This paper describes the pyroelectric electron-mirror tube, which is a thermal imaging tube working in the 8-14 pm band of the infrared. The principle of operation is that an image of the thermal scene is formed on a pyroelectric target and a representation of the resulting voltage pattern is formed on a phosphor screen using the principle of the electron mirror. This results in a direct-view tube requiring no mechanical scanning, cryogenic cooling, or TV circuitry.The tube construction and target preparation are described. The basic theory of the tube is presented, dealing with the voltage response of the target to the thermal radiation, the action of the electron mirror, and the role of the electron optics in generating an image on the screen.Experimental measurements show a minimum resolvable temperature difference of 0.4 K at a spatial frequency of 1 cycle mm-l at the target. A prototype system is described, based on the tube. It weighs 4.7 kg and is powered by a pack having a life of 5 h from rechargeable batteries. Prospects for future development of the tube are discussed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.