Electron-optical image tubes and streak cameras
OwnerDaniel J. Bradleyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A record is obtained of repetitive optical phenomena having durations in the picosecond or subpicosecond range by synchronizing the deflection of the electron image in an electron-optical streaking image tube with the repetition rate of a pulse train from a continuous wave mode-locked laser which supplies such pulses to the tube. Synchronization may be effected by supplying a reference frequency signal both to the laser and to the deflection electrodes in the image tube. The signal applied to the deflection electrodes may comprise a synchronized sinusoidal voltage signal and a slowly varying bias voltage signal. An optical multi-channel analyser may be used at the output of the image tube, linked to an oscilloscope or pen recorder.
Claims22
Apparatus for obtaining a record of repetitive optical phenomena having durations in the picosecond or sub-picosecond range, comprising an image tube for receiving repetitive pulse-form images and converting them to electron images;
- electron deflecting means to deflect the electrons in their passage through the tube;
- a continuous wave mode-locked laser arranged to generate a repetitive series of pulses;
- guide means for directing the laser pulse train to the image tube;
- means to supply to the deflecting means a time-resolving scanning voltage;
- means to scan the electron images in the tube in a linear direction;
- synchronising means to synchronise the deflection of the electron images in the tube with the repetition rate of the pulse train from the continuous wave mode-locked laser;
- and means to scan the electron image across the tube to read out the time-resolved image profile.
A method of obtaining a record of repetitive optical phenomena having durations in the picosecond or sub-picosecond range which comprises generating from a continuous wave mode-locked laser a repetitive series of pulses;
- feeding the pulses to the input of a streaking image tube;
- applying a time-resolving scanning voltage to electron deflecting means to deflect the electrons in their passage through the tube;
- and operating the streaking image tube in a continuous scanning mode with the time-resolving scanning voltage synchronised with the repetition frequency of the laser pulse train and with the electron images scanned linearly in the image tube;
- and scanning the electron image across the tube to read out the time-resolved image profile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.