The electron tube includes a vacuum container having a light transmitting substrate, a photocathode provided on an inner surface of the light transmitting substrate, an anode provided in the vacuum container, and a prism. The prism includes a bottom surface bonded to an outer surface of the light transmitting substrate, a light incident surface, and a light reflecting surface configured to further reflect light, which is incident to the photocathode through the prism and the light transmitting substrate and reflected at an interface between the photocathode and the vacuum space, so that the light is re-enter the photocathode. The light reflecting surface has an outwardly convex curved surface shape. The light incident surface is located inward of an imaginary spherical surface that is along the light reflecting surface.

The electron tube includes a vacuum container having a light transmitting substrate, a photocathode provided on an inner surface of the light transmitting substrate, an anode provided in the vacuum container, and a prism. The prism includes a bottom surface bonded to an outer surface of the light transmitting substrate, a light incident surface, and a light reflecting surface configured to further reflect light, which is incident to the photocathode through the prism and the light transmitting substrate and reflected at an interface between the photocathode and the vacuum space, so that the light is re-enter the photocathode. The light reflecting surface has an outwardly convex curved surface shape. The light incident surface is located inward of an imaginary spherical surface that is along the light reflecting surface.

An electron tube includes a housing having a window having an electromagnetic wave transmitting property, an electron emission plate disposed inside the housing, the electron emission plate emitting electrons, and a holding member disposed inside the housing and configured to hold the electron emission plate and to apply a voltage to the electron emission plate. The electron emission plate has a first main surface and a second main surface facing each other. The holding member has a base portion being in contact with the first main surface, and a plurality of electron emission plate biasing portions which are in contact with an edge of the second main surface and are configured to elastically bias the electron emission plate to the base portion. The holding member is electrically connected to the second main surface through the plurality of electron emission plate biasing portions.

An apparatus and method are provided for a night vision system including a transparent overlay display that transmit direct-view light representing an intensified image and emits display light representing a display image. The transparent overlay display is a borderless display in which the active area extends to at least one edge of the display. Data-handling circuitry is arranged within the active area, rather than being arranged along a border of the display. The data-handling circuitry may be fabricated in the active area of the display by fabricating it below opaque pixel regions that generate the display light. This borderless configuration allows partial overlap with the intensified image by eliminating opaque borders in which the data-handling circuitry is fabricated. This borderless configuration helps to minimize size, weight, and power by reducing the size of the display and eliminating the need for bulky beam splitters.

An apparatus and method are provided for a night vision system including a transparent overlay display that transmit direct-view light representing an intensified image and emits display light representing a display image. The transparent overlay display is a borderless display in which the active area extends to at least one edge of the display. Data-handling circuitry is arranged within the active area, rather than being arranged along a border of the display. The data-handling circuitry may be fabricated in the active area of the display by fabricating it below opaque pixel regions that generate the display light. This borderless configuration allows partial overlap with the intensified image by eliminating opaque borders in which the data-handling circuitry is fabricated. This borderless configuration helps to minimize size, weight, and power by reducing the size of the display and eliminating the need for bulky beam splitters.

Ion detectors of the type used in scientific instrumentation, such as mass spectrometers. More particularly, a self-contained particle detector includes an enclosure formed in part by a transmission mode secondary electron emissive element, the enclosure defining an internal environment and an external environment, wherein the transmission mode secondary electron emissive element has an externally facing surface and an internally facing surface and is configured such that impact of a particle on the externally facing surface causes emission of one or more secondary electrons from the internally facing surface.

A night vision system along with an image intensifier tube and method for shuttering the continued draw of electrons from an electron multiplier are provided. The night vision system includes the electron multiplier, or possibly two electron multipliers, each comprising a silicon membrane. A shutter voltage is applied between a first surface and a substantially parallel, opposed second surface of the silicon membrane to discontinue draw of electrons through the electron multiplier and for substantially discontinuing display of an image from the image intensifier tube under certain bright light conditions. Utilizing a global shutter control on the electron multiplier, and the significantly lower voltage for such control mitigates power consumption within the image intensifier, as well as electromagnetic interference and delay response time. A relatively low voltage negative bias shutter voltage on only the electron multiplier selectively provides global shutter to the image intensifier device.

A night vision system along with an image intensifier tube and method for shuttering the continued draw of electrons from an electron multiplier are provided. The night vision system includes the electron multiplier, or possibly two electron multipliers, each comprising a silicon membrane. A shutter voltage is applied between a first surface and a substantially parallel, opposed second surface of the silicon membrane to discontinue draw of electrons through the electron multiplier and for substantially discontinuing display of an image from the image intensifier tube under certain bright light conditions. Utilizing a global shutter control on the electron multiplier, and the significantly lower voltage for such control mitigates power consumption within the image intensifier, as well as electromagnetic interference and delay response time. A relatively low voltage negative bias shutter voltage on only the electron multiplier selectively provides global shutter to the image intensifier device.

A photomultiplier includes a housing including a proximal end and a distal end, an optical window disposed at the proximal end of the housing, an end-wall plate disposed at the distal end of the housing, a feedthrough that penetrates through the end-wall plate, and a gas electron multiplier (GEM) board disposed between the optical window and the end-wall plate.

A photomultiplier includes a housing including a proximal end and a distal end, an optical window disposed at the proximal end of the housing, an end-wall plate disposed at the distal end of the housing, a feedthrough that penetrates through the end-wall plate, and a gas electron multiplier (GEM) board disposed between the optical window and the end-wall plate.