PHOTOCATHODE Russian patent published in 2015 - IPC H01J1/35 H01J40/06 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: in a photocathode made of a high-purity semiconductor, the optical radiation receiving region is in the form of a semiconductor membrane with an ohmic contact to the supporting substrate and located over an opening therein; on the front surface of the semiconductor membrane there is a dielectric layer with nanometre thickness and a receiving electrode, separated from the dielectric layer by a vacuum gap and made in the form of films of a conducting material which is semitransparent for optical radiation and a phosphor, successively deposited on the transparent substrate. Possible fields of use of the disclosed structure include photocathode assemblies of vacuum highly sensitive, heat- and radiation-resistant radiation detectors and image detectors for the 0.22-1.0 mcm spectral range. Operation of the disclosed photocathode is based on tunnel-thermoactivation physical effects, which allows controlled variation of the work function of photoelectrons in a vacuum.

EFFECT: wider spectral range of sensitivity of photocathodes.

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