Claims
- 1. A photosensor, comprising:
a compound parabolic light concentrator having first and second ends; an electron sensor positioned at said first end of said light concentrator; and a reflective mode photocathode positioned at said second end of said light concentrator.
- 2. A photosensor as recited in claim 1, wherein said light concentrator comprises an evacuated chamber enclosing said electron sensor and said photocathode.
- 3. A photosensor as recited in claim 1, wherein said light concentrator comprises a Winston cone.
- 4. A photosensor as recited in claim 1, wherein said photocathode comprises a type III-V material.
- 5. A photosensor as recited in claim 4, wherein said type III-V material comprises GaAsP.
- 6. A photosensor as recited in claim 1, further comprising a positive-ion feedback protection electrode adjacent said electron sensor.
- 7. A photosensor as recited in claim 1, wherein said light concentrator includes an interior reflective coating.
- 8. A photosensor as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for focusing electrons emitted by said photocathode onto said electron sensor.
- 9. A photosensor as recited in claim 8, wherein said means comprises first and second annular electrodes interior to said light concentrator and separated by a gap.
- 10. A photosensor as recited in claim 1, wherein said electron sensor is selected from the group consisting essentially of a P-I-N diode, an avalanche photo diode, and a scintillator.
- 11. A photosensor as recited in claim 1, further comprising an entrance window at said first end of said light concentrator.
- 12. A photosensor as recited in claim 11, wherein said entrance window is hexagonal-shaped.
- 13. A photosensor as recited in claim 11, wherein said electron sensor is attached to and positioned central to said entrance window.
- 14. A photosensor, comprising:
a compound parabolic light concentrator having first and second ends; an electron sensor positioned at said first end of said light concentrator; a reflective mode photocathode positioned at said second end of said light concentrator; and means for focusing electrons emitted by said photocathode onto said electron sensor.
- 15. A photosensor as recited in claim 14, wherein said means comprises first and second annular electrodes interior to said light concentrator and separated by a gap.
- 16. A photosensor as recited in claim 14, wherein said light concentrator comprises an evacuated chamber enclosing said electron sensor and said photocathode.
- 17. A photosensor as recited in claim 14, wherein said light concentrator comprises a Winston cone.
- 18. A photosensor as recited in claim 14, wherein said photocathode comprises a type III-V material.
- 19. A photosensor as recited in claim 18, wherein said type III-V material comprises GaAsP.
- 20. A photosensor as recited in claim 14, further comprising a positive-ion feedback protection electrode adjacent said electron sensor.
- 21. A photosensor as recited in claim 14, wherein said light concentrator includes an interior reflective coating.
- 22. A photosensor as recited in claim 14, wherein said electron sensor is selected from the group consisting essentially of a P-I-N diode, an avalanche photo diode, and a scintillator.
- 23. A photosensor as recited in claim 14, further comprising an entrance window at said first end of said light concentrator.
- 24. A photosensor as recited in claim 23, wherein said entrance window is hexagonal-shaped.
- 25. A photosensor as recited in claim 23, wherein said electron sensor is attached to and positioned central to said entrance window.
- 26. A photosensor, comprising:
a compound parabolic light concentrator having first and second ends; an electron sensor positioned at said first end of said light concentrator; a reflective mode photocathode positioned at said second end of said light concentrator; and first and second annular electrodes interior to said light concentrator and separated by a gap, said electrodes configured for focusing photoelectrons emitted by said photocathode onto said electron sensor.
- 27. A photosensor as recited in claim 26, wherein said light concentrator comprises an evacuated chamber enclosing said electron sensor and said photocathode.
- 28. A photosensor as recited in claim 26, wherein said light concentrator comprises a Winston cone.
- 29. A photosensor as recited in claim 26, wherein said photocathode comprises a type III-V material.
- 30. A photosensor as recited in claim 29, wherein said type III-V material comprises GaAsP.
- 31. A photosensor as recited in claim 26, further comprising a positive-ion feedback protection electrode adjacent said electron sensor.
- 32. A photosensor as recited in claim 26, wherein said light concentrator includes an interior reflective coating.
- 33. A photosensor as recited in claim 26, wherein said electron sensor is selected from the group consisting essentially of a P-I-N diode, an avalanche photo diode, and a scintillator.
- 34. A photosensor as recited in claim 26, further comprising an entrance window at said first end of said light concentrator.
- 35. A photosensor as recited in claim 34, wherein said entrance window is hexagonal-shaped.
- 36. A photosensor as recited in claim 34, wherein said electron sensor is attached to and positioned central to said entrance window.
- 37. A photosensor, comprising:
a compound parabolic light concentrator having first and second ends; an electron sensor positioned at said first end of said light concentrator; a positive-ion feedback protection electrode adjacent said electron sensor; a reflective mode photocathode positioned at said second end of said light concentrator; and first and second annular electrodes interior to said light concentrator and separated by a gap, said electrodes configured for focusing photoelectrons emitted by said photocathode onto said electron sensor.
- 38. A photosensor as recited in claim 37, wherein said light concentrator comprises an evacuated chamber enclosing said electron sensor and said photocathode.
- 39. A photosensor as recited in claim 37, wherein said light concentrator comprises a Winston cone.
- 40. A photosensor as recited in claim 37, wherein said photocathode comprises a type III-V material.
- 41. A photosensor as recited in claim 40, wherein said type III-V material comprises GaAsP.
- 42. A photosensor as recited in claim 37, wherein said light concentrator includes an interior reflective coating.
- 43. A photosensor as recited in claim 37, wherein said electron sensor is selected from the group consisting essentially of a P-I-N diode, an avalanche photo diode, and a scintillator.
- 44. A photosensor as recited in claim 37, further comprising an entrance window at said first end of said light concentrator.
- 45. A photosensor as recited in claim 44, wherein said entrance window is hexagonal-shaped.
- 46. A photosensor as recited in claim 44, wherein said electron sensor is attached to and positioned central to said entrance window.
- 47. A photosensor, comprising:
a compound parabolic light concentrator having first and second ends; an entrance window positioned at said first end of said light concentrator; an electron sensor positioned at said first end of said light concentrator central to said entrance window; a positive-ion feedback protection electrode adjacent said electron sensor; a reflective mode photocathode positioned at said second end of said light concentrator; and first and second annular electrodes interior to said light concentrator and separated by a gap, said electrodes configured for focusing photoelectrons emitted by said photocathode onto said electron sensor.
- 48. A photosensor as recited in claim 47, wherein said light concentrator comprises an evacuated chamber enclosing said electron sensor and said photocathode.
- 49. A photosensor as recited in claim 47, wherein said light concentrator comprises a Winston cone.
- 50. A photosensor as recited in claim 47, wherein said photocathode comprises a type III-V material.
- 51. A photosensor as recited in claim 50, wherein said type III-V material comprises GaAsP.
- 52. A photosensor as recited in claim 47, wherein said light concentrator includes an interior reflective coating.
- 53. A photosensor as recited in claim 47, wherein said electron sensor is selected from the group consisting essentially of a P-I-N diode, an avalanche photo diode, and a scintillator.
- 54. A photosensor as recited in claim 47, wherein said entrance window is hexagonal-shaped.
- 55. A photosensor, comprising:
a compound parabolic light concentrator having first and second ends; an entrance window positioned at said first end of said light concentrator; an electron sensor positioned at said first end of said light concentrator central to said entrance window; a positive-ion feedback protection electrode adjacent said electron sensor; a reflective mode photocathode positioned at said second end of said light concentrator; and first and second annular electrodes interior to said light concentrator and separated by a gap, said electrodes configured for focusing photoelectrons emitted by said photocathode onto said electron sensor; wherein said light concentrator is configured as an evacuated chamber enclosing said electron sensor, said electrodes, and said photocathode.
- 56. A photosensor as recited in claim 55, wherein said light concentrator comprises a Winston cone.
- 57. A photosensor as recited in claim 55, wherein said photocathode comprises a type III-V material.
- 58. A photosensor as recited in claim 57, wherein said type III-V material comprises GaAsP.
- 59. A photosensor as recited in claim 57, wherein said light concentrator includes an interior reflective coating.
- 60. A photosensor as recited in claim 57, wherein said electron sensor is selected from the group consisting essentially of a P-I-N diode, an avalanche photo diode, and a scintillator.
- 61. A photosensor as recited in claim 57, wherein said entrance window is hexagonal-shaped.
- 62. A photosensor, comprising:
a compound parabolic light concentrator having first and second ends and an interior reflective coating between said first and second ends; an entrance window positioned at said first end of said light concentrator; an electron sensor positioned at said first end of said light concentrator central to said entrance window; a positive-ion feedback protection electrode adjacent said electron sensor; a reflective mode photocathode positioned at said second end of said light concentrator; and first and second annular electrodes interior to said light concentrator and separated by a gap, said electrodes configured for focusing photoelectrons emitted by said photocathode onto said electron sensor; wherein said light concentrator is configured as an evacuated chamber enclosing said electron sensor, said electrodes, and said photocathode.
- 63. A photosensor as recited in claim 62, wherein said light concentrator comprises a Winston cone.
- 64. A photosensor as recited in claim 62, wherein said photocathode comprises a type III-V material.
- 65. A photosensor as recited in claim 64, wherein said type III-V material comprises GaAsP.
- 66. A photosensor as recited in claim 62, wherein said electron sensor is selected from the group consisting essentially of a P-I-N diode, an avalanche photo diode, and a scintillator.
- 67. A photosensor as recited in claim 62, wherein said entrance window is hexagonal-shaped.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/214,328 filed on Jun. 27, 2000, incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60214328 |
Jun 2000 |
US |