MULTILAYER ANODE WITH CROSSED SERPENTINE DELAY-LINES FOR HIGH-SPATIAL-RESOLUTION READOUT OF MICROCHANNEL PLATE DETECTORS

We have designed, built, and tested the first successful imaging micro channel plate (MCP) detector that uses two crossed, printed circuit, s erpentine delay lines, one stacked above the other in a three-dimensio nal architecture. Laser ablation machining is used to cut slots that a llow delay lines in two layers parallel to the MCP to sample and read out x and y image positions. previous readouts that use delay line tim ing to read out both dimensions of an image employ a wire-wound anode. The goal of this readout is to provide as many picture elements (pixe ls) as possible in two dimensions, with high temporal resolution, high throughput, high dynamic range, and good spatial linearity. This dete ctor achieves this goal with off-the-shelf electronics and is robust f or space flight. The full width half maximum (FWHM) spatial resolution is 32 mu m at the center of the detector and is typically <35 mu m th roughout the detector. The rms linearity is 40 mu m in each readout di mension, after applying only radial corrections for fringe field effec ts near the perimeter, and <20 mu m after applying additional simple ( one-dimensional) corrections. Throughput for 10% coincidence loss is l imited by the measured baseline settling time to 4x10(5) s(-1), but th e current electronics limit is 1.1x10(5) s(-1). The walk characteristi cs of the detector are described. We discuss fabrication techniques, a pplication to space-based astronomy use, and design modifications to i mprove performance. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.