Claims
- 1. A particle detection system comprising:
at least two independent particle detectors, whereby at least one output signal is produced by each said detector upon impingement of said particles on said each detector; at least one separate signal recorder, whereby said output signals from said at least two particle detectors are recorded in separate signal records; and a processor, whereby said separate signal records are processed.
- 2. The particle detection system of claim 1, wherein any of said at least two detectors are a type of detector that includes, but is not limited to, the following types of detectors: charge collector electrode; a conversion dynode coupled to any type of electron multiplier; discrete dynode electron multiplier detector; channel plate electron multiplier detector; channel electron multiplier detector; photo-multiplier tube detector; photodiode detector; photodiode array detector; photodiode detector; Faraday cup collector; a phosphor screen coupled to a photo-multiplier tube; a phosphor screen coupled to a photodiode array detector; and the like.
- 3. The particle detection system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate analog-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 4. The particle detection system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate time-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 5. The particle detection system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate analog-to-digital converter and associated memory array, and wherein at least one other of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate time-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 6. The particle detection system of claim 1, wherein said separate signal records generated by said at least one separate signal recorder are processed and/or stored separately by said processor.
- 7. The particle detection system of claim 1, wherein said separate signal records generated by said at least one separate signal recorder are processed by said processor into a composite signal record.
- 8. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 1, said method comprising: alternately recording signals from a first, then a second, and then any third, fourth, etc. sets of at least one detector during a first, second, and any third, fourth, etc., respectively, period of time.
- 9. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 1, said method comprising: recording signals simultaneously from at least two of said detectors for a period of time.
- 10. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 1, said method comprising: setting the gain of each of said detectors separately and independent of said gains of any other of said detectors.
- 11. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 5, said method comprising:
processing recorded signals from said at least one analog-to-digital recorder and associated memory array, wherein said processing comprises measurement of signal amplitudes of said recorded signals; processing recorded signals from said at least one time-to-digital recorder, wherein said processing comprises measurement of the time dependence of said recorded signals; and correlating said time dependence with said signal amplitudes.
- 12. A particle detection system comprising: at least two independent particle detectors, at least one of said detectors comprising:
a particle multiplier; at least one collector, whereby output of said multiplier is collected and an output signal is generated; whereby at least one output signal is produced by each said detector upon impingement of said particles on said each detector; at least one separate signal recorder, whereby said output signals from said at least two particle detectors are recorded in separate signal records; and a processor, whereby said separate signal records are processed.
- 13. The particle detection system of claim 12, wherein any of said at least two detectors are a type of detector that includes, but is not limited to, the following types of detectors: charge collector electrode; a conversion dynode coupled to any type of electron multiplier; discrete dynode electron multiplier detector; channel plate electron multiplier detector; channel electron multiplier detector; photo-multiplier tube detector; photodiode detector; photodiode array detector; photodiode detector; Faraday cup collector; a phosphor screen coupled to a photo-multiplier tube; a phosphor screen coupled to a photodiode array detector; and the like.
- 14. The particle detection system of claim 12, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate analog-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 15. The particle detection system of claim 12, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate time-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 16. The particle detection system of claim 12, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate analog-to-digital converter and associated memory array, and wherein at least one other of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate time-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 17. The particle detection system of claim 12, wherein said separate signal records generated by said at least one separate signal recorder are processed and/or stored separately by said processor.
- 18. The particle detection system of claim 12, wherein said separate signal records generated by said at least one separate signal recorder are processed by said processor into a composite signal record.
- 19. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 12, said method comprising: alternately recording signals from a first, then a second, and then any third, fourth, etc. sets of at least one detector during a first, second, and any third, fourth, etc., respectively, period of time.
- 20. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 12, said method comprising: recording signals simultaneously from at least two of said detectors for a period of time.
- 21. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 12, said method comprising: setting the gain of each of said detectors separately and independent of said gains of any other of said detectors.
- 22. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 12, said method comprising: setting the gain of each of said multipliers separately and independent of the gains of any other of said multipliers.
- 23. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 16, said method comprising:
processing recorded signals from said at least one analog-to-digital recorder and associated memory array, wherein said processing comprises measurement of signal amplitudes of said recorded signals; processing recorded signals from said at least one time-to-digital recorder, wherein said processing comprises measurement of the time dependence of said recorded signals; and correlating said time dependence with said signal amplitudes.
- 24. A particle detection system comprising:
at least two independent particle detectors, whereby at least one output signal is produced by each said detector upon impingement of said particles on said each detector; at least one signal amplifier, whereby said at least one output signal produced by each said detector is amplified separately; at least one separate signal recorder, whereby said output signals from said at least two particle detectors are recorded in separate signal records; and a processor, whereby said separate signal records are processed.
- 25. The particle detection system of claim 24, wherein any of said at least two detectors are a type of detector that includes, but is not limited to, the following types of detectors: charge collector electrode; a conversion dynode coupled to any type of electron multiplier; discrete dynode electron multiplier detector; channel plate electron multiplier detector; channel electron multiplier detector; photo-multiplier tube detector; photodiode detector; photodiode array detector; photodiode detector; Faraday cup collector; a phosphor screen coupled to a photo-multiplier tube; a phosphor screen coupled to a photodiode array detector; and the like.
- 26. The particle detection system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the said at least two separate particle detectors includes a particle multiplier.
- 27. The particle detection system of claim 24, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate analog-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 28. The particle detection system of claim 24, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate time-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 29. The particle detection system of claim 24, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate analog-to-digital converter and associated memory array, and wherein at least one other of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate time-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 30. The particle detection system of claim 24, wherein said separate signal records generated by said at least one separate signal recorder are processed and/or stored separately by said processor.
- 31. The particle detection system of claim 24, wherein said separate signal records generated by said at least one separate signal recorder are processed by said processor into a composite signal record before further processing and/or storage of said composite signal record.
- 32. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 24, said method comprising: alternately recording signals from a first, then a second, and then any third, fourth, etc. sets of at least one detector during a first, second, and any third, fourth, etc., respectively, period of time.
- 33. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 24, said method comprising: recording signals simultaneously from at least two of said detectors for a period of time.
- 34. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 24, said method comprising: setting the gain of each of said detectors separately and independent of said gains of any other of said detectors.
- 35. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 24, said method comprising: setting the gain of each of said signal amplifiers separately and independent of the gains of any other of said signal amplifiers.
- 36. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 29, said method comprising:
processing recorded signals from said at least one analog-to-digital recorder and associated memory array, wherein said processing comprises measurement of signal amplitudes of said recorded signals; processing recorded signals from said at least one time-to-digital recorder, wherein said processing comprises measurement of the time dependence of said recorded signals; and correlating said time dependence with said signal amplitudes.
- 37. A particle detection system comprising:
at least two independent particle detectors, whereby at least one output signal is produced by each said detector upon impingement of said particles on said each detector; at least one signal selector switch, whereby one said output signal or another is selected for recording; at least one separate signal recorder, whereby said output signals from said at least two particle detectors are recorded in separate signal records; and a processor, whereby said separate signal records are processed.
- 38. The particle detection system of claim 37, wherein any of said at least two detectors are a type of detector that includes, but is not limited to, the following types of detectors: charge collector electrode; a conversion dynode coupled to any type of electron multiplier; discrete dynode electron multiplier detector; channel plate electron multiplier detector; channel electron multiplier detector; photo-multiplier tube detector; photodiode detector; photodiode array detector; photodiode detector; Faraday cup collector; a phosphor screen coupled to a photo-multiplier tube; a phosphor screen coupled to a photodiode array detector; and the like.
- 39. The particle detection system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the said at least two separate particle detectors includes a particle multiplier.
- 40. The particle detection system of claim 37, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate analog-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 41. The particle detection system of claim 37, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate time-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 42. The particle detection system of claim 37, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate analog-to-digital converter and associated memory array, and wherein at least one other of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate time-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 43. The particle detection system of claim 37, wherein said separate signal records generated by said at least one separate signal recorder are processed and/or stored separately by said processor.
- 44. The particle detection system of claim 37, wherein said separate signal records generated by said at least one separate signal recorder are processed by said processor into a composite signal record before further processing and/or storage of said composite signal record.
- 45. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 37, said method comprising: alternately recording signals from a first, then a second, and then any third, fourth, etc. sets of at least one detector during a first, second, and any third, fourth, etc., respectively, period of time.
- 46. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 37, said method comprising: recording signals simultaneously from at least two of said detectors for a period of time.
- 47. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 37, said method comprising: setting the gain of each of said detectors separately and independent of said gains of any other of said detectors.
- 48. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 37, said method comprising: controlling said at least one signal selector switch to select one said output signal from at least two said output signals for recording by at least one separate signal recorder.
- 49. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 42, said method comprising:
processing recorded signals from said at least one analog-to-digital recorder and associated memory array, wherein said processing comprises measurement of signal amplitudes of said recorded signals; processing recorded signals from said at least one time-to-digital recorder, wherein said processing comprises measurement of the time dependence of said recorded signals; and correlating said time dependence with said signal amplitudes.
- 50. A particle detection system comprising:
at least two independent particle detectors, whereby at least one output signal is produced by each said detector upon impingement of said particles on said each detector; at least one signal amplifier, whereby said at least one output signal produced by each said detector is amplified separately; at least one signal selector switch, whereby one of said at least one signal, is selected for recording; at least one separate signal recorder, whereby said signals from said at least two particle detectors are recorded in separate signal records; and a processor, whereby said separate signal records are processed.
- 51. The particle detection system of claim 50, wherein any of said at least two detectors are a type of detector that includes, but is not limited to, the following types of detectors: charge collector electrode; a conversion dynode coupled to any type of electron multiplier; discrete dynode electron multiplier detector; channel plate electron multiplier detector; channel electron multiplier detector; photo-multiplier tube detector; photodiode detector; photodiode array detector; photodiode detector; Faraday cup collector; a phosphor screen coupled to a photo-multiplier tube; a phosphor screen coupled to a photodiode array detector; and the like.
- 52. The particle detection system of claim 50, wherein at least one of the said at least two separate particle detectors includes a particle multiplier.
- 53. The particle detection system of claim 50, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate analog-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 54. The particle detection system of claim 50, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate time-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 55. The particle detection system of claim 50, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate analog-to-digital converter and associated memory array, and wherein at least one other of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate time-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 56. The particle detection system of claim 50, wherein said separate signal records generated by said at least one separate signal recorder are processed and/or stored separately by said processor.
- 57. The particle detection system of claim 50, wherein said separate signal records generated by said at least one separate signal recorder are processed by said processor into a composite signal record before further processing and/or storage of said composite signal record.
- 58. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 50, said method comprising: alternately recording signals from a first, then a second, and then any third, fourth, etc. sets of at least one detector during a first, second, and any third, fourth, etc., respectively, period of time.
- 59. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 50, said method comprising: recording signals simultaneously from at least two of said detectors for a period of time.
- 60. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 50, said method comprising: setting the gain of each of said detectors separately and independent of said gains of any other of said detectors.
- 61. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 50, said method comprising: setting the gain of each of said signal amplifiers separately and independent of the gains of any other of said signal amplifiers.
- 62. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 50, said method comprising: controlling said at least one signal selector switch to select one said signal from at least two said signals for recording by at least one separate signal recorder.
- 63. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 55, said method comprising:
processing recorded signals from said at least one analog-to-digital recorder and associated memory array, wherein said processing comprises measurement of signal amplitudes of said recorded signals; processing recorded signals from said at least one time-to-digital recorder, wherein said processing comprises measurement of the time dependence of said recorded signals; and correlating said time dependence with said signal amplitudes.
- 64. A particle detection system comprising:
at least two independent particle detectors, whereby at least one output signal is produced by each said detector upon impingement of said particles on said each detector; a means for directing particles to impinge on at least one of said at least one detector; at least one separate signal recorder, whereby said output signals from said at least two particle detectors are recorded in separate signal records; and a processor, whereby said separate signal records are processed.
- 65. The particle detection system of claim 64, wherein any of said at least two detectors are a type of detector that includes, but is not limited to, the following types of detectors: charge collector electrode; a conversion dynode coupled to any type of electron multiplier; discrete dynode electron multiplier detector; channel plate electron multiplier detector; channel electron multiplier detector; photo-multiplier tube detector; photodiode detector; photodiode array detector; photodiode detector; Faraday cup collector; a phosphor screen coupled to a photo-multiplier tube; a phosphor screen coupled to a photodiode array detector; and the like.
- 66. The particle detection system of claim 64, wherein said particle directing means comprises electrostatic and/or magnetic deflection devices in case said particles are charged.
- 67. The particle detection system of claim 64, wherein said particle directing means comprises an optical deflection device, such as a mirror, prism, and the like, in case said particles are photons.
- 68. The particle detection system of claim 64, wherein said particle directing means comprises changing the kinetic energy of the particles.
- 69. The particle detection system of claim 64, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate analog-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 70. The particle detection system of claim 64, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate time-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 71. The particle detection system of claim 64, wherein at least one of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate analog-to-digital converter and associated memory array, and wherein at least one other of said separate signal recorders each comprises a separate time-to-digital converter and associated memory array.
- 72. The particle detection system of claim 64, wherein said separate signal records generated by said at least one separate signal recorder are processed and/or stored separately by said processor.
- 73. The particle detection system of claim 64, wherein said separate signal records generated by said at least one separate signal recorder are processed by said processor into a composite signal record.
- 74. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 64, said method comprising: alternately recording signals from a first, then a second, and then any third, fourth, etc. sets of at least one detector during a first, second, and any third, fourth, etc., respectively, period of time.
- 75. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 64, said method comprising: recording signals simultaneously from at least two of said detectors for a period of time.
- 76. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 64, said method comprising: setting the gain of each of said detectors separately and independent of said gains of any other of said detectors.
- 77. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 64, said method comprising: alternately directing particles with said particle deflection means toward a first, then a second, and then any third, fourth, etc. sets of at least one detector during a first, second, and any third, fourth, etc., respectively, period of time.
- 78. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 64, said method comprising: directing particles with said particle deflection means toward at least two of said detectors simultaneously for a period of time.
- 79. A method of operating the particle detection system of claim 71, said method comprising:
processing recorded signals from said at least one analog-to-digital recorder and associated memory array, wherein said processing comprises measurement of signal amplitudes of said recorded signals; processing recorded signals from said at least one time-to-digital recorder, wherein said processing comprises measurement of the time dependence of said recorded signals; and correlating said time dependence with said signal amplitudes.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims domestic priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/293,782, filed May 25, 2001 and incorporates by reference all of the teachings herein.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60293782 |
May 2001 |
US |