Night vision device and method
US6198090A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 25, 1999 |
| Grant date | Mar 6, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 25, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2231/5016
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A night vision device (10) with an image intensifier tube (14) includes an improved microchannel plate (22) which has an extraordinarily low indigenous population of gas molecules. Because of this low population of gas molecules, positive ions produced from these gas molecules in the high voltage operating environment of the image intensifier tube (14) are of such a low number that the image intensifier tube (14) will operate for a satisfactory service life even though the microchannel plate (22) has no ion barrier film. The microchannel plate (22) is also spaced much closer to a photocathode (20) of the image intensifier tube (14) than has heretofore been possible. Thus, improved gain and reduction or elimination of image halo also results from the present invention.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.