Semiconductor X-ray photocathodes devices
US6201257A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 22, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 13, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 22, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F39/1898
- WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An energy dispersive x-ray and gamma-ray photon counter is described. The counter uses a photon sensor which incorporates a unique photocathode called Advanced Semiconductor Emitter Technology for X-rays (ASET-X) as its critical element for converting the detected photons to electrons which are emitted into a vacuum. The electrons are multiplied by accelerations and collisions creating a signal larger than the sensor noise and thus allowing the photon to be energy resolved very accurately, to within ionization statistics. Because the signal is already above the sensor noise it does not have to be noise filtered therefore allowing high-speed counting. The photon sensor can also be used as a device to visualize and image gamma-ray and x-ray sources.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.