Ultra-High-Sensitive Image Pickup Tubes Using Avalanche Multiplication in a-Se.

Abstract

ABSTRACTExtremely high-sensitive image pickup tubes with sensitivities 1000 times higher than those of conventional tubes are fabricated using the avalanche phenomenon in a-Se as photoconductive targets. The excess avalanche noise of a video signal is found to be much less than that expected, based on the carrier ionization rates. The frequency spectra of the noise currents of both the pickup tubes and sandwich-type photocells are examined. The results are compared with those of a simulation, and it is found that the excess noise can be reduced by the charge-storage operation of imaging devices.