Image tube device
AssigneeHamamatsu Photonics K. K.
InventorsKatsuyuki Kinoshita, Tatsuya Matsumura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electrons emitted from a photocathode in response to incident X-rays are accelerated and focused onto a microchannel plate (MCP). The electrons multiplied by the MCP are converted into a visible light image by a phosphor screen. An envelope tube is curved at a halfway portion, and the electrons are deflected by a deflection coil so as to travel along the curved envelope tube and enter the MCP. Even if X-rays are transmitted from the photocathode, they do not enter the MCP directly and hardly contribute to the background noise. A limiting aperture ring may further be employed to prevent the X-rays reflected by the inside wall of the envelope tube from entering the MCP.
Claims6
An image tube device comprising:
- photoelectric conversion means for converting incident electromagnetic waves into electrons;
- acceleration means for accelerating the electrons emitted from the photoelectric conversion means along a direction generally identical to an electromagnetic wave incident direction;
- deflection means for deflecting the accelerated electrons through a curved path within a curved portion of an envelope of the image tube device to introduce the electrons to an area which is out of reach of electromagnetic waves transmitted from the photoelectric conversion means and traveling straight;
- and
- image output means for converting the electrons introduced by the deflection means into an output image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.