APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INHIBITING BLOOMING IN TELEVISION CAMERAS

Blooming inhibition in an intensified television camera having an image intensifier is effected by applying periodic electrical pulses to the photocathode of the image intensifier of an amplitude that absorbs into the photocathode of the image intensifier excessive electrons in the photocathode and in a space charge adjacent the photocathode resulting from a bright light point in the scene. The pulses are of such short duration that sensitivity of the camera is not significantly reduced. The periodicity of the pulses is such that a plurality of the pulses are applied during each raster line scan. Alternatively, one pulse may be applied during each raster line retrace.