Light and particle image intensifier
US4471378A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 31, 1979 |
| Grant date | Sep 11, 1984 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 31, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F30/298
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A light and charged particle image intensifier receives incident image conveying light or charged particles ("incident beam") and provides to data processing and video equipment signals from which the image conveyed by the incident beam can be constructed and displayed. The beam that is being processed includes visible light reflected from objects and X-ray radiation that has been passed through an object such as a human body. The image intensifier includes a scintillator and photocathode unit for converting the incident beam to photoelectrons and a charge-coupled device ("CCD") for detecting the photoelectrons and transmitting to the data processing and video equipment information relating to the quantity or energy level as well as the location of the electrons impinging on the sensing areas of the CCD. From this information, the data processing and video equipment can reconstruct the image conveyed by the incident beam. The sensitivity of the device is increased either by imposing an electric field across the photocathode and the CCD to accelerate the photoelectrons or by placing a micro channel plate ("MCP") between the photocathode and the CCD to increase the number of electron…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.