EP0515261B1 - Structure multiplicatrice d'électrons en céramique notamment pour photomultiplicateur et son procédé de fabrication - Google Patents

Structure multiplicatrice d'électrons en céramique notamment pour photomultiplicateur et son procédé de fabrication

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Publication number
EP0515261B1
EP0515261B1 EP92401357A EP92401357A EP0515261B1 EP 0515261 B1 EP0515261 B1 EP 0515261B1 EP 92401357 A EP92401357 A EP 92401357A EP 92401357 A EP92401357 A EP 92401357A EP 0515261 B1 EP0515261 B1 EP 0515261B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cavities
conductive
channels
ceramic
channel
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP92401357A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0515261A1 (fr
Inventor
Georges Comby
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
Original Assignee
Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA
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Publication of EP0515261A1 publication Critical patent/EP0515261A1/fr
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J43/00—Secondary-emission tubes; Electron-multiplier tubes
    • H01J43/04—Electron multipliers
    • H01J43/06—Electrode arrangements
    • H01J43/18—Electrode arrangements using essentially more than one dynode
    • H01J43/22—Dynodes consisting of electron-permeable material, e.g. foil, grid, tube, venetian blind
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J43/00—Secondary-emission tubes; Electron-multiplier tubes
    • H01J43/04—Electron multipliers

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a compact electron multiplier structure by secondary emission.
  • the invention also relates to the electron multipliers obtained by the method, comprising a large number of independent electronic multiplication channels.
  • the invention also relates to the devices resulting from the association of this type of multi-channel multipliers with various sources of incident electrons upstream and with receivers (active or passive) of multiplied flow of electrons downstream.
  • This particular application of electronic multipliers is that which combines a photocathode source of the primary electrons and a base carrying the electrodes to extract the signals and polarize the stages, in order to create a photomultiplier.
  • the making of these photodetectors is based on lamp technology with glassmaker intervention, where, most of the time, the porthole (photocathode support), as well as the base are an integral part of the envelope. Consequently, the geometry and the connections of these tubes do not allow effective groupings in order to compose large homogeneous photosensitive surfaces (qq m). This constitutes a severe limitation of their use in the entire field of material and life sciences than in the industrial world.
  • FIG. 1 brings together the main components that explain the process.
  • the reference 1 symbolizes a vacuum enclosure where the other elements are arranged.
  • the multiplication electrodes E 1, 2, 3, 4 have a shape and a spatial arrangement suitable for collecting and re-emitting electrons. They are electrically isolated from each other and communicate with the outside by pins fixed to the casing by means of insulating passages.
  • the output electrode or anode 5 proceeds from the same technique. Each electrode is covered with a layer which promotes emission secondary.
  • the electrode 3 will supply the primary electrons necessary to trigger the multiplication; here it plays the role of cathode.
  • the potential distribution is established in order to apply an electric field between the electrodes.
  • the anode is connected to ground through a measuring instrument.
  • FIG. 2 it is possible to thus constitute a series of channels 86 oriented vertically in this figure. They consist of a series of cells 88 having the properties mentioned in the previous paragraph. These channels result from a stack of metal plates 80, 82 and 84 in which the cells 88 have been machined. These cellular metal plates, called perforated plates, are insulated by insulating plates or spacers 81.
  • an entry window 2 generally made of glass, which allows photons to reach a photocathode 4 deposited on the internal face of this entry window 2.
  • One or two grids 6, placed below the photocathode 4 impose an electrostatic distribution of field lines, joining photocathode 4 to the multiplier structure in order to define a determined number of pixels, namely here 64.
  • Below this grid 6, is the stack composed of the various perforated plates 8, assuming the multiplication function.
  • the stack of perforated plates 8 ends with an output electrode 10 segmented into 64 output electrodes connected to the outside by the pins 14. These electrodes 10 are placed on an output plate 12, often made of glass, and collect electrical signals of amplitude proportional to the incident photon fluxes which expose each of the pixels. All of the multiplier plates 8 are placed under vacuum in an enclosure delimited by the inlet 4 and outlet 12 plates, and by walls 16.
  • Figures 4 and 5 show at scale 1, in bottom view 4 and side view 5, the industrialized version of a multi-channel photomultiplier incorporating in its glass envelope a multiplexer with perforated sheets fully respecting the principle diagram of figure 1.
  • the object of the invention is therefore to remedy these drawbacks and to propose a method of manufacturing an autonomous electron multiplier with respect to vacuum, the mechanical aspect of the polarization of the stages and of the distribution. spatial input / output of multiplication channels.
  • the invention proposes the development of a multiplier in the form of a compact, self-supporting block, including in the mass all the elements capable of establishing the potentials and producing the secondary electrons necessary for the multiplication using technology.
  • multilayer ceramics for over twenty years, have been the subject of in-depth studies and intensive industrialization and provide inexpensive products in series and high physical, chemical, mechanical and geometric performance.
  • the great variety of products, the precision of the dosages of the constituents and the computerization of the protocols of development widen the possibilities offered in order to satisfy day by day more complex realizations.
  • the invention claims to make use of the advances in multilayer ceramic technology and to adapt them in order to produce a compact electron multiplier, usable in numerous applications, including those of photomultipliers.
  • patent document EP-A-0 283 773 describes an electron multiplier and its manufacturing process.
  • An electron multiplier structure is therefore described therein comprising paths each consisting of a succession of conductive diodes each carried at a predetermined polarization potential. These successive diodes are separated from each other.
  • the shape and arrangement of the diodes are modeled on those of conventional "single track" photomultipliers, but their technological achievement is obtained by etching and lithography methods, used in printed circuit technology, on a ceramic substrate; this substrate is contained in a vacuum enclosure or forms one of the walls of such an enclosure.
  • Patent document EP-A-0 401 879 also describes an electron multiplier apparatus, called phototube comprising several tunnels or passages which can evolve in three dimensions, that is to say be curved.
  • phototube comprising several tunnels or passages which can evolve in three dimensions, that is to say be curved.
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 a wafer of microchannels which are coated over their entire length with an electro-emissive material which is not very conductive. The two faces are conductive and between them a bias voltage is applied. The channels are contained in a ceramic block and can be curved.
  • a first object of the invention is a method of manufacturing a compact electron multiplier structure by secondary emission having a plurality of multiplier channels, characterized in that, the structure consisting of a compact, sealed block, insulating in ceramic, in which there are distributed, according to three dimensions, cavities which multiply by means of conductive walls formed of a conductive deposit, suitably activated and connected together by a connecting conduit allowing the transit of the amplified flow of electrons, as well as means for polarizing these cavities, consisting of conductive walls on the surface of the cavities and conductive tracks for connecting each cavity to external lateral electrical contacts, the method consists in sintering at high temperature a stack of plates or raw ceramic sheets each plate of which has been previously perforated and machined e in order to create the connecting lines and cavities, thus using the multilayer ceramic technology, the conductive tracks being placed on one surface of each ceramic plate.
  • the cavities can occupy any position in the block, contrary to what is required by the stacking of perforated metal plates.
  • the technique of "coffering" of insulating sheets offers a real three-dimensional (3D) distribution of the cavities and, thereby, the freedom to associate the cavities to form curved channels.
  • the channels can meet, communicate with each other, or even subdivide or regroup.
  • several successive cavities of the same channel can be polarized at the same voltage by being connected to the same lateral contact, thus constituting the same multiplier stage.
  • the structure can also be used as an electronic multi-lens, in order to condition the electrons in spatial and energy distributions.
  • a second main object of the invention is a photomultiplier comprising a multiplier structure as defined above, and a photocathode disposed at a first end of each channel to receive the light pulses and transform them into electronic pulses in said channels, at least an output electrode for sampling the amplified pulses and disposed at the second end of each channel, a base, also consisting of ceramic plates coated with suitably arranged electroemissive conductive layers.
  • the first cavity 33 is of cylindrical shape.
  • the second cavity 34 is a stack of coaxial hollow cylinders.
  • the third cavity 35 has any shape which can be obtained approximately by a stack of suitably cut sheets.
  • FIG. 7 briefly shows a possible configuration of a channel in a multiplier according to the invention, and more precisely in a ceramic block 20.
  • the non-rectilinear shape of the canal means that, in this case, the input and the output thereof imposed by the polarization of the successive cavities are located on the same upper surface 26 of the block 20.
  • the input 22 and output 25 electrodes are located therefore on this same surface 26.
  • the channel is formed by a succession of several cavities 21 connected by connecting conduits 27.
  • Each cavity 21 is equipped with polarization means 28, 24, 23, to bring the internal surface of each of them to a determined electrical potential.
  • the conductive walls covered with a conductive metallic deposit 28, then chemically activated constitute the multiplier zones.
  • This metallic deposit 28 is itself connected to an external electrical contact 23 located on one of the surfaces of the ceramic block 20, by means of a connector 24.
  • Each lateral contact 23 is brought to the potential necessary for the corresponding cavity, for that the latter constitutes a multiplying zone.
  • the connectors 24 are embedded in the ceramic block 20.
  • the realization of such a configuration is preferably obtained by constituting the ceramic block 20 by the use of ceramic sheets.
  • the connectors 24 are then applied to a surface of these sheets, during the preparation of the latter.
  • Figure 8 shows another function of the multiplier cavities which is the spatial distributivity of the secondary electrons.
  • the channel is divided into 21 into two parts by means of two conduits 32 each leading to another cavity 31.
  • the channel is thus divided into two and ends with two output electrodes 25. In the case shown in this figure, these two output electrodes 25 are placed on two different faces of the ceramic block.
  • FIG. 9 Another example of a cavity shape is shown in FIG. 9.
  • the cavities 371, 372, 373, as well as the conduits 39 are cylinders obtained by stacking suitably perforated sheets. For each cavity, one of the sheets constituting it will carry the conductive track 38 connecting it to the external contact 23.
  • Such an embodiment makes it possible to simplify the manufacture of the ceramic block by simplifying the forms to be practiced in the plates 36. All the cavities of the same stage 372 are brought to the same potential by means of the conductive tracks 38 connecting the conductive deposits of the cavities between them and to outside contact 23.
  • each successive cavity of a channel is set to a determined electrical potential, and successively increasing, to satisfy the conditions of multiplication.
  • Figure 10 shows a cross section of three multipliers 40 already described. This example wants to show the associativity of the multiplier blocks resulting from the invention, between them, thus exploiting their mechanical and electrical autonomy.
  • Figure 12 shows in section such a compact ceramic structure. It can be seen that all of the channels 43 have their inlet on the upper surface 26. On the other hand, the outlets of these channels are on three different surfaces 45, 46 and 47.
  • the lateral contacts 23 can be assembled on the same lateral surface 48 or 49.
  • the cavities 21 of the channels can thus be brought to different potentials, compared to the other cavities of the same channel, but also compared to the cavities of the same rank of the others canals.
  • FIG. 13 shows several raw ceramic plates 51 to 56, primed and placed one above the other, during stacking, and FIG. 14 after firing.
  • ceramic plates are used beforehand that is prepared (machining by punching, drilling, ...) in order to constitute a stack intended to produce the multiplying structure.
  • An exemplary embodiment of two portions of adjacent channels is therefore illustrated in this figure 13.
  • the first two plates (or sheets) 51 and 52 are joined to one another.
  • they are perforated and each hole 57 is coated with a conductive material 58.
  • This operation is preferably carried out by screen printing of a conductive ink which connects the two opposite surfaces 59 of the two plates 51 and 52, as well as to a lateral contact 23 by means of a conductor 24.
  • the diameter of these holes 54 is relatively large, with the aim of constituting the internal wall of two cavities.
  • the fourth and fifth plates 54 and 55 suffer the same fate, in the same way.
  • the third plate 53 and the sixth plate 56 are individually inked on their large surface 60, around holes 61 of smaller diameter than the holes 57 of the other plates.
  • the position of these holes 61 is in correspondence with the position of the holes 57 of the other plates. Note that the holes 61 have most of their insulating internal wall, since it is made of ceramic.
  • Figure 14 shows the stacking of these six plates.
  • the third and sixth plates 53 and 56 are placed relative to the two assemblies consisting of the first and second on the one hand and the fourth and fifth on the other hand, off-center.
  • the holes 61 of these third and sixth plates 53 and 56 are offset from the holes 57 of the other four plates.
  • Figure 15 shows the side of a multiplier structure, as obtained using the method illustrated in Figures 13 and 14. Indeed, on the side face 64 of this structure, one can distinguish several lateral contacts : 230 polarizes the channel input, 231 the middle stage, 232 the output electrode.
  • electrodeposition or any other method, it is also possible to cover the conductive areas with one or more suitable metals, capable of receiving surface treatments to increase the phenomenon of secondary emission.
  • the distribution of the different potentials on the lateral contacts 23 can be done by means of a resistive ink.
  • the values can be adjusted after firing by volatilization of the ink under the impact of a laser beam.
  • FIG. 16 generally represents a photomultiplier obtained by means of a multiplying structure manufactured with the method according to the invention.
  • Such a photomultiplier comprises an inlet porthole 90 carrying on its internal face a photocathode 92 which will emit photoelectrons under the action of light. These electrons, drawn towards the entry of the channels will multiply as the electronic impacts in the multiplier progress.
  • the outgoing flow of electrons is collected by the internal electrodes 96 connected to the external contacts 91 by conductive tracks 95. All of these elements are included in the base 98 made of multilayer ceramic.
  • This base 98 is preferably made of multilayer ceramic, in order to remove the connection pins in favor of surface contacts 91.
  • these constitute robust connection elements, compact and compatible with the standards practiced in microelectronics.
  • such a base, as well as the multiplier are completely opaque to light.
  • such a compact multiplying structure can be simply placed between a porthole carrying a photocathode and a signal extracting base.
  • the manufactured object behaves like a component to be inserted in an instrumental chain free from any protection against the ambient atmosphere.
  • the final assembly is carried out by the transfer technique which allows the choice of the nature of the porthole and the photocathode, as well as the level of its emissivity before the final sealing of the tube.
  • This separation of functions authorizes the production of several tubes at the same time and reduces the failure rate during manufacture.
  • the multiplier structure according to the invention is not limited to its application already described to photomultipliers.
  • the initial source of particles is a photocathode
  • the ceramic multiplier has a permanent polarization of the stages
  • the receiver is an internal phosphorescent screen associated with a battery of photodetectors or with a charge transfer device.
  • the source is a target bombarded by ions and providing secondary electrons
  • the ceramic multiplier has a permanent polarization of these stages
  • the receiver consists of output electrodes associated with operating electronics.
  • the source is a surface or a deposit on a surface which provides a spontaneous or stimulated electronic exo-emission
  • the ceramic multiplier with its permanent polarization of the stages and output electrodes in connection with operating electronics.
  • the source comes from an excitation of the molecules and residual atoms of a vacuum chamber
  • the ceramic multiplier has a permanent polarization of the stages associated with a magnetic field.
  • the source is one of the aforementioned sources
  • the multiplier is ceramic with a conditional supply of the stages.
  • the output it consists of electrodes each associated with operating electronics.
  • the ceramic multiplier with the permanent polarization of the stages and an electronic optic to adapt the transfer of the electronic flux to the electronic optical output stage.
EP92401357A 1991-05-21 1992-05-19 Structure multiplicatrice d'électrons en céramique notamment pour photomultiplicateur et son procédé de fabrication Expired - Lifetime EP0515261B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR9106099 1991-05-21
FR9106099A FR2676862B1 (fr) 1991-05-21 1991-05-21 Structure multiplicatrice d'electrons en ceramique notamment pour photomultiplicateur et son procede de fabrication.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0515261A1 EP0515261A1 (fr) 1992-11-25
EP0515261B1 true EP0515261B1 (fr) 1996-04-03

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EP92401357A Expired - Lifetime EP0515261B1 (fr) 1991-05-21 1992-05-19 Structure multiplicatrice d'électrons en céramique notamment pour photomultiplicateur et son procédé de fabrication

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US5367218A (ja)
EP (1) EP0515261B1 (ja)
JP (1) JPH05144410A (ja)
DE (1) DE69209560T2 (ja)
FR (1) FR2676862B1 (ja)

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US5624706A (en) * 1993-07-15 1997-04-29 Electron R+D International, Inc. Method for fabricating electron multipliers
US5581151A (en) * 1993-07-30 1996-12-03 Litton Systems, Inc. Photomultiplier apparatus having a multi-layer unitary ceramic housing
EP0876678A1 (en) * 1996-01-25 1998-11-11 Era Patents Limited Photomultiplier
GB9717210D0 (en) * 1997-08-14 1997-10-22 Central Lab Of The Research Co Electron multiplier array
DE19824783A1 (de) * 1998-06-03 1999-12-16 Siemens Ag Vorrichtung zur Formung eines Elektronenstrahls, Verfahren zur Herstellung der Vorrichtung und Anwendung
AU2003900277A0 (en) * 2003-01-20 2003-02-06 Etp Electron Multipliers Pty Ltd Particle detection by electron multiplication
EP1613448B1 (en) * 2003-03-31 2011-06-29 L-3 Communications Corporation Method of diffusion bonding a microchannel plate to a multi-layer ceramic body ; diffusion bonded microchannel plate body assembly
US20070007462A1 (en) * 2003-04-01 2007-01-11 Robert Stevens Large area detectors and displays
EP1642449A1 (en) * 2003-07-09 2006-04-05 Council For The Central Laboratory Of The Research Councils Image machine using a large area electron multiplier
JP5000137B2 (ja) * 2004-02-17 2012-08-15 浜松ホトニクス株式会社 光電子増倍管及びその製造方法
US7687978B2 (en) * 2006-02-27 2010-03-30 Itt Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. Tandem continuous channel electron multiplier
JP5827076B2 (ja) * 2011-08-26 2015-12-02 浜松ホトニクス株式会社 電極構造体
JP6407767B2 (ja) * 2015-03-03 2018-10-17 浜松ホトニクス株式会社 電子増倍体の製造方法、光電子増倍管、及び光電子増倍器
JP6738244B2 (ja) 2016-08-31 2020-08-12 浜松ホトニクス株式会社 電子増倍体の製造方法及び電子増倍体
JP6734738B2 (ja) * 2016-08-31 2020-08-05 浜松ホトニクス株式会社 電子増倍体、及び、光電子増倍管
JP6694033B2 (ja) * 2018-09-19 2020-05-13 浜松ホトニクス株式会社 電子増倍体及び光電子増倍管
CN110828277A (zh) * 2019-11-13 2020-02-21 上海裕达实业有限公司 集成式倍增检测装置

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH05144410A (ja) 1993-06-11
DE69209560D1 (de) 1996-05-09
DE69209560T2 (de) 1996-10-31
FR2676862B1 (fr) 1997-01-03
US5367218A (en) 1994-11-22
FR2676862A1 (fr) 1992-11-27
EP0515261A1 (fr) 1992-11-25

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