GB676411A - Method of and apparatus inducing conductivity in insulators - Google Patents

Abstract

676,411. Discharge apparatus. WESTERN ELECTRIC CO., Inc. Oct. 3, 1947 [May 14, 1947], No. 26671/47. Classes 39 (i) and 39 (iv). [Also in Group XL (b)] An electrical device comprises a solid insulator having electrodes held at different potentials and coupled to a utilization circuit, e.g. an impulse counter, so that units of high energy radiation, e.g. a or # particles or cathode-rays falling on the insulator produce discrete impulses of current in the utilization circuit. As shown in Fig. 1, the insulator 3, e.g. diamond, has electrodes 1, 2 connected to a source 6 of E.M.F. and the current indicator I; when a charged sub-atomic particle hits the diamond, the electrons liberated are drawn towards the appropriate electrode to actuate the indicator. The electrodes may be on opposite sides of the diamond, Fig. 2, not shown. As shown in Fig. 3, the source of sub-atomic particles 8 and the diamond assembly are mounted within a container which may be evacuated, and the indicator is a cathode-ray tube. The indicator may be a counter, Fig. 5, not shown. As shown in Fig. 6, cathode-rays from 28 pass through a field 25 varied by signals applied at 21, so that the extent to which the rays strike the diamond assembly 23 is dependent on the signals at 21. The electrodes 1, 2 of Fig. 1 may be interlaced, Fig. 8, not shown. In place of diamond, there may be used zinc sulphide, alkali halides, magnesium oxide, calcium fluoride, quartz, sodium nitrate, topaz, silver chloride, orthoclase, beryl, calcite, apalite, selenite, parmaline and emerald.