Scientific instruments (such as mass spectrometers) include an electron multiplier and a cross-filed ion detector including an ion impact plate. The electron multiplier receives and amplifies secondary electrons emitted by the impact plate to generate an output signal. The output signal is amplified and subsequently digitized. Amplification is limited so as to keep secondary electrons to a maximum thereby decreasing electron flux and improving instrument life.

An ion detector includes a microchannel plate configured to generate secondary electrons upon reception of ions incident thereon and multiply and output the generated secondary electrons; a plurality of electron impact-type diodes configured to have effective regions narrower than an effective region of the microchannel plate on an electron incident surface facing the microchannel plate side, receive the incident secondary electrons output from the microchannel plate, and multiply and detect the incident secondary electrons; and a focus electrode configured to be disposed between the microchannel plate and the electron impact-type diodes and focus the secondary electrons toward the electron impact-type diode.

In an electron tube, the meta-surface emits an electron in response to an incidence of the electromagnetic wave. The first and second electrodes are spaced away from each other, and apply potentials different from each other to the meta-surface. A holder is disposed in the housing and holds the electron emitter. A first conductive line of the meta-surface is electrically connected to the first electrode. A second conductive line of the meta-surface is spaced away from the first conductive line, and is electrically connected to the second electrode. The first conductive line extends from the first electrode to the second conductive line. The second conductive line extends from the second electrode to the first conductive line.

A well-logging tool may include a sonde housing and a radiation generator carried by the sonde housing. The radiation generator may include a generator housing, a target carried by the generator housing, a charged particle source carried by the generator housing to direct charged particles at the target, and at least one voltage source coupled to the charged particle source. The at least one voltage source may include a voltage ladder comprising a plurality of voltage multiplication stages coupled in a uni-polar configuration, and at least one loading coil coupled at at least one intermediate position along the voltage ladder. The well-logging tool may further include at least one radiation detector carried by the sonde housing.

A chemical, biochemical or biological analysis system and method including: a surface acoustic wave (SAW) actuator (6) including a piezoelectric substrate (9) and at least one interdigital electrode (17) located on a working surface (11) of the piezoelectric substrate (9), the SAW actuator generating travelling SAWs in the working surface when an electrical signal is applied to the interdigital electrode; at least one reaction chamber (19) located on the working surface of the piezoelectric substrate; a light detector (16) for detecting luminescent, fluorescent or phosphorescent emissions within the reaction chamber; a reagent flow line (29) for providing a flow of reagent through the reaction chamber; a test sample supply line (29) for supplying a test sample to the reaction chamber; wherein the SAW actuator can generate travelling SAWs within the working surface to thereby induce chaotic micromixing, convective transport, concentration or combinations thereof of the test sample and the reagent contained within the reaction chamber.

A device configured to convert or amplify a particle, the conversion or amplification being reliant on the impact of a particle on a surface of the device causing emission of one or more secondary electrons from the same surface. The device includes a carbon-based layer capable of secondary electron emission upon impact of a particle. The surface may be used to convert, for example, an ion into an electron signal, or an electron signal into an amplified electron signal, such as in conversion or amplification dynodes.

An apparatus for providing a magnetic field includes a magnet having a surface, and a structure disposed above the magnet surface. The structure includes a material of high magnetic permeability. The apparatus provides an interface between the material of high magnetic permeability and a material of low magnetic permeability. The apparatus may have two poles in magnetic communication with the magnet, the poles extending above the surface of the magnet, and the structure is disposed between the poles. The structure may have alternating regions of high magnetic permeability and low magnetic permeability. The apparatus alters the magnetic field of the magnet to reduce or remove a disorder in the magnetic field, and/or decrease the magnitude of the magnetic field, and/or induce a distortion in the magnetic field, and/or align or re-align the magnetic field, and/or orientate or re-orientate the magnetic field, and/or alter distribution or shape of the magnetic field.

An apparatus for providing a magnetic field includes a magnet having a surface, and a structure disposed above the magnet surface. The structure includes a material of high magnetic permeability. The apparatus provides an interface between the material of high magnetic permeability and a material of low magnetic permeability. The apparatus may have two poles in magnetic communication with the magnet, the poles extending above the surface of the magnet, and the structure is disposed between the poles. The structure may have alternating regions of high magnetic permeability and low magnetic permeability. The apparatus alters the magnetic field of the magnet to reduce or remove a disorder in the magnetic field, and/or decrease the magnitude of the magnetic field, and/or induce a distortion in the magnetic field, and/or align or re-align the magnetic field, and/or orientate or re-orientate the magnetic field, and/or alter distribution or shape of the magnetic field.

Components of scientific analytical equipment, such as electron multipliers and modifications thereto, for extending the operational lifetime or otherwise improving performance by way of improved construction. A detector includes one or more electron emissive surfaces and one or more detector elements configured to define on one side an environment internal the detector and on the other side an environment external the detector. The one or more detector elements are configured to inhibit or prevent flow of a gas from the environment external the detector to the environment internal the detector. Such detectors may be used in a mass spectrometry instrument, for example.

An apparatus for amplifying an electron signal caused by the impact of a particle with an electron emissive surface. The apparatus includes: a first electron emissive surface configured to receive an input particle and thereby emit one or more secondary electrons, a series of second and subsequent electron emissive surfaces configured to form an amplified electron signal from the one or more secondary electrons emitted by the first electron emissive surface, and one or more power supplies configured to apply bias voltage(s) to one or more of the emissive surfaces. The bias voltage(s) is sufficient to form the amplified electron signal. The apparatus is configured such that the terminal electron emissive surface(s) of the series of second and subsequent electron emissive surfaces draw a higher electrical current than that of the remainder electron emissive surface(s). The apparatus may be used as part of detector in a mass spectrometer, for example.