The construction and characterization of MgO transmission dynodes

In this work we demonstrate that ultra-thin (5 and 15 nm) MgO transmission dynodes with sufficient high transmission electron yield (TEY) can be constructed. These transmission dynodes act as electron amplification stages in a novel vacuum electron multiplier: the Timed Photon Counter. The ultra-thin membranes with a diameter of 30 μm are...

Ultra-thin corrugated metamaterial film as large-area transmission dynode

Large-area transmission dynodes were fabricated by depositing an ultra-thin continuous film on a silicon wafer with a 3-dimensional pattern. After removing the silicon, a corrugated membrane with enhanced mechanical properties was formed. Mechanical metamaterials, such as this corrugated membrane, are engineered to improve its strength and...

Secondary electron emission from multi-layered TiN/Al₂O₃transmission dynodes

The (secondary) electron emission from multilayered Al2O3/TiN membranes has been investigated with a hemispherical collector system in a scanning electron microscope for electrons with energies between 0.3 and 10 keV. These ultra-thin membranes are designed to function as transmission dynodes in novel vacuum electron multipliers. Two...

Ultra-thin alumina and silicon nitride MEMS fabricated membranes for the electron multiplication

In this paper we demonstrate the fabrication of large arrays of ultrathin freestanding membranes (tynodes) for application in a timed photon counter (TiPC), a novel photomultiplier for single electron detection. Low pressure chemical vapour deposited silicon nitride (Si _x N _y ) and atomic layer deposited alumina (Al<sub...

Effect of thermal annealing and chemical treatments on secondary electron emission properties of atomic layer deposited MgO

This study reports on the secondary electron emission (SEE) performance of atomic layer deposited MgO films, with thicknesses in the range from 5 to 25 nm, for the application in the Timed Photon Counter. In this novel, photodetector MgO is utilized as a material for the fabrication of ultrathin transmission dynodes (tynodes). Two different...

Optimization of silicon-rich silicon nitride films for electron multiplication in timed photon counters

The excellent overall properties of silicon nitride, particularly its mechanical strength and resistance to many etchants, make it a widely used material for microsensors and microactuators. In this paper silicon-rich silicon nitride (SRN) films were investigated as material for ultra-thin transmission dynodes in electron multiplication. These...