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US 6,452,401 B1Granted
Charged particle analysis
OwnerGareth Derbyshire, Edmond J. Batemaninventors
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OwnerGareth Derbyshire, Edmond J. Batemaninventors
Estimating the term…
A detection device for analyzing charged particles. The charged particle analyzer comprises a source of charged particles and a charged particle detector spaced from the source and immersed within the source in an ionizable gas. The detector comprises at least one pair of electrodes, characterized in that the electrodes of the pair are spaced apart by a distance that is substantialy less than the spacing between the source and detector. The electrodes of the pair are maintained at different potentials, and the source is maintained at a potential different from the potentials of the electrodes. The potentials are selected such that charged particles emitted by the source are attracted from the source toward each of the pair of electrodes and such that charged particles adjacent the detector are accelerated to energies sufficient to ionize the gas.
A charged particle analyzer comprising a source of charged particles and a charged particle detector spaced from the source and immersed with the source in an ionizable gas, the detector comprising at least one pair of electrodes, characterized in that the electrodes of the pair are spaced apart by a distance that is substantially less than the spacing between the source and detector, the electrodes of the pair are maintained at different potentials, and the source is maintained at a potential different from the potentials of the electrodes, the potentials being selected such that charged particles emitted by the source are attracted from the source towards each of the pair of electrodes and such that charged particles adjacent the detector are accelerated to energies sufficient to ionize the gas.
A method for analyzing charged particles emitted by a source, wherein the source and a charged particle detector are immersed in an ionizable gas, the detector being provided with at least one pair of electrodes, characterized in that the electrodes of the pair are spaced apart by a distance substantially less than the distance between the source and the detector, different potentials are applied to the electrodes, and the source is maintained at a potential different from the potentials of the electrodes, the potentials being selected such that charged particles emitted by the source are attracted from the source towards each of the pair of electrodes and such that charged particles adjacent the detector are accelerated to energies sufficient to ionize the gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.