Patent ID: 7078679

Claim:
A fully shielded inductive detector for detecting charged particles comprising: a sensing electrode having a first axial bore concentrically positioned about a detection axis, wherein the sensing electrode has an external end and an internal end; and a shielding element having a second axial bore concentrically positioned about the detection axis, wherein said shielding element is positioned such that said sensing electrode is within said second axial bore and wherein said shielding element entirely surrounds said sensing electrode; said shielding element comprising: a tubular shielding body having said second axial bore, a first end and a second end; a first shielding grid positioned to intersect said detection axis and operationally connected to said first end of said shielding body, and a second shielding grid positioned to intersect said detection axis and operationally connected to said second end of said shielding body.