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Vidicon
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Figure 9: Vidicon camera tube. Labeled diagram of a Vidicon television camera tube showing how a lens focuses a scene onto a transparent conductor coated with photoresistive material, with components including an electron gun, electron beam, deflection coils, and electrical connections for generating an output video signal.
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Figure 9: Vidicon camera tube.
Figure 9: Vidicon camera tube.

A Vidicon is a type of camera tube that uses the principle of photoconductivity to convert an optical image into electrical signals. These tubes were a significant invention in the development of television technology, enabling the electronic scanning of images.12

The Vidicon tube consists of a glass envelope containing a photoresistive material. When light from an image is focused onto this material, its electrical resistance changes, creating a pattern that corresponds to the image's brightness. An electron beam then scans this pattern, generating an electrical signal that forms the basis of the television picture. While largely replaced by solid-state imagers today, the Vidicon was a versatile and enduring camera tube used in portable cameras.2

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. vidicon
  2. television - Electron tubes
  3. camera tube

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