Abstract:
A photoelectric emission surface which is excellent in stability and reproducibility of photoelectric conversion characteristics and has a structure capable of obtaining a high photosensitivity is provided. A predetermined voltage is applied between an upper surface electrode and a lower surface electrode by a battery. Upon application of this voltage, a p-n junction formed between a contact layer and an electron emission layer is reversely biased. A depletion layer extends from the p-n junction into the photoelectric emission surface, and an electric field is formed in the electron emission layer and a light absorbing layer in a direction for accelerating photoelectrons. When incident light is absorbed in the light absorbing layer to excite photoelectrons, the photoelectrons are accelerated by the electric field toward the emission surface. The photoelectrons obtain an energy upon this electric field acceleration, and are transitioned, in the electron emission layer, to a conduction band at a higher energy level, and emitted into a vacuum.
Abstract:
A semiconductor device for emitting, upon receiving a light energy, a highly spin-polarized electron beam, including a first compound semiconductor layer formed of gallium arsenide phosphide, GaAs.sub.l-x P.sub.x, and having a first lattice constant; a second compound semiconductor layer grown with gallium arsenide, GaAs, on the first compound semiconductor layer, and having a second lattice constant different from the first lattice constant, the second compound semiconductor layer emitting the highly spin-polarized electron beam upon receiving the light energy; and a fraction, x, of the gallium arsenide phosphide GaAs.sub.l-x P.sub.x and a thickness, t, of the second compound semiconductor layer defining a magnitude of mismatch between the first and second lattice constants, such that the magnitude of mismatch provides a residual strain, .epsilon..sub.R, of not less than 2.0.times.10.sup.-3 in the second layer. The fraction x of the gallium arsenide phosphide GaAs.sub.l-x P.sub.x and the thickness t of the second compound semiconductor layer may define the magnitude of mismatch between the first and second lattice constants, such that the magnitude of mismatch provides an energy splitting between a heavy hole band and a light hole band in the second layer so that the energy splitting is greater than a thermal noise energy in the second layer.
Abstract:
An improved photocathode for use in a night vision system, comprising a glass face plate, an AlInAs window layer having an anti-reflection and protective coating bonded to the face plate, an InGaAs active layer epitaxially grown to the window layer, and a chrome electrode bonded to the face plate, the window layer, and the active layer providing an electrical contact between the photocathode and the night vision system, whereby an optical image illuminated into the face plate results in a corresponding electron pattern emitted from the active layer.
Abstract:
A microscopic voltage controlled field emission electron amplifier device consists of a dense array of field emission cathodes with individual cathode impedances employed to modulate and control the field emission currents of the device. These impedances are selected to be sensitive to an external stimulus such as light, x-rays, infrared radiation or particle bombardment; so that the field emission current varies spacially in proportion to the intensity of the controlling stimulus. When a phosphorus screen or other suitable responsive element is provided, the device functions as a solid state image convertor or intensifier.
Abstract:
A photoelectron beam converting device including a semiconductor substrate having a p-n junction formed between an n-type region and a p-type region and an opening portion formed on the side of the semiconductor substrate. An electron beam is generated by a light which enters from the opening portion and by a reverse voltage to be applied to the p-n junction.
Abstract:
In order to improve the stability of a cold cathode (5) of the reverse biased junction type, a vacuum space (2) is coupled with a reservoir (10), within which a source (21) of material reducing the work function, for example caesium, is present. By influencing the vapor pressure and the temperature in component parts (13, 16) of the reservoir (10) and in the source (21), loss of caesium due to adsorption or other phenomena occurring at the emitting surface (8) of the cathode (5) can be compensated for by an incident flow of caesium (25).
Abstract:
The invention relates to a photocathode for the infra-red range having a plurality of layers of semi-conductive and conductive material. The photocathode is transparent and sensitive in a spectral range of between approx. 1 and 20 .mu.m. This is achieved by the following layer structure:p.sub.1 : a highly doped p-layern.sub.2 : a highly doped n-layeri.sub.3 : an intrinsic layerp.sub.4 : a highly doped p-layerm.sub.5 : a thin metal layer, preferably of an atomic layer of Cs.The spectral sensitivity can be adjusted by applying a negative bias voltage to the layer p.sub.1 with respect to the layer P.sub.4. When this happens, the Fermi level of the layer p.sub.2 is shifted and the work function of the electrons is reduced.
Abstract:
A vitreous semiconductor supporting structure obtained by connecting semiconductor layers to a vitreous support constituted by at least two glasses. The semiconductor layers are constituted by an electrically and optically active n-ary III-V compound layer (3) and optional complementary layers for passivation (4), index adaptation (6), and protection (7). To keep the active layer in a compression state and optimize its electrical properties, the structure includes at least two glasses, an intermediate glass (15) providing thermoelastic properties and a supporting glass (16) providing a high softening temperature.
Abstract:
The photosensitivity of a photomultiplier dynode to white light or infrared radiation is greatly reduced by coating the dynode with a layer of an alkali halide material having good secondary electron emission characteristics. A method of applying the coating to the dynode is also described.
Abstract:
An electron emitting device including an active semiconductor layer having a surface from which electrons are emitted. The layer is doped with impurity atoms at a density which decreases with distance from the surface.