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LOW VOLTAGE LOW LIGHT IMAGER AND PHOTODETECTOR

  • US 20110256655A1
  • Filed: 02/11/2011
  • Published: 10/20/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A photodetector comprising:

  • a photocathode formed of a non-cesiated, semiconductor material, said photocathode having an activation layer that has one of either a piezoelectrically induced polarization field or a delta-doped surface, wherein said activation layer enables at least one photon within a wavelength range that impinges on said photocathode to cause emission of at least one electron from the surface of said photocathode;

    a thinned delta-doped imager array, said imager array being disposed across an accelerating gap from said photocathode, wherein the accelerating gap is sufficiently small such that the electrons produced from said photocathode are proximity focused onto said imager array;

    an electric field generator for generating an electric field across said accelerating gap, said electric field being designed to accelerate said at least one electron across said accelerating gap to impinge on said imager array; and

    wherein the imager array creates a signal by producing a plurality of electrons from each of the accelerated electrons that impinges thereon, while generating only a single electron for photons that impinge directly thereon.

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