Electron multiplier device having a nanodiamond layer
AssigneePhotonis France
InventorsGert Nutzel, Pascal Lavoute, Richard B. Jackman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electron multiplier for a system for detecting electromagnetic radiation or an ion flow is disclosed. The multiplier includes at least one active structure intended to receive a flow of incident electrons, and to emit in response a flow of electrons called secondary electrons. The active structure includes a substrate on which is positioned a thin nanodiamond layer formed from diamond particles the average size of which is less than or equal to about 100 nm.
Claims17
A reflection-mode electron multiplier device to detect electromagnetic radiation or ion flows, the device comprising:
- at least one active structure configured to receive a flow of incident electrons and to emit in response a flow of secondary electrons, where the active structure comprises a substrate and a thin nanodiamond layer on the substrate, the nanodiamond layer being formed of diamond particles, the average size of the particles is less than about 100 nm,
- wherein the active structure is a microchannel wafer in which each of a plurality of microchannels traverses the substrate from an input aperture for the flow of incident electrons to an output aperture for the flow of the secondary electrons, where the nanodiamond layer extends over the inner surface of each of the microchannels from the corresponding input aperture.
A method of producing a reflection-mode electron multiplier device to detect electromagnetic radiation or an ion flow, the device comprising at least one active structure configured to receive a flow of incident electrons and to emit in response a flow of secondary electrons, where the active structure comprises a substrate, the method comprising:
- forming a single nanodiamond layer on the substrate, where the process of forming the single nanodiamond layer comprising bringing the substrate at least partially into contact with a colloidal solution containing the diamond particles, the average size of which is less than about 100 nm, in an ultrasonic bath, for a predetermined period.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.