Charge Integration Experiments with a C.P.S. Emitron

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the experiments that have been performed with a commercially available television pickup tube (the C.P.S. Emitron) with a view to evaluate the relative sensitivity of the tube to light images, compared with that of a photographic emulsion, and the charge storage characteristics of the tube with respect to linearity of integration and the conservation of image definition. For the purposes of these experiments, longer integration times were obtained simply by completely biasing off the electron beam, allowing the mosaic to integrate for a few-second charges due to the loss of electrons liberated by a suitable light image and then “reading-off’ the final picture by returning the beam control to its normal operating condition. At normal room temperature, linear integration could be obtained for a period of time up to 30 sec. Experiments performed with the pickup tube have shown that when refrigerated, useful periods of integration can be obtained, and the definition of the original picture can be preserved within the limits of the associated television system. The best sensitivity has yet to be attained, but the tube promises to become a useful aid to optical observation.