The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 28, 2006
Filed:
Aug. 10, 2004
Charles M. Tomasetti, Leola, PA (US);
Scott C. Moulzolf, Lancaster, PA (US);
Charles M. Tomasetti, Leola, PA (US);
Scott C. Moulzolf, Lancaster, PA (US);
Burle Technologies, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
Photomultiplier tubes with improved collection of incident radiation, especially from the periphery of the front face of the tube, and that more efficiently couple the collected radiation to the photocathode, and moreover have higher packing densities when assembled into arrays, resulting in enhanced imaging characteristics. The improvements in radiation collection and photomultiplier tube packing density are gained by a combination of several features including: tapering the edges of the faceplate so that the faceplate subtends an area as large or larger than any other cross-sectional area of the photomultiplier tube; forming the junction between the faceplate and metal tube on the underside of the faceplate, and in such a manner as to avoid obscuring the optical path between the incident radiation and photocathode; and utilizing the tapered edge of the faceplate as a reflector to couple radiation incident on the periphery of the faceplate to the photocathode.