US2506633A - End-on phototube - Google Patents

End-on phototube Download PDF

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Publication number
US2506633A
US2506633A US705356A US70535646A US2506633A US 2506633 A US2506633 A US 2506633A US 705356 A US705356 A US 705356A US 70535646 A US70535646 A US 70535646A US 2506633 A US2506633 A US 2506633A
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United States
Prior art keywords
tube
envelope
tubular
photosensitive
anode
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Expired - Lifetime
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US705356A
Inventor
Ralph W Engstrom
William J Pietenpol
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RCA Corp
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RCA Corp
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Priority to US705356A priority Critical patent/US2506633A/en
Priority to ES0180197A priority patent/ES180197A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2506633A publication Critical patent/US2506633A/en
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J40/00—Photoelectric discharge tubes not involving the ionisation of a gas
    • H01J40/02—Details
    • H01J40/04—Electrodes

Definitions

  • the particular phototube which we have disclosed, is of the transmission type photoelectric "surface That is, the design of the tube is such that light passes through the Window I2 and lm I4 to effect a photoelectric discharge.
  • the photoemission passes to the anode I8 from the photosensitive cathode surface I4.
  • the phototube may be connected into an appropriate circuit whereby the loutput current of the tube may be utilized as def Y lin that they could not escape into the interelectrode space ibetween the cathode I2 andthe anode IS.
  • the loutput current of the tube may be utilized as def Y lin that they could not escape into the interelectrode space ibetween the cathode I2 andthe anode IS.
  • the head of the tube which gis the end closed by the glass window I2 is com- That is, the Lhead-on view of the tube is all photosurface which provides a large photocathode surface relative to the cross-sectional dimensions of the tube., Furthermore, by utilizing an envelope comprising the cathode cylinder ID, it is unnecessary to use an enclosing glass envelope. This permits a much smaller overall cross-sectional area of the tube and also allows the circuit leads to be connected directlyv to the cathode instead of requiring a conventional base structure.
  • copper anode tube I8 is used .both as an electrode and asV an exhaust tubulation 22. This provides a large electrode surface for collecting the photoelectric current and also eliminates additional structures which would be required in a conventional tube for tube exhaust.
  • the largerano'de tube also provides easier glass-to-metal sealing.
  • the important dimension of the tube is obviously its cross-sectional dimension which in this case is determined fby the size of the photosensitive cathode. This dimension of the cathode structure can be kept small relative to the corresponding dimension of conventional phototubes.
  • a photoelectric tube including an envelope, said envelope comprising an insulating tubular member, a metal tubular member coaxially sealed to one end of said insulating tubular member and a glass disc closing said metal tubular member, a photosensitive coating deposited on the inside surface of said disc and in electrical contact with the inside of said metal tubular member for providing within the tube a source of photoelectron emission, a collector electrode having a portion sealed within said tube for collecting the photoelectron emission from said cathode.
  • a photoelectric tube including an envelope, said envelope comprising a glass tubular member, aV metal tubular member of the same cross-sectional area coaxially sealed at one end to one end of said glass tubular melmber and a transparent window closing the other end of said metal tubular member, a photosensitive coating adhering to the inside surface of said window and in electrical contact with said metal tubular member for providing within the tube a source of photoelectron emission, a collector ⁇ electrode closing the other end of said glass tubular member for collecting the photoelectric emission from said cathode.
  • a photoelectric tube comprising a glass tubular member forming an envelope portion of the tube, a cathode including a metal tube sealed to one end of said glass tubular member and forming a second envelope lportion of the tube,- a transparent disc closing the other end of said metal tube and anvelectrically conducting photosensitive substance coated on the inner surface of said transparent disc, said photosensitive substance extending in electrical contactv with the inner wall of said metal tube for providing within the tube a source of photoelectron emission,
  • an anode electrode within said envelope having a portion sealing the vother end of 'said glas tubular member.
  • a photoelectric tulbe comprising a cylindrical insulating member, a cathode electrode including a metal cylinder sealed to one end of said insulating cylinder and forming therewith a portion of the envelope of said tube, a glass window closing said metal cylinder and an electrically conducting photosensitive lm deposited over the inner surface of said glass window, said photosensitive film extending in electrical contact'with said metal cylinder for providing within the tube a source of photoelectron emission; and an ano'de Y electrode .within said envelope having a ⁇ portion sealing the other end of said cylindrical insulating member.
  • a photoelectric tube including an evacuated envelope, said envelope comprising a tubular member and a transparent Yphotosensitive cathode electrode sealed across one end of said tubular member, an anode electrode assembly having a portion spaced within said envelope from said cathode electrode and a metal cup portion sealed across Vthe other end of said tubular member.
  • a photoelectric tube including an evacuated envelope, said envelope comprising a hollow cylindrical member and a transparent photosensitive cathode velectrode closing one end of said hollow cylindrical member, an anode electrode assembly havinga Vconductive portion closely spaced within said envelope from said cathode electrode and a metal cup portion sealed across the other end of said tubular member.
  • a photoelectric tube including an envelope, said envelope comprising a glass tubular member, a metal tubular member of the same crosssectional area coaxially sealed at one end to one end of said glass tubular member and a transparent window closing the other end of said metal tubular member, a photosensitive coating deposited on the inside surface of said window and in electrical contact with the inside of said metal tubular member for providing within the tube a source of photoelectron emission, a collector electrode comprising a closed metal tube extending through the other end of said glass tubular member in spaced relationship to said photosensitive coating for collecting the photoelectrons emitted therefrom, and means closing and sealing said envelope between said glass tubular member and said closed metal tube.
  • a photoelectric tube comprising a cylindrical insulating member of uniform diameter, a cathode including a metal cylinder sealed at one end to an end of said cylindrical insulating member and forming therewith a portion of the envelope of said tube, a glass window sealed across to close the other end of said metal cylinder and an electrically conducting photosensitive substance deposited over the inner surface of said glass window, said photosensitive substance extending in electrical contact with the wall of said cylinder for providing within the tube a source of photoelectron emission, an anode including a closed copper tube extending through the other end of said cylindrical insulating member into said metal cathode cylinder and in spaced relationship to said photosensitive lm for collecting the photoelectrons emitted therefrom and a metal cup fixed to said copper tube to said cylindrical insulating member to close said envelope between said cylindrical insulating member and said enclosed copper tube.
  • a photoelectric tube comprising an evacuated tubular envelope, a photosensitive cathode electrode closing one end of said tubular envelope and an anode electrode having one portion spaced within said envelope from said cathode electrode and a second portion sealed to and hermetically closing the other end of said tubular envelope.
  • a photoelectric tube comprising an evacuated tubular envelope, a photosensitive cathode electrode closing one end of said tubular envelope and an anode electrode including a cylindrical member extending coaxially into said tubular envelope and a portion closing the other end of said tubular envelope, said cylindrical anode member extending in spaced relationship to said photosensitive cathode electrode for collecting the photoelectron emission therefrom, said cylindrical anode member including a hollow exhaust tubulation for said tubular envelope.
  • a photoelectric tube comprising a tubular envelope, a transparent window closing one end of said tubular envelope, a transparent photosensitive nlm deposited on the inside surface of said window, said photosensitive lm forming a photoelectron emitting ⁇ cathode adapted to be activated by a beam oi light passing through said window, a cylindrical anode electrode having one end enclosed in said tubular envelope, said cylindrical anode including a portion closing the other end of said tubular envelope, the enclosed end of said anode electrode extending in spaced relationship to said photoelectron emitting cathode for collecting the photoelectron emission therefrom, said cylindrical anode electrode formed of a hollow metal tube with said enclosed end open for exhausting said envelope and the other end thereof hermetically sealed after tube exhaust.
  • a photoelectric tube including an envelope, said envelope comprising a tubular insulating member and a tubular photosensitive cathode electrode coaxially sealed to one end of said tubular insulating member, an anode electrode formed of a hollow metal tube enclosed within said tubular insulating member, one end of said anode tube extending into said tubular photosensitive cathode for collecting the photoelectron emission therefrom, the other end of said anode tube eX- tending through the other end of said tubular insulating member, means hermetically closing said envelope between said other end of said tubular insulating member and said anode tube, whereby said anode tube forms an exhaust tubulation for said photoelectric tube, said other end of said anode tube hermetically closed after tube exhaust.
  • a photoelectric tube including an envelope, said envelope comprising a tubular insulating member and a photosensitive cathode electrode, said photosensitive cathode including a metal cylinder coaxially sealed at one end to an end of said tubular insulating member and a transparent window hermetically closing the other end thereof, an anode electrode formed of a hollow copper tube enclosed within said tubular insulating member, one end of said anode tube extending into said photosensitive cathode cylinder for collecting the photoelectron emission therefrom, the other end ci said anode tube extending through the other end of said tubular insulating member, cup means hermetically closing said envelope between said other end of said tubular insulating member and said anode tube, whereby said anode tube forms an exhaust tubulation for said photoelectric tube, said other end of said anode tube hermetically closed after tube exhaust, a conductor fixed to said other end of said anode tubulation for connecting said photoelectric tube in a circuit.

Description

:Suvcntor ,pletely a photosensitive surface.
The particular phototube, which we have disclosed, is of the transmission type photoelectric "surface That is, the design of the tube is such that light passes through the Window I2 and lm I4 to effect a photoelectric discharge. When a difference of potential is established between the cathode I and anode I8, the photoemission passes to the anode I8 from the photosensitive cathode surface I4. The phototube may be connected into an appropriate circuit whereby the loutput current of the tube may be utilized as def Y lin that they could not escape into the interelectrode space ibetween the cathode I2 andthe anode IS. On the other hand, if most of the light were allowed to vpass through the photosensitive layer, very little, if any, light would lbe absorbed, to provide energy for photoelectric emission. We
y have found that from 20% t0 50% of the light falling upon the window I2 should be transmitted by the-photosensitive film I4.
In constructing our tube other materials may be used for the photoelectric surface. Instead of using an antimony layer, either arsenic or bisanuth may be substituted, or if desired some other j alkali metal may replace the caesium; nor should our invention be limited to this particular type of photosensitive material as it is obvious that other photosensitive lms such as a silver-silver oxidecaesium surface may be used.
From the following description it is obvious that certain novel and advantageous features lexist in this tube. The head of the tube which gis the end closed by the glass window I2 is com- That is, the Lhead-on view of the tube is all photosurface which provides a large photocathode surface relative to the cross-sectional dimensions of the tube., Furthermore, by utilizing an envelope comprising the cathode cylinder ID, it is unnecessary to use an enclosing glass envelope. This permits a much smaller overall cross-sectional area of the tube and also allows the circuit leads to be connected directlyv to the cathode instead of requiring a conventional base structure. The
copper anode tube I8 is used .both as an electrode and asV an exhaust tubulation 22. This provides a large electrode surface for collecting the photoelectric current and also eliminates additional structures which would be required in a conventional tube for tube exhaust. The largerano'de tube also provides easier glass-to-metal sealing.
The important dimension of the tube is obviously its cross-sectional dimension which in this case is determined fby the size of the photosensitive cathode. This dimension of the cathode structure can be kept small relative to the corresponding dimension of conventional phototubes.
Due to this small head-on dimension which is the part of the tube presented to an activating beam of light, greater utility of the tube is evident. Machines which would utilize a series or a bank of such tubes may be designed to much smaller overall dimensions than were formerly possible. Due to its small size this tube may be incorporated in instruments of small design where previously the use of .phototubes greatly .complicated the technical problems at hand.
While certain specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
What we claim as new is:
1. A photoelectric tube including an envelope, said envelope comprising an insulating tubular member, a metal tubular member coaxially sealed to one end of said insulating tubular member and a glass disc closing said metal tubular member, a photosensitive coating deposited on the inside surface of said disc and in electrical contact with the inside of said metal tubular member for providing within the tube a source of photoelectron emission, a collector electrode having a portion sealed within said tube for collecting the photoelectron emission from said cathode.
2. A photoelectric tube including an envelope, said envelope comprising a glass tubular member, aV metal tubular member of the same cross-sectional area coaxially sealed at one end to one end of said glass tubular melmber and a transparent window closing the other end of said metal tubular member, a photosensitive coating adhering to the inside surface of said window and in electrical contact with said metal tubular member for providing within the tube a source of photoelectron emission, a collector `electrode closing the other end of said glass tubular member for collecting the photoelectric emission from said cathode.
3. A photoelectric tube comprising a glass tubular member forming an envelope portion of the tube, a cathode including a metal tube sealed to one end of said glass tubular member and forming a second envelope lportion of the tube,- a transparent disc closing the other end of said metal tube and anvelectrically conducting photosensitive substance coated on the inner surface of said transparent disc, said photosensitive substance extending in electrical contactv with the inner wall of said metal tube for providing within the tube a source of photoelectron emission,
an anode electrode within said envelope having a portion sealing the vother end of 'said glas tubular member.
4. A photoelectric tulbe comprising a cylindrical insulating member, a cathode electrode including a metal cylinder sealed to one end of said insulating cylinder and forming therewith a portion of the envelope of said tube, a glass window closing said metal cylinder and an electrically conducting photosensitive lm deposited over the inner surface of said glass window, said photosensitive film extending in electrical contact'with said metal cylinder for providing within the tube a source of photoelectron emission; and an ano'de Y electrode .within said envelope having a `portion sealing the other end of said cylindrical insulating member. Y.
5. A photoelectric tube including an evacuated envelope, said envelope comprising a tubular member and a transparent Yphotosensitive cathode electrode sealed across one end of said tubular member, an anode electrode assembly having a portion spaced within said envelope from said cathode electrode and a metal cup portion sealed across Vthe other end of said tubular member.
6. A photoelectric tube including an evacuated envelope, said envelope comprising a hollow cylindrical member and a transparent photosensitive cathode velectrode closing one end of said hollow cylindrical member, an anode electrode assembly havinga Vconductive portion closely spaced within said envelope from said cathode electrode and a metal cup portion sealed across the other end of said tubular member.
7. A photoelectric tube including an envelope, said envelope comprising a glass tubular member, a metal tubular member of the same crosssectional area coaxially sealed at one end to one end of said glass tubular member and a transparent window closing the other end of said metal tubular member, a photosensitive coating deposited on the inside surface of said window and in electrical contact with the inside of said metal tubular member for providing within the tube a source of photoelectron emission, a collector electrode comprising a closed metal tube extending through the other end of said glass tubular member in spaced relationship to said photosensitive coating for collecting the photoelectrons emitted therefrom, and means closing and sealing said envelope between said glass tubular member and said closed metal tube.
8. A photoelectric tube comprising a cylindrical insulating member of uniform diameter, a cathode including a metal cylinder sealed at one end to an end of said cylindrical insulating member and forming therewith a portion of the envelope of said tube, a glass window sealed across to close the other end of said metal cylinder and an electrically conducting photosensitive substance deposited over the inner surface of said glass window, said photosensitive substance extending in electrical contact with the wall of said cylinder for providing within the tube a source of photoelectron emission, an anode including a closed copper tube extending through the other end of said cylindrical insulating member into said metal cathode cylinder and in spaced relationship to said photosensitive lm for collecting the photoelectrons emitted therefrom and a metal cup fixed to said copper tube to said cylindrical insulating member to close said envelope between said cylindrical insulating member and said enclosed copper tube.
9. A photoelectric tube comprising an evacuated tubular envelope, a photosensitive cathode electrode closing one end of said tubular envelope and an anode electrode having one portion spaced within said envelope from said cathode electrode and a second portion sealed to and hermetically closing the other end of said tubular envelope.
10. A photoelectric tube comprising an evacuated tubular envelope, a photosensitive cathode electrode closing one end of said tubular envelope and an anode electrode including a cylindrical member extending coaxially into said tubular envelope and a portion closing the other end of said tubular envelope, said cylindrical anode member extending in spaced relationship to said photosensitive cathode electrode for collecting the photoelectron emission therefrom, said cylindrical anode member including a hollow exhaust tubulation for said tubular envelope.
11. A photoelectric tube comprising a tubular envelope, a transparent window closing one end of said tubular envelope, a transparent photosensitive nlm deposited on the inside surface of said window, said photosensitive lm forming a photoelectron emitting `cathode adapted to be activated by a beam oi light passing through said window, a cylindrical anode electrode having one end enclosed in said tubular envelope, said cylindrical anode including a portion closing the other end of said tubular envelope, the enclosed end of said anode electrode extending in spaced relationship to said photoelectron emitting cathode for collecting the photoelectron emission therefrom, said cylindrical anode electrode formed of a hollow metal tube with said enclosed end open for exhausting said envelope and the other end thereof hermetically sealed after tube exhaust.
12. A photoelectric tube including an envelope, said envelope comprising a tubular insulating member and a tubular photosensitive cathode electrode coaxially sealed to one end of said tubular insulating member, an anode electrode formed of a hollow metal tube enclosed within said tubular insulating member, one end of said anode tube extending into said tubular photosensitive cathode for collecting the photoelectron emission therefrom, the other end of said anode tube eX- tending through the other end of said tubular insulating member, means hermetically closing said envelope between said other end of said tubular insulating member and said anode tube, whereby said anode tube forms an exhaust tubulation for said photoelectric tube, said other end of said anode tube hermetically closed after tube exhaust.
13 A photoelectric tube including an envelope, said envelope comprising a tubular insulating member and a photosensitive cathode electrode, said photosensitive cathode including a metal cylinder coaxially sealed at one end to an end of said tubular insulating member and a transparent window hermetically closing the other end thereof, an anode electrode formed of a hollow copper tube enclosed within said tubular insulating member, one end of said anode tube extending into said photosensitive cathode cylinder for collecting the photoelectron emission therefrom, the other end ci said anode tube extending through the other end of said tubular insulating member, cup means hermetically closing said envelope between said other end of said tubular insulating member and said anode tube, whereby said anode tube forms an exhaust tubulation for said photoelectric tube, said other end of said anode tube hermetically closed after tube exhaust, a conductor fixed to said other end of said anode tubulation for connecting said photoelectric tube in a circuit.
RALPH W. ENGSTROM. WILLIAM J. PIETENPOL.
REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the i-lle of this patent:
UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,893,887 Giard Jan. 10, 1933 1,945,979 Parker Feb. 6, 1934 2,123,412 Gardner July 12, 1938
US705356A 1946-10-24 1946-10-24 End-on phototube Expired - Lifetime US2506633A (en)

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US705356A US2506633A (en) 1946-10-24 1946-10-24 End-on phototube
ES0180197A ES180197A1 (en) 1946-10-24 1947-10-20 A PHOTOELECTRIC TUBE

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2704169A (en) * 1951-05-17 1955-03-15 Philco Corp Electronic tube
US2794140A (en) * 1953-11-20 1957-05-28 Rca Corp Phototubes
US2880344A (en) * 1951-03-02 1959-03-31 Rca Corp Photosurface

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1893887A (en) * 1931-12-19 1933-01-10 Cutler Hammer Inc Electron tube
US1945979A (en) * 1932-05-21 1934-02-06 Rogers Radio Tubes Ltd Electron discharge tube
US2123412A (en) * 1936-08-18 1938-07-12 Farnsworth Television Inc Mosaic and translucent surface

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1893887A (en) * 1931-12-19 1933-01-10 Cutler Hammer Inc Electron tube
US1945979A (en) * 1932-05-21 1934-02-06 Rogers Radio Tubes Ltd Electron discharge tube
US2123412A (en) * 1936-08-18 1938-07-12 Farnsworth Television Inc Mosaic and translucent surface

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2880344A (en) * 1951-03-02 1959-03-31 Rca Corp Photosurface
US2704169A (en) * 1951-05-17 1955-03-15 Philco Corp Electronic tube
US2794140A (en) * 1953-11-20 1957-05-28 Rca Corp Phototubes

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Publication number Publication date
ES180197A1 (en) 1947-12-01

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