Microchannel sensor and method of manufacturing the same

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This invention relates to a microchannel sensor for detecting radiation or particles, such as those used in night vision, mass spectrometry, or particle detection. The sensor consists of a substrate with many tiny channels extending through it; these channels are tilted at an angle relative to the substrate's normal axis. Uniquely, the sensor features channels with different cross-sectional shapes and sizes, which allows for adjustable and tunable detection properties. The patent also describes an advanced method of manufacturing these sensors using stepwise exposure of a resist material with variable resolution 3D nanoprinting, enabling both high-precision features for the sensor and faster, lower-precision support structures within the same device.

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• Night-vision devices such as goggles and imaging systems.
• Particle or photon detectors in scientific instrumentation, including mass spectrometry and nuclear physics.
• Medical imaging devices that require sensitive radiation detectors.
• Customizable sensors for spacecraft, satellites, or other environments with variable radiation types or intensities.
• High-resolution imaging in astronomy or other fields that require precise photon detection.
• Security screening or inspection systems relying on sensitive radiation detection.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enhanced sensitivity and amplification due to customized channel geometries within the same sensor.
• Ability to tune or tailor the detection characteristics (e.g., response to different particle types or energies) within a single device, removing the need to custom-manufacture different sensors for each application.
• Faster, more efficient manufacturing via variable-resolution 3D nanoprinting, allowing rapid prototyping and industrial scalability.
• Improved mechanical stability by combining fine and coarse features with optimized support structures.
• Greater flexibility in sensor design, including complex shapes or arrangements of channels for specific application needs.
• Potential for higher charge multiplication factors and broader amplification bandwidths for improved detection performance.

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Patent Abstract

A micro-channel sensor for detecting radiation and/or particles, the microchannel sensor comprising at least one sensor substrate, wherein said sensor substrate comprises a plurality of channels extending from a first side of the substrate to an opposite side of the substrate, wherein said channels are arranged along a channel axis which is tilted relative a normal axis of said substrate, and wherein said plurality of channels comprise a first set of channels with a first cross section and a second set of channels with a second cross section being different from said first cross section.