Patent ID: 6720996
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: G01J,H01J

Abstract:
An imaging apparatus including, as an imaging element, an electron-bombarded multiplying tube housing, in a vacuum vessel that partially transmits light, a photocathode that emits, in accordance with incident light, photo-electrons from a photo-electron emission surface opposite a light incidence plane, and a charge-transfer solid imaging device that is disposed in confrontation with the photo-electron emission surface of the photocathode and that detects spatial distribution of photoelectrons as an image using a plurality of pixels, the photocathode being applied with a voltage that is negative with respect to a substrate of the imaging device, characterized in that:the imaging device is configured from a plurality of pixels disposed in horizontal pixel rows in a main scanning direction, the horizontal pixel rows being disposed in a vertical direction that is orthogonal to the main scanning direction, in a number equal to or greater than a predetermined number of output scan lines; the imaging device is configured from an imaging portion for multiplying and accumulating electrons falling incident on the pixels during an image accumulation period, and an accumulation portion for during a successive horizontal transfer period, transferring to and accumulating in each corresponding pixel, charges accumulated in the imaging portion during the image accumulating period; and a charge transfer electrode is formed on a surface opposite the photo-electron incidence plane on a substrate of the imaging device and a voltage that is negative with respect to the substrate is applied to the transfer electrode of the imaging portion at least during the image accumulation period.