US3702410A - Image pickup tube semiconductor target support structure - Google Patents

Image pickup tube semiconductor target support structure Download PDF

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Publication number
US3702410A
US3702410A US135710A US3702410DA US3702410A US 3702410 A US3702410 A US 3702410A US 135710 A US135710 A US 135710A US 3702410D A US3702410D A US 3702410DA US 3702410 A US3702410 A US 3702410A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
target
substrate
image pickup
pickup tube
electrode
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US135710A
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English (en)
Inventor
Shoichi Miyashiro
Shunji Shirouzu
Shigeo Tsuji
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Toshiba Corp
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Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Ltd filed Critical Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Ltd
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J29/00—Details of cathode-ray tubes or of electron-beam tubes of the types covered by group H01J31/00
    • H01J29/02—Electrodes; Screens; Mounting, supporting, spacing or insulating thereof
    • H01J29/10—Screens on or from which an image or pattern is formed, picked up, converted or stored
    • H01J29/36—Photoelectric screens; Charge-storage screens
    • H01J29/39—Charge-storage screens
    • H01J29/44—Charge-storage screens exhibiting internal electric effects caused by particle radiation, e.g. bombardment-induced conductivity
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10D—INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
    • H10D99/00—Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Definitions

  • One of the insulation rings also set the critical [52] U.S. Cl. ..313/66, 313/82, 313/285 spacing between the target and a mesh electrode. [51] Int. Cl. ..H0lj 31/28, l-lOlj 29/02, HOlj 31/38 [58] Field of Search ..313/65 A, 66
  • Such an electron multiplication target is generally made of ion conducting glass or electron conducting glass.
  • An image pickup tube using a target formed of the aforementioned material could not be expected to fully effect the electron multiplication thereby resulting in the lack of sensitivity. Furthermore, said target is apt to be damaged in use.
  • the object of this invention is to provide an image pickup tube comprising an image intensifier section, scanning section and a semiconductor target, which is capable of effecting high sensitivity and has the target least liable to be damaged in high contrast.
  • An image pickup tube comprising an image intensifier section and scanning section has a semiconductor target provided with an accelerating layer for accelerating carriers produced by impingement of electrons.
  • An image pickup tube using a semiconductor target which is not provided with such an accelerating layer can not display full sensitivity and high contrast, because the electrons entering said target have extremely small energy. Further, mere substitution of the aforesaid semiconductor target with an accelerating layer for the conventional glass target can not realize the desired effect. The reason is that when the electron-emissive surface of an image intensifier section or image section is activated by alkali metals as is generally practised, said alkali metals are likely to be critical spacing between the target and a mesh electrode.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an intensifier vidicon according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 represents, partly in section, a part of the vidicon of FIGQI, that is, an electron multiplication target and its support member;
  • FIG. 3 shows perspective views, with part broken away, of the dismembered elements constituting a part of the vidicon of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a form of electron multiplication target used in the vidicon of FIG. 3;
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional view of another form of said target.
  • FIG. 6 is a sectional view of still another form of said target wherein there is formed a metal layer on one side of the substrate.
  • numeral 10 represents an evacuated envelope, which is divided into a scanning section 12 and an image section or image intensifier section 13 with the later described semiconductor electron multiplication target interposed therebetween.
  • Said scanning section 12 comprises an electron gun assembly 14 disposed at one end of the envelope 10, a long cylindrical grid electrode 15 located ahead of said assembly 14 and a field mesh electrode 16 stretched across the front opening of said electrode 15.
  • Said image section 13 comprises an electron-emissive surface 18 formed on the inner wall surface of the front or face plate 17 of said envelope 10, first and second cylindrical electrodes 19 and 20 for focusing and accelerating electrons emitted from said electron-emissive film 18 or primary electrons and said electron multiplication target 21 disposed behind these two electrodes l9 and 20 which will be further described later.
  • This electron multiplication target is so positioned as to optically shut off said scanning section 12 and image section 13 from each other.
  • This support 27 and the aforesaid large diameter section 22 of the grid electrode are fixed to each other by clamping the end portion of said annular insulation member 23 between diameter portion 31 inserted into the open end part of the large diameter section 22 of said grid electrode.
  • a cylindrical insulation member 32 whose outer diameter fits the inner diameter of the target support 27 and whose inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of said mesh electrode 16, an annular spring electrode 33 and said target 21.
  • annular metal stopper 34 having an L-shaped cross section.
  • the interval between the field mesh electrode 16 and target 21 is defined by the length of said cylindrical insulation member 32.
  • the cylindrical insulation members 23 and 32 may be made of, for example, ceramic.
  • Said target 21 and its cylindrical target support 27 are electrically connected by the projections formed on said spring electrode 33.
  • the mesh electrode 16 is interposed, as shown in FIG. 2, between a washer 35 fitted to said cylindrical insulation member 32 and a spring electrode 36. Said mesh electrode 16 is further electrically connected to said grid electrode 15 through said spring electrode 36.
  • the shielding means of the aforementioned construction is capable of not only optically shielding the image and scanning sections from each other by two insulation members 23 and 32, but also protecting the scanning surface of the semiconductor target from contamination.
  • an electronemissive layer has heretofore been formed by thermally evaporating electron-emissive materials and alkali metals on the inner surface of the front part of the intensifier section. In this case, it was impossible to scanning section of the target.
  • the image pickup device of this invention there are-disposed near the end of a long cylindrical electrode a cylindrical supporting member 27 and two insulation members 23 and 32 at prescribed intervals, thereby substantially preventing said alkali metals from being deposited on the scanning surface of the target.
  • One insulationmember 23 is intended to prevent the alkali metals from intruding into the scanning section through the interstice between the cylindrical member 27 and envelope 10.
  • the other insulation member 32 is used to prevent said alkali metals from being conducted into the scanning section through the interstice between the target 21 and cylindrical member 27.
  • the latter insulation member 32 concurrently plays, as described above, the role of defining the distance between the target and mesh electrode.
  • This target is formed of an N-type conductivity silicon substrate 40 having, for example, a specific resistance of lOQ-cm.
  • On one side of said substrate 40 are formed a plurality of :P-type conductivity small regions 41 at a prescribed space by selective diffusion of prevent the deposition of said alkali metals on the boronso as to define PN junctions 42 between said N- type substrate 40 and P-type regions 41.
  • One side of said substrate except the P-type regions is coated with a protective film 43 of insulation material, for example, silicon dioxide.
  • a film of antimony selenide 44 about 500 A thick in a manner to cover said protective film 43 and P-type regions 41 in order to prevent said protective film 43 from being unnecessarily charged.
  • said antimony selenide film 44 should have a sufficientlyhigh resistance to prevent the resolution of said target 21 from being obstructed.
  • On the other side of said substrate 40 namely, that side thereof into which there are introduced image photoelectrons, there is formed by diffusion an impurity layer 0.5 microns deep consisting of a high concentration of phosphorus, namely an N -type conductivity layer 45, thus resulting in a potential gradient between said substrate 40 and N -type conductivity layer 45.
  • a targetaccording to the present invention is not limited to the type having the aforesaid diode construction, but may be of, for example, transistor construction.
  • FIG. 5 represents a concrete example of the latter construction. The same parts of the figure as those of the aforesaid embodiment aredenoted by the same numerals and description thereof is omitted.
  • an N-type conductivity silicon substrate 40' is formed an N -type conductivity layer 45 and on the other side an insulation film 43 and a semi-insulating film 44, for example made of antimony selenide or antimony sulfide, as shown, in the same manner as used in the preceding embodiment.
  • said insulation film 43 there are formed by selective diffusion a plurality of P-type conductivity mosaic regions 46 at a prescribed space.
  • each of said P type conductivity regions is formed an N-type conductivity region 47.
  • said P-type and N-type conductivity regions 46 and 47 and substrate jointly for-m N-P-N construction.
  • Said potential gradient allows minority carriers generated by introduction of said image photoelectrons into the substrate to proceed to the PN junctions at an accelerated speed, thus preventing the possibility of said minority carriers being extinguished while travelling to said PN junctions, thereby effectively amplifying said image photoelectrons to a far greater degree than is possible with any prior art device.
  • a region capable of accelerating minority carriers there is formed in a semiconductor substrate a region capable of accelerating minority carriers.
  • Said region may be prepared not only by the aforesaid diffusion method, but also, for example, in the following manner, as concretely illustrated in FIG. 6.
  • On one side of an N-type conductivity silicon substrate 40 are formed a plurality of P-type conductivity regions 41 2 microns deep at a prescribed space so as to define PN junction 42 with said substrate 40.
  • an insulation film for example, of silicon diox ide or silicon nitride in a manner to cover the exposed part of each PN junction 42.
  • a film of antimony sulfide 44 about 500 A thick.
  • a metal layer 48 having a thickness of several hundred A units, namely, a thickness sufficiently small to allow electrons to penetrate therethrough which are accelerated with several kilovolts or ten and odd kilovolts.
  • said metal layer 48 consists of a material displaying a smaller work function than the silicon constituting said substrate, for example, aluminum or antimony, there prevails a potential gradient between said metal layer 48 and substrate 40, obtaining the same effect as in the aforesaid embodiments. It will be apparent that where said substrate 40 is of P-type conductivity, then use of a substance exhibiting a larger work function than the material of said substrate, for example, tellurium, indium or platinum, will generate the same potential gradient as described above.
  • the target according to the last mentioned embodiment not only has the same effect as that of the preceding ones, namely, the effect of prominently amplifying image photoelectrons, but also can be expected to offer the following advantages.
  • the metal layer deposited on that side of the substrate into which there are introduced image photoelectrons allows said electrons to proceed to the substrate without exerting any harmful effect thereon, whereas said metal layer serves the purpose of shielding any extra light.
  • minority carriers are only generated in the substrate by image-forming electrons, enabling the image pickup tube of the present invention to perform excellent resolution.
  • the prior art device has the drawbacks that where there is formed a face plate or photoelectric plate in the image section of the pickup tube by the deposition of an electron-emissive material, and the activation of alkali metals for example, cesium, that side of the target on which there are introduced image electrons is eventually contaminated by the cesium, thereby decreasing properties of said target.
  • alkali metals for example, cesium
  • the target according to the last mentioned embodiment wherein the metal layer acts as a protective film is saved from the aforesaid deterioration of properties.
  • the target substrate consisted of silicon, but the target may be prepared from other semiconductor materials, for example, germanium or gallium arsenide. Further, the substrate may be of P-type conductivity instead of N- type conductivity as used in the foregoing embodiments. in this case, however, the aforementioned island regions should, of course, be of N-type conductivity.
  • An image pickup tube comprising an evacuated envelope, an electron gun disposed at one end of said envelope, a cylindrical electrode for accelerating electron beams from said electron gun, a cylindrical supporting'member within said envelope having a diameter larger than the accelerating electrode, the supporting member and the accelerating electrode being fitted into each other at mutually facing end portions and coaxially disposed in the envelope, a field mesh electrode positioned in the supporting member to close the open end of the cylindrical accelerating electrode, a semiconductor target positioned in the supporting member spaced from and facing the mesh electrode, a pair of annular insulation members, one of which is interposed between the cylindrical supporting member and the accelerating electrode and the other of which is sandwiched between the peripheral portions of said target and said mesh electrode to define a predetermined spacing therebetween, an electrode to define a predetermined spacing therebetween, an electronemissive surface provided on the other end of said envelope to convert the light of an image to electrons and electrode means provided between the electron-emissive surface and the target to accelerate said electrons and focus them on the target, the semiconductor target comprising a
  • said target includes a plurality of first separate regions on one side of said substrate having one type of conductivity whose conductivity is of opposite type to said substrate, thereby defining PN junctions between said substrate and regions.
  • said target includes a plurality of second separate regions respectively formed in said first regions, the second regions having opposite type of conductivity from the first regions thereby defining PN junction between the first and second regions.

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  • Image-Pickup Tubes, Image-Amplification Tubes, And Storage Tubes (AREA)
  • Light Receiving Elements (AREA)
US135710A 1969-01-07 1971-04-20 Image pickup tube semiconductor target support structure Expired - Lifetime US3702410A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP118169 1969-01-07
JP869769 1969-02-07
JP2542569 1969-04-02

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US3702410A true US3702410A (en) 1972-11-07

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US (1) US3702410A (de)
DE (1) DE2000391A1 (de)
GB (1) GB1286231A (de)
NL (1) NL7000123A (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6009187A (en) * 1996-12-02 1999-12-28 Motorola, Inc. Wafer prober having an emissive display inspection system and method of use

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2705487C2 (de) * 1976-02-23 1985-06-20 North American Philips Corp., New York, N.Y. Röntgenbildverstärkerröhre
RU2366031C2 (ru) * 2007-09-20 2009-08-27 Федеральное Государственное Унитарное Предприятие "Научно-Производственное Предприятие "Пульсар" Твердотельная матрица вакуумных фотоэлектрических преобразователей электромагнитного излучения

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3073981A (en) * 1960-08-30 1963-01-15 Rca Corp Photoconductive pickup tube having an electrically isolated mesh assembly
GB1041225A (en) * 1962-04-04 1966-09-01 Emi Ltd Improvements in or relating to the mounting of electrodes in electron discharge devices
US3325672A (en) * 1963-04-22 1967-06-13 Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Image pickup tube with a mesh electrode supported by a ring
GB1097587A (en) * 1964-01-06 1968-01-03 Emi Ltd Improvements relating to electron discharge devices
US3419746A (en) * 1967-05-25 1968-12-31 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Light sensitive storage device including diode array

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3073981A (en) * 1960-08-30 1963-01-15 Rca Corp Photoconductive pickup tube having an electrically isolated mesh assembly
GB1041225A (en) * 1962-04-04 1966-09-01 Emi Ltd Improvements in or relating to the mounting of electrodes in electron discharge devices
US3325672A (en) * 1963-04-22 1967-06-13 Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Image pickup tube with a mesh electrode supported by a ring
GB1097587A (en) * 1964-01-06 1968-01-03 Emi Ltd Improvements relating to electron discharge devices
US3419746A (en) * 1967-05-25 1968-12-31 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Light sensitive storage device including diode array

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6009187A (en) * 1996-12-02 1999-12-28 Motorola, Inc. Wafer prober having an emissive display inspection system and method of use

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2000391A1 (de) 1970-07-23
NL7000123A (de) 1970-07-09
GB1286231A (en) 1972-08-23

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