Photomultiplier tube
US6538376B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 24, 2000 |
| Grant date | Mar 25, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 22, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J43/12
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In this photomultiplier tube 1, light incident on a light-receiving faceplate 3 is converted into photoelectrons by a photosensitive surface 3a, and the photoelectrons strike a dynode 4 to emit many secondary electrons. The secondary electrons are then collected by a mesh-like anode 5. Since the anode 5 is disposed to be parallel to the photosensitive surface 3a, the photoelectrons emerging from the photosensitive surface 3a can easily pass through a mesh portion 5a, and many photoelectrons can be made to strike the dynode 4. As the number of photoelectrons incident on the dynode 4 increases, the number of secondary electrons from the dynode 4 increases. This improves the gain characteristics of the photomultiplier tube 1. Since a secondary electron emission surface 4a of the dynode 4 is tilted with respect to the anode 5, photoelectrons having passed through the anode 5 obliquely strike the secondary electron emission surface 4a of the dynode 4.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.