Patents Assigned to PHOTONIS FRANCE
  • Patent number: 11967480
    Abstract: An image intensifier device includes: an intensifier tube with at least one photocathode, a micro-channel plate and a conversion element, arranged in that order one after another, and an electric power supply module configured to supply at least one respective polarisation voltage to each of the elements of the intensifier tube. The electric power supply module extends in a region located upstream of the photocathode, on the side of the photocathode opposite to the micro-channel plate. Thus, a space is cleared located downstream of the intensifier tube in the direction of travel of the photons and of the electrons in the image intensifier device. This allows reducing the size of the image intensifier device for example by bringing an eyepiece closer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: PHOTONIS FRANCE
    Inventors: Nicolas Laurent, Jorge De La Torre Noetzel, Diego Rodriguez-Perez, David Fernandez Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 11768381
    Abstract: Vision apparatus intended to be mounted on the head of a user, including: a night vision device, for forming first virtual images; an offsetting element, for projecting the first virtual images in the field of view of the user; a shutter, such that the offsetting element is between the shutter and the eye of the user, and able to have an open position that allows light to pass and a closed position that blocks light; a switching element with an open position that authorises emission of the first virtual images or the transfer thereof to the offsetting element, and a closed position that blocks the image emission or transfer; and a controlling device controlling the shutter and the switching element according to opening and closing cycles so the shutter is closed during all or a portion of the time during which the switching element is open, and inversely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: PHOTONIS FRANCE
    Inventor: Geoffroy Deltel
  • Patent number: 11676790
    Abstract: An electromagnetic radiation detector includes an inlet window intended to receive a stream of incident photons, as well as a photocathode in the form of a semiconductive layer. A conductive layer is deposited on the downstream face of the inlet window and a thin dielectric layer is disposed between the conductive layer and the semiconductive layer. The conductive layer is brought to a potential below that of the semiconductive layer so as to drive the photoelectrons out of the recombination zone and consequently improve the quantum yield of the photocathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: PHOTONIS FRANCE
    Inventors: Pascal Lavoute, Gert Nützel
  • Patent number: 11576258
    Abstract: A method of making leak tight electrical connections through the wall of a ceramic package, for example a ceramic package used on an image intensifier tube. The method comprises a hole metallisation step (500) to obtain vias, the metallisation step comprising the deposition of a bond layer (510), a diffusion barrier (520) acting as a metallic base layer and a wetting agent (530). For each via, a filler metal preform made of indium or a eutectic chosen from among InSn, AuSn, AuGe, AgSn is deposited (540) on each orifice and is heated to a temperature higher than its melting temperature (550) such that the molten filler metal closes off the via to make it leak tight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: PHOTONIS FRANCE
    Inventor: Stéphane Personne
  • Patent number: 11043350
    Abstract: The invention discloses a photocathode comprising an amorphous substrate such as a glass substrate (110) presenting an input face that will receive incident photons and a back face opposite the front face. Nanowires (120) made from at least one III-V semiconducting material are deposited on the back face of the substrate and extend from this face in a direction away from the front face. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing such a photocathode by MBE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignees: PHOTONIS FRANCE, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Claude Alibert, Moustapha Conde, Jean-Christophe Harmand, Théo Jegorel
  • Patent number: 10186405
    Abstract: The invention relates to a photocathode including an input window (210) suitable for receiving a flow of incident photons, and an active layer (230), the active layer consisting of a plurality of elementary layers (2301, 2302) made of semiconductor materials having decreasing forbidden bandwidths in the direction of the flow of incident photons. The surface of the photocathode opposite the input window is structured so that each elementary layer of the active layer has its own photoelectric emission surface (2401, 2402). By choosing the semiconductor materials of the elementary layers, it is possible to obtain an image which has high sensitivity in both the visible spectrum and the near infrared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: PHOTONIS FRANCE
    Inventors: Moustapha Conde, Justin Foltz
  • Patent number: 9972471
    Abstract: Image acquisition device comprising a photocathode, converting an incident flux of photons into a flux of electrons, a sensor, and a processor. The device according to the invention comprises a matrix of elementary filters, each associated with at least one pixel of the sensor, the matrix being disposed upstream of the photocathode. The matrix comprises primary color filters, and transparent filters, termed panchromatic filters. The processor is configured to: calculate a quantity, termed a useful quantity (F), for determining whether at least one zone of the sensor is in conditions of weak or strong illumination, the useful quantity being representative of a mean surface flux of photons or of electrons which is detected on a set of panchromatic pixels of the sensor; forming, only if the zone is in conditions of strong illumination, an image of the zone on the basis of the primary color pixels of this zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: PHOTONIS FRANCE
    Inventors: Damien Letexier, Franck Robert
  • Patent number: 9960004
    Abstract: The invention relates to a semi-transparent photocathode (1) for a photon detector having an increased absorption rate for a preserved transport rate. According to the invention, the photocathode (1) includes a transmission diffraction grating (30) able to diffract said photons and provided in the support layer (10) on which the photoemissive layer (20) is deposited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: PHOTONIS FRANCE
    Inventors: Gert Nützel, Pascal Lavoute
  • Patent number: 9736437
    Abstract: The invention relates to an image acquisition device comprising a sensor composed of an array of photosensitive pixels, and an array of elementary filters covering the sensor. Pixels may be of three different types: panchromatic pixels, primary colour pixels and infrared pixels. Under low illumination conditions, the device displays a monochrome image using panchromatic pixels, and under high illumination conditions, a colour image with a high signal to noise ratio, by combining primary colour images and subtracting the infrared image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: PHOTONIS FRANCE
    Inventors: Carlo Kaiser, Franck Robert, Damien Letexier
  • Patent number: 9184033
    Abstract: An electron multiplying structure for use in a vacuum tube using electron multiplying, the electron multiplying structure having an input face intended to be oriented in a facing relationship with an entrance window of the vacuum tube, an output face intended to be oriented in a facing relationship with a detection surface of the vacuum tube, wherein the electron multiplying structure at least is composed of a semi-conductor material layer adjacent the detection windows. Also disclosed is a vacuum tube using electron multiplying with an electron multiplying structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: PHOTONIS FRANCE SAS
    Inventors: Gert Nützel, Pascal Lavoute, Richard Jackman
  • Patent number: 9035540
    Abstract: A system for detecting electromagnetic radiation or an ion flow, including an input device for receiving the electronic radiation or the ion flow and emitting primary electrons in response, a multiplier of electrons in transmission, for receiving the primary electrons and emitting secondary electrons in response, and an output device for receiving the secondary electrons and emitting an output signal in response. The electron multiplier includes at least one nanocrystalline diamond layer doped with boron in a concentration of higher than 5·1019 cm?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: PHOTONIS FRANCE
    Inventors: Gert Nuetzel, Pascal Lavoute, Richard B. Jackman
  • Patent number: 8987671
    Abstract: An image intensifier tube and a night vision system fitted with such a tube. The tube body of the image intensifier tube includes a multilayer ceramic substrate fixed in a sealed manner to an input device and to an output device so as to assure leaktightness of a vacuum chamber delimited by the tube body. The multilayer substrate also maintains a microchannel plate arranged between a photocathode and a phosphorus screen, and supplies voltage to the photocathode, the plate, and the phosphorus screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Photonis France
    Inventors: Gert Nutzel, Leo Pierre, Matthieu Feuerstein, Carlo Kaiser, Pascal Lavoute
  • Patent number: 8933419
    Abstract: An optical fiber phosphor screen including a thin film phosphor layer and an optical fiber faceplate, allowing interfering light in a cladding of the optical fibers to be reduced. The phosphor screen includes an angular filter including at least one layer arranged between the thin film phosphor layer and the optical fiber faceplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: PHOTONIS France
    Inventors: Gert Nuetzel, Pascal Lavoute, Christophe Fontaine
  • Patent number: 8912526
    Abstract: An electron multiplier for a system for detecting electromagnetic radiation or an ion flow is disclosed. The multiplier includes at least one active structure intended to receive a flow of incident electrons, and to emit in response a flow of electrons called secondary electrons. The active structure includes a substrate on which is positioned a thin nanodiamond layer formed from diamond particles the average size of which is less than or equal to about 100 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Photonis France
    Inventors: Gert Nutzel, Pascal Lavoute, Richard B. Jackman
  • Patent number: 8816582
    Abstract: A photo cathode for use in a vacuum tube including a cathode layer, having an entrance face capable of absorbing photons impinging on the cathode layer, and an exit face for releasing electrons upon impinging of the photons, and an electron exit layer, in facing relationship with the exit face of the cathode layer for improving the releasing of the electrons, and a carbon containing layer, positioned between the exit face of the cathode layer and the electron exit layer, for bonding the electron exit layer to the cathode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Photonis France SAS
    Inventors: Gert Nützel, Pascal Lavoute, Christophe Fontaine, Richard Jackman
  • Publication number: 20130240907
    Abstract: An electron multiplier for a system for detecting electromagnetic radiation or an ion flow is disclosed. The multiplier includes at least one active structure intended to receive a flow of incident electrons, and to emit in response a flow of electrons called secondary electrons. The active structure includes a substrate on which is positioned a thin nanodiamond layer formed from diamond particles the average size of which is less than or equal to about 100 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: PHOTONIS FRANCE
    Inventors: Gert Nutzel, Pascal Lavoute, Richard B. Jackman
  • Publication number: 20130161535
    Abstract: An optical fiber phosphor screen including a thin film phosphor layer and an optical fiber faceplate, allowing interfering light in a cladding of the optical fibers to be reduced. The phosphor screen includes an angular filter including at least one layer arranged between the thin film phosphor layer and the optical fiber faceplate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: PHOTONIS FRANCE
    Inventors: Gert Nuetzel, Pascal Lavoute, Christophe Fontaine
  • Publication number: 20130146778
    Abstract: A system for detecting electromagnetic radiation or an ion flow, including an input device for receiving the electronic radiation or the ion flow and emitting primary electrons in response, a multiplier of electrons in transmission, for receiving the primary electrons and emitting secondary electrons in response, and an output device for receiving the secondary electrons and emitting an output signal in response. The electron multiplier includes at least one nanocrystalline diamond layer doped with boron in a concentration of higher than 5·1019 cm?3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: PHOTONIS FRANCE
    Inventors: Gert Nuetzel, Pascal Lavoute, Richard B. Jackman
  • Publication number: 20130134869
    Abstract: A photo cathode for use in a vacuum tube including a cathode layer, having an entrance face capable of absorbing photons impinging on the cathode layer, and an exit face for releasing electrons upon impinging of the photons, and an electron exit layer, in facing relationship with the exit face of the cathode layer for improving the releasing of the electrons, and a carbon containing layer, positioned between the exit face of the cathode layer and the electron exit layer, for bonding the electron exit layer to the cathode layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: Photonis France SAS
    Inventors: Gert Nützel, Pascal Lavoute, Christophe Fontaine, Richard Jackman
  • Publication number: 20130134864
    Abstract: An electron multiplying structure for use in a vacuum tube using electron multiplying, the electron multiplying structure having an input face intended to be oriented in a facing relationship with an entrance window of the vacuum tube, an output face intended to be oriented in a facing relationship with a detection surface of the vacuum tube, wherein the electron multiplying structure at least is composed of a semi-conductor material layer adjacent the detection windows. Also disclosed is a vacuum tube using electron multiplying with an electron multiplying structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: PHOTONIS FRANCE SAS
    Inventors: Gert Nützel, Pascal Lavoute, Richard Jackman