Advances in microchannel plate detectors for UV/visible astronomy

Advances in microchannel plate detectors for UV/visible astronomy

Citation

A citation for the article cannot be provided. This document, dated April 11, 2003, was created by Dr. O.H.W. Siegmund of the Space Sciences Laboratory at U.C. Berkeley. The document summarizes advances in photocathodes, microchannel plates, and readouts for photon counting imaging detectors used in UV missions.

Keywords

  • Photocathodes
  • Microchannel plates (MCPs)
  • Readouts
  • UV/visible astronomy
  • Photon counting imaging detectors
  • Quantum efficiency (QE)
  • Background noise
  • Spatial resolution
  • Lifetime

Brief

The information provided in "111 OswaldSiegmund.pdf" focuses on the advancements in UV/visible astronomy technology, particularly in photocathodes, microchannel plates, and readouts, which are leading to better performing photon counting imaging detectors for future UV missions. 

Summary

This document from Dr. O.H.W. Siegmund summarizes advances in photocathodes, microchannel plates, and readouts for photon counting imaging detectors used in UV missions. Advances in these technologies will allow for better quantum efficiency (QE), lower background, higher resolution, better uniformity and linearity, and better lifetimes in photon counting imaging detectors for future UV missions. The document describes the properties and performance characteristics of several specific technologies:

  • Alkali Halide photocathodes have seen performance improvements due to better fabrication techniques and geometrical optimization.
  • Diamond photocathodes, which are air stable and mechanically robust, have been grown on silicon and silicon microchannel plates (MCPs).
  • Gallium nitride (GaN) photocathodes have the potential for high UV QE. Initial tests of GaN opaque photocathodes showed poor QE with cesium activation, but improvements in processing have since yielded substantial QE improvements.
  • Gallium arsenide (GaAs) photocathodes have high visible/near-infrared QE.
  • Silicon MCPs are made using photolithographic methods, which allows for the creation of large substrates with small pores. Silicon MCPs are compatible with ultra-high vacuums and have low backgrounds. Silicon MCP performance is improving, and many 25 mm diameter silicon MCPs have been tested.
  • Cross strip anodes are multi-layer cross finger layouts that allow for the encoding of multiple simultaneous events. Cross strip anodes can support high spatial resolution and linearity, with spatial resolutions of less than 5 µm and more than 10,000 x 10,000 “resels” possible in formats larger than 50 mm. 

Origin: https://www.stsci.edu/stsci/meetings/nhst/talks/OswaldSiegmund.pdf

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