US2929935A - Image amplifier - Google Patents

Image amplifier Download PDF

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Publication number
US2929935A
US2929935A US445271A US44527154A US2929935A US 2929935 A US2929935 A US 2929935A US 445271 A US445271 A US 445271A US 44527154 A US44527154 A US 44527154A US 2929935 A US2929935 A US 2929935A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
layer
image
screen
radiation
electrons
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
US445271A
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English (en)
Inventor
Lempert Joseph
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.)
CBS Corp
Original Assignee
Westinghouse Electric Corp
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Westinghouse Electric Corp filed Critical Westinghouse Electric Corp
Priority to US445271A priority Critical patent/US2929935A/en
Priority to DEW17067A priority patent/DE1032440B/de
Priority to GB20375/55A priority patent/GB778793A/en
Priority to FR1127819D priority patent/FR1127819A/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2929935A publication Critical patent/US2929935A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J29/00—Details of cathode-ray tubes or of electron-beam tubes of the types covered by group H01J31/00
    • H01J29/02—Electrodes; Screens; Mounting, supporting, spacing or insulating thereof
    • H01J29/10—Screens on or from which an image or pattern is formed, picked up, converted or stored
    • H01J29/36—Photoelectric screens; Charge-storage screens
    • H01J29/39—Charge-storage screens
    • H01J29/41—Charge-storage screens using secondary emission, e.g. for supericonoscope
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J29/00—Details of cathode-ray tubes or of electron-beam tubes of the types covered by group H01J31/00
    • H01J29/02—Electrodes; Screens; Mounting, supporting, spacing or insulating thereof
    • H01J29/10—Screens on or from which an image or pattern is formed, picked up, converted or stored
    • H01J29/36—Photoelectric screens; Charge-storage screens
    • H01J29/38—Photoelectric screens; Charge-storage screens not using charge storage, e.g. photo-emissive screen, extended cathode
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J29/00—Details of cathode-ray tubes or of electron-beam tubes of the types covered by group H01J31/00
    • H01J29/02—Electrodes; Screens; Mounting, supporting, spacing or insulating thereof
    • H01J29/10—Screens on or from which an image or pattern is formed, picked up, converted or stored
    • H01J29/36—Photoelectric screens; Charge-storage screens
    • H01J29/38—Photoelectric screens; Charge-storage screens not using charge storage, e.g. photo-emissive screen, extended cathode
    • H01J29/385—Photocathodes comprising a layer which modified the wave length of impinging radiation

Definitions

  • One object of my invention is accordingly to provide a new and improved form of image intensifier.
  • Another object is to provide a new and improved form of integral tube producing on an output screen a light image which is a replica of greatly enhanced brightness of an image on its input screen.
  • Another object is to provide a single integral tube of improved form for producing on its output screen an intensified image, with little reduction of linear dimensions, of an X-ray image of its fluorescent-input screen.
  • Still another object is to provide, in an integral image intensifier tube, means by which the contrast between shadowgraphs of only slightly different intensity-level may be selectively varied at will whereby the images of certain objects or organs may be brought out clearly while other image-portions are suppressed into background.
  • Figure l is a schematic view in section of a tube embodying the principles of my invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-section of a target screen employed in Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic view in section of a modified input screen which may be employed in Fig. 1.
  • a vacuum-tight enclosure 1 which may if desired be of glass, has a cathode comprising a layer 2 of aluminum or other metal having a low absorptive power for X-rays and a second layer 3 of a material such as crystalline cadmium sulphide, CdS, cadmium selenide, CdSe, or cadmium telluride, CdTe, which is temporarily rendered photo-conductive over a limited volume in which an X-ray quantum is absorbed.
  • the free face of layer 3 is coated with a layer 4 of conductive material having a relatively high electrical resistivity, and which also is chemically inert to attack by the layer 3, and a photoelectrically emis- States Patent.
  • an output screen comprising a layer 11 of an electron phosphorsuch as zinc sulphide which may be coated on the glass end wall of tube 1, and which is coated in turn by a layer 12 of aluminum which may be thin enough to be transparent to electrons accelerated into impact upon it from the photoelectrically-emissive layer 5.
  • an electron phosphor such as zinc sulphide which may be coated on the glass end wall of tube 1
  • a layer 12 of aluminum which may be thin enough to be transparent to electrons accelerated into impact upon it from the photoelectrically-emissive layer 5.
  • a source of direct current voltage 13 accelerates electrons emitted by layer 5 into impact upon layers 12 and 11 and produces a light image in layer 11 which'corresponds in space distribution with the electron image generated at photoelectrically-emissive layer 5 in a manner about to be described.
  • a second direct current voltage source 14 is connected to impress its voltage across the photoconductive layer 3.
  • the radiation from source 6 is preferably of a type which produces virtually no conductivity in the photoconductive layer 3; radiation of wavelength above 6500 Angstroins is of that type in relation to cadmium sulphide, for example. It should, however, produce a' tree emission of electrons from the photoelectrically-emissive layer .5, and will do so if the latter is of cesium silver oxide or cesiated antimony.
  • the space within tube 1 may be provided with means to cause electrons emitted at screen 5 to 'follow paths parallel to the axis of tube 1; thismay be done by establishing a magnetic field parallel to said axis by means of windings 15.
  • the radiation from source 6 tends to produce a uniform emission of electrons from the surface of screen 5:, and does so when no X-rays are incident on layers 2 and 3. These electrons are drawn away by-the electric field between screen 5 and the aluminum layer, 12 on the output screen. As long, however, as no X-rays strike the photoconductive layer 3, the high resistance of layer 4 prevents any flow radially along its surface, through the external circuit of batteries 13 and 14, to replenish the emitted electrons in the surface layer of photoemitter 5, and no continued flow of electrons into incidence with output phosphor 11 takes place.
  • the latter may be focussed on an electron storage screen such as the glass screen of an image orthicon and used for television techniques and the like.
  • the screen comprising layers 2, 3, 4 and 5 may, in fact, be considered an extremely sensitive and efiicient radiation-responsive cathode.
  • cathode is useful, not only in image intensifying. devices, but in detectors forv nuclear radiation, in which case windows transmissive ofthe particular radiation would be provided in the envelope. Photomultiplier structures could then be provided to respond to the light from output layer 11.
  • the resolution of which the photoconductive lamina is capable may be increased by employment of the structure shown in Fig. 2 in which filaments 21 of photoconductivematerial are embedded in a matrix of glass or other insulating material with their ends exposed on the two faces of the screen.
  • This structure prevents conduction .of.the electrons laterally within the lamina 3 while maintaining full conduction between the layers on its faces coror other low-melting insulator, and grinding down its opposed surfaces sutficiently to expose the ends of the photoconductive particles after it had cooled.
  • a high resistance layer 4 which may be of carbon particles for example
  • the arrangement is operative if the-layer 4 and voltage source 14 are omitted; or if the source 14 is omitted and layer 4 left floating in potential.
  • the layer 4 By making the layer 4 of a material which is opaque to the radiation from source 6, the need for having the latter of a wave length which does not afiect the photoconductive layer 3 may be avoided.
  • An input screen for an image'amplifier comprising a thin electrically conductive layer sandwiched between a fluorescent layer responsive to the image to be amplified and aradiation sensitive layer, said electricallyconducscreen, said input screen comprising a light sensitive layer responsive to radiation of an image to be amplified, said layer comprised of a plurality of filaments of photoconductive material embedded in a matrix of insulating material, said light sensitive layer sandwiched between a layer of photoemissive material and an electrically conductive layer.

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  • Image-Pickup Tubes, Image-Amplification Tubes, And Storage Tubes (AREA)
US445271A 1954-07-23 1954-07-23 Image amplifier Expired - Lifetime US2929935A (en)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US445271A US2929935A (en) 1954-07-23 1954-07-23 Image amplifier
DEW17067A DE1032440B (de) 1954-07-23 1955-07-11 Strahlungsempfindliche Vorrichtung, besonders fuer Roentgenbildverstaerker
GB20375/55A GB778793A (en) 1954-07-23 1955-07-14 Improvements in or relating to devices for intensifying images produced by radiation
FR1127819D FR1127819A (fr) 1954-07-23 1955-07-20 Renforçateur d'images

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US445271A US2929935A (en) 1954-07-23 1954-07-23 Image amplifier

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2929935A true US2929935A (en) 1960-03-22

Family

ID=23768244

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US445271A Expired - Lifetime US2929935A (en) 1954-07-23 1954-07-23 Image amplifier

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US2929935A (fr)
DE (1) DE1032440B (fr)
FR (1) FR1127819A (fr)
GB (1) GB778793A (fr)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3107303A (en) * 1960-12-28 1963-10-15 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Positive or negative high gain image amplifier
US3368077A (en) * 1963-03-08 1968-02-06 Electro Optical Systems Inc Infra-red image intensifier having a tunnel-emission cathode having a conductive mosaic
US3436550A (en) * 1963-09-05 1969-04-01 Jack Finkle Electronic pick-up tube for incident x-rays with image intensifier
US3475411A (en) * 1966-12-27 1969-10-28 Varian Associates Mosaic x-ray pick-up screen for x-ray image intensifier tubes
US3772562A (en) * 1968-07-12 1973-11-13 Bendix Corp Phosphor screen assembly
US6086252A (en) * 1996-07-08 2000-07-11 U.S. Philips Corporation Correction of fixed pattern noise

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1092094A (en) * 1963-08-20 1967-11-22 Mullard Ltd Improvements in or relating to photo-cathodes

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2523132A (en) * 1949-08-10 1950-09-19 Westinghouse Electric Corp Photosensitive apparatus
US2572494A (en) * 1946-06-28 1951-10-23 Rca Corp Velocity selection in electron tubes
US2650310A (en) * 1952-10-10 1953-08-25 Gen Electric X-ray image intensification and method
US2683832A (en) * 1948-04-15 1954-07-13 Pye Ltd Image pickup electron tube
US2699512A (en) * 1951-11-21 1955-01-11 Sheldon Edward Emanuel Camera for invisible radiation images
US2747131A (en) * 1951-10-12 1956-05-22 Sheldon Edward Emanuel Electronic system sensitive to invisible images
US2747132A (en) * 1951-12-18 1956-05-22 Sheldon Edward Emanuel Device sensitive to invisible images

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB515301A (en) * 1938-03-29 1939-12-01 Hans Gerhard Lubszynski Improvements in or relating to photo electric devices
DE915963C (de) * 1944-10-09 1954-08-02 Aeg Verfahren zur Herstellung von Cadmiumsulfidphotoschichten

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2572494A (en) * 1946-06-28 1951-10-23 Rca Corp Velocity selection in electron tubes
US2683832A (en) * 1948-04-15 1954-07-13 Pye Ltd Image pickup electron tube
US2523132A (en) * 1949-08-10 1950-09-19 Westinghouse Electric Corp Photosensitive apparatus
US2747131A (en) * 1951-10-12 1956-05-22 Sheldon Edward Emanuel Electronic system sensitive to invisible images
US2699512A (en) * 1951-11-21 1955-01-11 Sheldon Edward Emanuel Camera for invisible radiation images
US2747132A (en) * 1951-12-18 1956-05-22 Sheldon Edward Emanuel Device sensitive to invisible images
US2650310A (en) * 1952-10-10 1953-08-25 Gen Electric X-ray image intensification and method

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3107303A (en) * 1960-12-28 1963-10-15 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Positive or negative high gain image amplifier
US3368077A (en) * 1963-03-08 1968-02-06 Electro Optical Systems Inc Infra-red image intensifier having a tunnel-emission cathode having a conductive mosaic
US3436550A (en) * 1963-09-05 1969-04-01 Jack Finkle Electronic pick-up tube for incident x-rays with image intensifier
US3475411A (en) * 1966-12-27 1969-10-28 Varian Associates Mosaic x-ray pick-up screen for x-ray image intensifier tubes
US3772562A (en) * 1968-07-12 1973-11-13 Bendix Corp Phosphor screen assembly
US6086252A (en) * 1996-07-08 2000-07-11 U.S. Philips Corporation Correction of fixed pattern noise

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR1127819A (fr) 1956-12-26
DE1032440B (de) 1958-06-19
GB778793A (en) 1957-07-10

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