets of electrode elements are disposed at an angle (preferably orthogonal) with respect to one another so that the individual elements intersect and overlap individual elements of the other sets. Electrical insulation is provided between the overlapping elements. The thus configured detector array is exposed to a source of charged particles which in accordance with one embodiment comprise electrons derived from a microchannel array plate exposed to photons. Amplifier and discriminator means are provided for each individual electrode element. Detection means is provided to sense pulses on individual electrode elements in the sets, with coincidence of pulses on individual intersecting electrode elements being indicative of charged particle impact at the intersection of the elements. Electronic readout means are provided to provide an indication of coincident events and the location where the charged particle or particles impacted. Display means are provided for generating appropriate displays representative of the intensity and location of charged particles impacting on the detector array.
A method of detecting photons comprising the steps of providing at least one microchannel array plate having an input face for admitting photons and an output face, providing a plurality of sets of electrodes in proximity focus to the output face of the microchannel array plate with each set including a plurality of linearly extending parallel individual electrode elements, orienting the sets of electrodes at angles with respect to one another so that individual elements of each set intersect and overlap individual elements of the other sets to form a charged particle counting zone in the vicinity of overlapped elements, electrically insulating the intersecting and overlapping elements from each other, focusing a two-dimensional charged particle source on the sets of electrode elements, separately amplifying any signals on each individual electrode element to form pulses, and detecting coincidence of pulses on an individual element in each of the sets to thereby detect impact of charged particles on the charged particle counting zone formed by overlapping of the individual elements having coincident pulses.
A two-dimensional photon-counting detector array comprising at least one microchannel array plate having an input and an output face, a detector array in proximity focus to the output face of the microchannel array plate, said detector array comprising a plurality of sets of linearly extending electrode elements, each of the sets of electrodes disposed at an angle with respect to other sets so that individual electrode elements of each set intersect and overlap individual electrode elements of other sets to form picture elements where they overlap, electrical insulation between the overlapped electrodes forming the picture elements, amplifier means for each of said electrode elements, coincidence detection means for detecting approximately coincident output pulses from an amplifier means in each set of electrode elements and generating an event signal, the occurrence of which is indicative of charged particles impinging in the picture element formed by the overlapping of the respective elements with respect to which the coincident pulses appeared.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.