Single Electron Recording by Self-scanned Diode Arrays

Abstract

A unique multichannel photoelectron counting system can be made by using self-scanning semiconductor arrays in the electron bombardment induced mode provided the SNR in the self-scanning arrays permits the detection of single electrons. To investigate this in an experimental program, self-scanning light sensitive diode arrays were subjected to electron bombardment. In one experiment, a radioactive source Ni(63) was used to show that the 128 element (Reticon RL128L) self-scanned linear diode arrays were responsive to electrons, and good agreement could be derived between the high energy portion of the incident and -measured fluxes. In another experiment using an electron accelerator and 42-keV electrons, clear resolution of the pulse distribution peaks was obtained due to single, double, and triple incidences of electrons. The relative heights of the observed peaks obeyed a Poisson distribution as expected for random electron incidence. The incorporation of this device into a photoelectronic tube will result in a self-scanned photoelectronic detector closely approaching the theoretical performance limit.