Patent ID: 6384519
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
A microdynode device comprising:(a) a porous structure defining an entry side, and an exit side, said structure including a plurality of dynode layers and a plurality of electrically insulating spacer layers disposed in alternating sequence between said entry side and said exit side, said structure defining a plurality of elongated microchannels extending side-by-side through said layers, each said microchannel having an entrance aperture adjacent said entry side and an exit aperture adjacent said exit side, and a lengthwise direction between said ends, each said microchannel having a mean diameter less than about 150 microns, said structure defining walls surrounding each microchannel from said entry aperture to said exit aperture and segregating each said microchannel from the other said microchannels; (b) an electron-emissive material in said microchannels within said dynode layers; and (c) means for connecting said dynode layers to biasing voltages wherein said electron-emissive material is selected from the group consisting of amorphous and crystalline: (d) Group IV semiconductors; (e) semiconductors having a composition according to the formula AxB1âˆ’xCyD1âˆ’y wherein A and B are each independently selected from the group consisting of B, Al, Ga, In, and Tl, wherein C and D are each independently selected from the group consisting of N, P, As, Sb and Bi and wherein x and y are in the range from 0 to 1; and (f) n and p types of the semiconductors recited in (d) and (e).