Unsteady radiant heating of conical foil receptors.

The time dependent thermal equations of two types of conical radiation detectors are discussed and solved for a step function application of radiation parallel to the axis of the cases. The first type has a heat sink at the base and the second has the vertex buried in a heat sink to a variable proportion of its total height. It is found that the first case has the lower sensitivity and better time response. The time response of the second case is improved by more deeply burying the vertex, but to the detriment of sensitivity. At no value of this inclusion can both a superior sensitivity and time response be achieved for the second case.