English Electric Valve Company Limited

Eev Limited

E2v Technologies (uk) Limited

Clifford R Weatherup

Arthur Maitland

Ian A Strudwick

Hugh Menown

Michael John Hazelwood

Samuel Harrison Hutton

Robert J Carman

Vertical and horizontal smear in images produced by a CCD imager can be compensated for by detecting the boundaries of the smear and substituting data from an alternative part of the image, or interpolated data within those boundaries. Vertical, or frame transfer, smear can also be compensated for by producing an error signal from charge accumulated during frame transfer and corresponding to one or more masked rows of the CCD imager. This error signal can be subtracted from the line signals corresponding to each row of the CCD images receiving radiation during image acquisitions. The CCD imager includes a multiplication register. The dynamic range of the imager may be extended by varying the gain of the multiplication register, for example on a line-by-line or frame-by-frame basis.

Smear reduction in CCD images

In a thyratron gas discharge device, magnetic material is located coaxially with the anode to produce a magnetic field between the anode and cathode which is substantially parallel to a discharge established between them. This causes electrons emitted from the cathode to have longer path lengths than would otherwise be the case and so the ionization density within the device is increased. This improved this operating characteristics of the thyratron and results in greater utilization of the cathode.

Thyratron gas discharge device with magnetic field for improved

Laser apparatus including a relatively long cylindrical cathode within a discharge tube containing a buffer gas at a low pressure of less than 1 Torr. By employing a laser constructed according to the invention, it is possible to achieve a plasma which extends along the length of the cathode, which may be up to one meter long.

Gas laser apparatus having a low pressure buffer gas

A gas discharge device includes means for injecting electrons into a high field region between an anode and a cathode structure located within a gas filled envelope. This causes ionisation within the region and triggers the device into conduction.

Gas discharge devices wherein electrons are injected into a high field

A laser arrangement includes electron beam apparatus comprising a plurality of electrodes, each of which having an aperture therethrough. The apertures are aligned along the longitudinal axis of an envelope which surrounds them and contains gas. The electrodes are electrically connected such that, of an adjacent pair, one is at a lower potential than the other. An electron beam is produced between the first electrode and an adjacent electrode, and is accelerated along the axis through the apertures, the electron current increasing in magnitude. The electron beam produced is used to provide pumping powder to the gas contained within the envelope such that it acts as a laser amplifying medium.

Electron beam apparatus

Apparatus for forming an electron beam sheet includes a cathode member having a slot in a front surface thereof, a grid electrode and the anode of a thyratron. When it is desired to trigger the thyratron into conduction, a suitably large potential difference is applied between the cathode member and the grid, resulting in an electron beam sheet being produced extensive of a slot formed in the front surface of the cathode member. This produces ionisation and a main discharge current is established between the main anode and cathode of the thyratron.

Apparatus for forming an electron beam sheet

Laser apparatus includes a ceramic tube within which is contained a gas and a cylindrical cathode having a plurality of holes therethrough. An anode is located along the axis of the tube. During operation of the apparatus, a large potential difference is applied between the anode and cathode, causing a plurality of electron beams to be formed extensive of the holes. Vapor is emitted from the electron bombarded cylindrical rod and becomes excited, and laser action occurs.

Laser apparatus having cathode bore directing electron beam onto anode

A gas discharge device includes an anode, an enclosure member having an aperture therein and substantially enclosing a volume of a gas filling, and a mechanism for injecting electrons into the volume of gas filling to produce ionization of the gas filling within the volume so that during operation of the device, the enclosure member and the ionization within the enclosure member constitute a cathode, and a conduction path is established between the interior of such cathode and the anode through the aperture of the enclosure member.

Gas discharge devices utilizing electron injection for gas ionization

The present invention provides apparatus for forming electron beams, which may be advantageously employed in many applications, for example in display devices or thyratrons. A cathode member has a hole in its front surface. All the surfaces of the cathode member, except for the wall and base of the holes, are covered in an electrically insulating material such as glass. The cathode member and an anode member are contained within an envelope which also contains a gas filling. On application of a suitably high voltage between the cathode and anode members an electron beam is formed extensive in a direction away from the hole. The anode member may be located behind the front surface of the cathode member, and an electron beam still forms in front of the front surface.

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Chelmsford, United Kingdom

Clifford R Weatherup