US3705321A - Electron tube with bonded external semiconductor electrode - Google Patents

Electron tube with bonded external semiconductor electrode Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3705321A
US3705321A US89190A US3705321DA US3705321A US 3705321 A US3705321 A US 3705321A US 89190 A US89190 A US 89190A US 3705321D A US3705321D A US 3705321DA US 3705321 A US3705321 A US 3705321A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
electrode
envelope
ring
semiconductor
junction
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
US89190A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Lozure G Wolfgang
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.)
TDK Micronas GmbH
ITT Inc
Original Assignee
Deutsche ITT Industries GmbH
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 Deutsche ITT Industries GmbH filed Critical Deutsche ITT Industries GmbH
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3705321A publication Critical patent/US3705321A/en
Assigned to ITT CORPORATION reassignment ITT CORPORATION CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH CORPORATION
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J43/00—Secondary-emission tubes; Electron-multiplier tubes
    • H01J43/04—Electron multipliers
    • H01J43/28—Vessels, e.g. wall of the tube; Windows; Screens; Suppressing undesired discharges or currents
    • 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
    • H01J43/12—Anode arrangements

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT AB! 313/953 315/3 A semiconductor element is hermetically sealed to an I [51] Int. Cl .1101; 31/26, H01 1 39/ 14 evacuated electron tube envelope to provide a target [58] held of sarch"3l3/94 65 65 --electrode which collects electrons within the tube 313/65 315/3 while the junction area and output electrode are exter- 56 f Ct nal to the vacuum environment.
  • photocathode materials used in light sensitive tubes may migrate onto the semiconductor or the photocathode surface may be poisoned by materials emitted from thesemiconductor or passivating substances employed to protect the semiconductor.
  • Sodium and potassium are commonly employed photocathode materials which, when heated, can attack the silicon oxide protecting layers of planar type silicon semiconductor devices.
  • the junction areas of the different conductivity type materials of the semiconductor are sensitive to such contamination.
  • One approach which has been explored to overcome these problems is the use of in-vacuum photoprocessing and transfer wherein photocathodes may be processed separately and then cooled and assembled within a vacuum environment. This however, is slow and expensive.
  • a semiconductor device is .bonded and hermetically sealed to one end of a vacuum tube envelope so that one electrode surface is exposed through a small aperture to collect electrons within the tube while the sensitive junction area and other electrodes are external to the envelope.
  • a metallic alloy ring or plate such as a composition of nickel, cobalt and iron, known as Kovar, is preferably used to provide a bond between the semiconductor and the glass envelope.
  • FIGURE schematically shows a cross-section of a typical photomultiplier tube employing the semiconductor output device sealed at one end in accordance with the invention.
  • a photomultiplier tube glass envelope 10 includes a light transparent faceplate 12 at one end, having a photosensitive electron emissive coating 14 on the inner surface which emits electrons in response to the impingement of light thereon from an external source.
  • a semiconductor device 16 such as an NP diode, having a junction 18 between the two opposite conductivity type electrodes 20, 22, is disposed at the other end of the tube.
  • One surface of the semiconductor, including an inner first electrode 20, is bonded conductively to a metallic ring or plate 24 which is sealed at the outer periphery 25 to the glass envelope.
  • the ring ispreferably made of a nickel,
  • cobalt and iron composition commonly known as Kovar which is particularly suitable'for sealing directly to glass by well known heating and fusion techniques.
  • Kovar cobalt and iron composition commonly known as Kovar which is particularly suitable'for sealing directly to glass by well known heating and fusion techniques.
  • a nickel-nickel-alloy bond is preferably utilized, while for P-type materials a gold-germanium bond may be employed-In aperture 26 in the ring provides an opening for electrode 20 which is exposed to the electron beam to act as a target for the collection of electrons from the photocathode 14 within the tube.
  • -A potential source is preferably connected between the photocathode an electrode 20 or ring 24, and for example, may apply an accelerating voltage of from -5,000 to l0,000 volts d.c.
  • an electrostatic focusing electrode 28 may be utilized for focusing electrons from the photocathode onto electrode 20.
  • the potential on the focusing electrode is preferably close to that of the cathode.
  • Element 30 represents an emissive coated electrode utilized during the high temperature processing within the tube to direct a supply of photocathode materials onto the faceplate.
  • the electrons emitted from photocathode 14 normally penetrate the first or input electrode 20, which may be an N-conductivity type layer, and pass into the depletion region associated with the junction which extends for the most part into the P-type conductivity material of electrode 22.
  • the electron passage through the depletion region operates in a well known manner to cause an electron multiplication action.
  • a suitable bias potential between electrodes 20, 22 provides proper operation of the semiconductor. For example, a reverse bias of 50 volts d.c. is applied to the P output electrode with respect to the N input electrode.
  • Use of a PN semiconductor element having reversed positions of the two opposite conductivity type electrodes would require opposite polarity potentials thereacross.
  • the output signal in the form of current or a voltage pulse developed across a load resistor 32, is extracted from the connection 34 to the output electrode 22.
  • the output electrode connection may be in the form of a longitudinally extending stud which can connect to a central conductor of a coaxial output cable.
  • the external portions of the semiconductor including the remaining surface of electrode 20 bonded to the metal ring around the aperture, the underlying junction and the adjacent surface of electrode 22 are preferably hermetically sealed by an expoxy resin coating or other suitable dielectric encapsulant.
  • the concentric junction and outer electrode surfaces have coatings of protective isolating layers which prevent direct electrical contact to the bonded metal ring.
  • the connections to the electrodes and the hermetic sealing have the same configurations as described above.
  • the semiconductor device may also be a transistor which can be bonded and sealed in a similar manner and the tube may be of an image dissector type or other like device utilizing photocathodes and electron multiplier structures.
  • the semiconductor may be bonded to tantalum, tungsten or other metals which may in turn be bonded to ceramic tube bodies It may thus be seen that placement of the sensitive junction area and output electrode of the semiconductor external to the tube and use a narrow aperture exposing only the input electrode to the internal tube environment, as in the present invention, provides a simple inexpensive photosensitive tube which minimizes interaction of semiconductor and cathode materials within an electron tube enclosure. While only a single embodiment has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that many variations may be made in the particular design and configuration without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
  • An electron tube device comprising:
  • a semiconductor device providing an output electrode at the other end, said semiconductor device having a junction therein of two electrodes of opposite conductivity type materials, said envelope including a metallic ring having a narrow aperture at said other end, said semi-conductor device being hermetically sealed onto said ring over said aperture and enclosing said envelope, said semiconductor device having a first electrode surface exposed to the vacuum and to electrons within said envelope, said junction and a second electrode being external to said envelope and vacuum,
  • the device of claim 2 including potential means connected between said cathode and said first electrode.
  • said metallic alloy ring is made of a composition of nickel, cobalt and iron.
  • said electron emissive cathode includes a photosensitive coating emitting electrons in response to light impingement thereon.
  • the device of claim 6, including electron optical means focusing said electrons upon said first electrode.
  • said output means includes a longitudinal stud connected to said second electrode providing a conductor adapted for connection to a coaxial connector.

Landscapes

  • Cold Cathode And The Manufacture (AREA)
  • Image-Pickup Tubes, Image-Amplification Tubes, And Storage Tubes (AREA)
  • Common Detailed Techniques For Electron Tubes Or Discharge Tubes (AREA)
US89190A 1970-11-13 1970-11-13 Electron tube with bonded external semiconductor electrode Expired - Lifetime US3705321A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US8919070A 1970-11-13 1970-11-13

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3705321A true US3705321A (en) 1972-12-05

Family

ID=22216220

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US89190A Expired - Lifetime US3705321A (en) 1970-11-13 1970-11-13 Electron tube with bonded external semiconductor electrode

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3705321A (OSRAM)
FR (1) FR2114686A5 (OSRAM)
GB (1) GB1319008A (OSRAM)
NL (1) NL7115477A (OSRAM)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3818363A (en) * 1972-12-12 1974-06-18 Us Army Electron beam semiconductor amplifier device
EP0495283A1 (en) * 1991-01-17 1992-07-22 Burle Technologies, Inc. Semiconductor anode photomultiplier tube
US5874728A (en) * 1996-05-02 1999-02-23 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Electron tube having a photoelectron confining mechanism
US5883466A (en) * 1996-07-16 1999-03-16 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Electron tube
US5917282A (en) * 1996-05-02 1999-06-29 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Electron tube with electron lens
US6198221B1 (en) 1996-07-16 2001-03-06 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Electron tube
US6297489B1 (en) 1996-05-02 2001-10-02 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Electron tube having a photoelectron confining mechanism

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3818363A (en) * 1972-12-12 1974-06-18 Us Army Electron beam semiconductor amplifier device
EP0495283A1 (en) * 1991-01-17 1992-07-22 Burle Technologies, Inc. Semiconductor anode photomultiplier tube
JP2567774B2 (ja) 1991-01-17 1996-12-25 バール テクノロジース インコーポレイテツド 光電子増倍管
US5874728A (en) * 1996-05-02 1999-02-23 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Electron tube having a photoelectron confining mechanism
US5917282A (en) * 1996-05-02 1999-06-29 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Electron tube with electron lens
EP0805478A3 (en) * 1996-05-02 2000-01-26 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Electron tube
US6297489B1 (en) 1996-05-02 2001-10-02 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Electron tube having a photoelectron confining mechanism
US5883466A (en) * 1996-07-16 1999-03-16 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Electron tube
US6198221B1 (en) 1996-07-16 2001-03-06 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Electron tube

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2114686A5 (OSRAM) 1972-06-30
GB1319008A (en) 1973-05-31
NL7115477A (OSRAM) 1972-05-16

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP0495283B1 (en) Semiconductor anode photomultiplier tube
US3931633A (en) Electron tube including a photocathode
US5883466A (en) Electron tube
JPS6114127Y2 (OSRAM)
EP2180497B1 (en) Electron tube
US3705321A (en) Electron tube with bonded external semiconductor electrode
US3585439A (en) A camera tube with porous switching layer
GB1241379A (en) Improvements in or relating to target structures for cathode ray tubes
US4178529A (en) Flip-header and tube base for CTD mounting within an image intensifier
US3749961A (en) Electron bombarded semiconductor device
US3894295A (en) Solid state image display and/or conversion device
US4286148A (en) Image intensifier tube with photocathode protective circuit
US6765352B2 (en) Photocathode and electron tube
US6198221B1 (en) Electron tube
US6008579A (en) Electron tube with improved airtight seal between faceplate and side tube
EP0718865A2 (en) Photomultiplier having a photocathode comprised of semiconductor material
US4178528A (en) Image intensifier unitube for intensified charge transfer device and method of manufacture
JPS58175242A (ja) 撮像或いは像表示用装置およびこれに用いる半導体装置
US4961026A (en) Proximity focused image intensifier having a glass spacer ring between a photocathode and a fluorescent screen disk
US3577027A (en) Low noise image intensifier
US3321659A (en) Radiation sensitive electron emissive device
US3634690A (en) Tubular photocell with secondary emission from internal surface
US5780967A (en) Electron tube with a semiconductor anode outputting a distortion free electrical signal
JPH09312145A (ja) 電子管
US3459985A (en) Pulse amplifier

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: ITT CORPORATION

Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:004389/0606

Effective date: 19831122