COMPACT IMAGE INTENSIFIER TUBE AND NIGHT VISION SYSTEM FITTED WITH SUCH A TUBE

摘要

Disclosed is an image intensifier tube (1) for receiving photons from an external environment and outputting a visible image. The tube (1) is comprised of a tube body (40), a photocathode (15), multiplying means (20-24) and a phosphorus screen (31). The tube body delimits a vacuum chamber (2) that is closed in a sealed manner at a first end by an input device (10) of an incident light signal and a second end opposite the first end along the axial direction (A) of the tube (1) by a light signal output device (30). The photocathode (15) is arranged on an internal surface of the input device (10) and receives photons to generate photoelectrons. The multiplying arrangement (20-24) receives the photoelectrons and outputs secondary electrons in response. The phosphorus screen (31) is arranged on the internal surface of the output device (30) and receives the secondary electrons and provides a visible image in response. The tube body (40) is comprised of a monolithic multilayer ceramic substrate arranged between the input device (10) and the output device (30). The substrate is fixed in a sealed manner to the input device (10) and the output device (30), on which the multiplying means (20-24) are fixed, and adapted to bring the multiplying means (20-24) to different electrical potentials.