Patent ID: 9570644
Date: 2017-02-14
CPC Classifications: G01T,G21H,H01L,Y02E

Claim:
1. An energy converter for converting high energy photon emissions into electrical energy comprising a plurality of layers of a first material that absorbs high energy photons and emits electrons ejected from an atom in an individual layer of the plurality of layers of the first material by a high energy photon absorbed in the individual layer of the plurality of layers of the first material, each layer of the plurality of layers of the first material having a thickness measured along the direction of the emitted electrons that is less than the length of the mean free path of the emitted electrons in the first material, wherein the thickness of each layer of the plurality of layers of the first material measured along the direction of propagation of a high energy photon is less than the length of a mean free path of the high energy photon in the first material, wherein the wavelengths of the high energy photons are in the non-visible regime, and wherein a plurality of layers of the plurality of layers of a first material encountered by a high energy photon along the direction of propagation of the high energy photon having an aggregate thickness measured along the direction of propagation of the high energy photon that is greater than the length of a mean free path for the high energy photon in the first material, and a plurality of layers of a second material that collects electrons emitted from the plurality of layers of the first material and electrically coupled to the plurality of layers of the first material, each layer of the plurality of layers of the second material having a thickness greater than the length of the mean free path in the second material of the electrons emitted from the plurality of layers of the first material, wherein one or more layers of the plurality of layers of the second material interposing adjacent layers of the plurality of layers of the first material, wherein the direction of propagation of the high energy photons is substantially orthogonal to a normal vector to a boundary surface between adjacent layers of the plurality of layers of the first and second material, and wherein the electrons emitted from the first material are emitted in a direction perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the high energy photons.