Semiconductor gas discharge IR image converter with internal image amplification

Abstract

The possibility of locally increasing the gas discharge light emission (GDLE) in the UV and visible range generated by a planar semiconductor gas discharge IR image converter system (SGDICS) in the wide pressure range (266-93 325 Pa) has been studied. The use of gas discharge gap with microcapillary multichannels spacer (MCS) and an IR light to excite the GaAs photocathode of the SGDICS leads to increase in the GDLE intensity. Electrons entering the multichannels of the discharge gap are multiplied in the electrical field by the avalanche mechanism, so that current increases in the discharge gap with microcapillary MCS. In this system, the local intensity of GDLE exceeds the intensity of uniform GDLE in the SGDICS by the same factor as the working area of the photocathode exceeds the total active area of the MCS. It is experimentally demonstrated that gas discharge gap with microcapillary MCS of an SGDICS can operate as an effective internal image intensifier with gain values of 20.