Patent GB-740442-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to television apparatus
Inventor: THEILE RICHARD
IPC: H01J31/36
Filed: 1950-10-06
Abstract: 740,442. Television pick-up tubes. PYE, Ltd. Oct. 2, 1951 [Oct. 6, 1950], No. 24471/50. Class 39 (1). The resistance and therefore the time constant of the semi-conducting material of a double side perforated charge storage target is variable by energy from an external source which is controllable in intensity and is adapted to effect removal of the potential pattern after each scan. In Fig. 7, the target consists of a fine wire mesh electrode 13, the wires being coated on the photo-cathode side with semi-conducting material 14 of suitable time constant. Electrons from the photo-cathode 11 are focused and brought to a high velocity by coil 15 and accelerating electrode 17 so as to form a charge image on layer 14. External focusing and deflecting coils 19 control an orthogonal scanning beam 20 which is repelled by or passes through the mesh 13, 14 in accordance with the charge image thereon, the mesh 13 being biased slightly negative relative to the cathode 21. The mesh bias can however be zero or slightly positive. The electrons penetrating the mesh 13 and the secondary electrons liberated by the high velocity photo-electrons both pass to collector electrode 18, the former developing a signal across load 22. The charge on the target 14 is erased by flooding with light from a source 30. In an alternative form, the photo-electrons are of low velocity, the mesh is positive and the beam is repelled by portions of the insulator rendered negative by electrons from the photocathode. In either form the focusing and deflecting means may be electrostatic and Fig. 3 (not shown) discloses an electrostatic immersion lens, the focal point of which is the deflection centre of the scanning beam. Alternatively the focusing is by means of a series of electrodes at progressively increasing potentials. Interference between focusing and guiding fields is avoided by suitable spacings and placing of the target and by the provision of a compensating coil in conjunction with a decelerating mesh in front of the mesh 13. Instead of taking the output direct from the collector electrode 18 the latter may be activated to become highly secondary-emissive and the electrons penetrating mesh 14 are then accelerated by an openwork anode (Fig. 5, not shown) which also collects the resultant secondary emission. More than one stage of secondary emission may be provided. In a further modification, Fig. 6 (not shown), the signal is developed from that portion of the scanning beam which is reflected at the target and returns to a multiplier arranged around the gun 12. A signal may also be derived from the electrons intercepted by the target, being developed across a suitable load in series with the target. The semi-conducting coating may be of photo-conductive material, e.g. cadmium and selenium oxide and sulphides and selenides, allowing the time constant of the target to'be varied by light irradiation, the light from a cathode-ray tube 30 pulsed by shutters or by the tube supply falling on the target during the frame fly-back periods. The time constant may also be changed by internal heating or radiant heat or by both light and heat. The light illuminating the target should be one to which the photo-cathode is insensitive. In another modification, Fig. 9 (not shown), the photo-conductive coating 14 of the target is scanned by a light spot which follows the scanning beam 20. The scanning light spot should have a spectral composition to which the photocathode is insensitive. To avoid differences in storage times for different parts of the target, the photo-cathode may be exposed to the light image only during the frame blanking period following erasure and not during the scanning period, e.g. in colour television and in televising cinematograph films. The scanning electron beam may be R.F. modulated giving the signal in the form of a modulated carrier. Specifications 657,575 and 670,581, [Group XX], are referred to.