IP Library Granted Patent US 12,512,295
Granted Patent B2
US 12,512,295 · App. 18/272,618 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

Light guide, electron ray detector, and charged particle device

Inventors: Kuniyoshi Yamauchi (Hamamatsu, JP); Minoru Kondo (Hamamatsu, JP); Takayuki Nakamura (Hamamatsu, JP)
Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
H01J37/244G02B6/4298
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,512,295
App. No.
18/272,618
Granted
Dec 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

There are provided a light guide, an electron ray detector, and a charged particle device that can improve light guiding efficiency of light generated in response to incidence of a detection ray. The electron ray detector includes: a light guide member extending in one direction; a first fluorescent substance layer provided on one end portion side of the light guide member and generating primary fluorescent light in response to incidence of a detection ray; a second fluorescent substance layer extending from one end to the other end of the light guide member and generating secondary fluorescent light in response to incidence of the primary fluorescent light; and a detection unit provided on the other end portion side of the light guide member and optically coupled to the light guide member.

Claims (23)

1 . A light guide comprising:

a light guide member extending in one direction;

a first fluorescent substance layer provided on one end portion side of the light guide member and generating primary fluorescent light in response to incidence of a detection ray; and

a second fluorescent substance layer extending from one end to the other end of the light guide member and generating secondary fluorescent light in response to incidence of the primary fluorescent light.

2 . The light guide according to claim 1 , wherein the second fluorescent substance layer extends to be closer to the other end of the light guide member than the first fluorescent substance layer.

3 . The light guide according to claim 1 , wherein the second fluorescent substance layer extends from one end to the other end of the light guide member.

4 . The light guide according to claim 1 , further comprising a third fluorescent substance layer extending from one end to the other end of the light guide member and generating tertiary fluorescent light in response to incidence of the secondary fluorescent light.

5 . The light guide according to claim 1 , wherein the first fluorescent substance layer is formed of one of gadolinium oxysulfide, yttrium silicate, YAG, YAP, a fluorescent substance with a quantum-well structure layer of InGaN/GaN, and ZnO.

6 . The light guide according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide member is formed of transparent glass, a transparent resin, air, or vacuum.

7 . The light guide according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide member includes a first surface and a second surface located opposite to the first surface,

wherein the first fluorescent substance layer is provided on the first surface side,

wherein the second fluorescent substance layer is provided on at least the second surface side, and

wherein the second surface includes a slope that is inclined to be closer to the first surface toward one end on the one end portion side of the light guide member.

8 . The light guide according to claim 1 , further comprising a reflecting film covering an edge of the second fluorescent substance layer on the one end portion side of the light guide member.

9 . The light guide according to claim 1 , wherein a through-hole penetrating the light guide member, the first fluorescent substance layer, and the second fluorescent substance layer is provided on the one end portion side of the light guide member.

10 . The light guide according to claim 1 , further comprising a metal film covering an inner wall of the through-hole.

11 . An electron ray detector comprising:

the light guide according to claim 1 ; and

a detection unit provided on the other end portion side of the light guide member of the light guide and optically coupled to the light guide member.

12 . A charged particle device comprising:

an electron source emitting an electron ray to a sample; and

a detector detecting charged particles which are generated from the sample in response to irradiation with the electron ray,

wherein the detector is constituted by the electron ray detector according to claim 11 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2023
From: YAMAUCHI, KUNIYOSHI; KONDO, MINORU; NAKAMURA, TAKAYUKI
To: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
Reel/Frame 064279/0483 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-038410 · Mar 10, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250079118A1 · Mar 6, 2025
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