Jv. Vallerga et Ohw. Siegmund, 2K x 2K resolution element photon counting MCP sensor with > 200 kHz eventrate capability, NUCL INST A, 442(1-3), 2000, pp. 159-163
Siegmund Scientific undertook a NASA Small Business Innovative Research (SB
IR) contract to develop a versatile, high-performance photon (or particle)
counting detector combining recent technical advances in all aspects of Mic
rochannel Plate (MCP) detector development in a low cost, commercially viab
le package that can support a variety of applications. The detector concept
consists of a set of MCPs whose output electron pulses are read out with a
crossed delay line (XDL) anode and associated high-speed event encoding el
ectronics. The delay line anode allows high-resolution photon event centroi
ding at very high event rates and can be scaled to large formats (> 40 mm)
while maintaining good linearity and high temporal stability. The optimal s
ensitivity wavelength range is determined by the choice of opaque photocath
odes. Specific achievements included: spatial resolution of < 25 mu m FWHM;
formats from 25 to 40 mm with digitized pixel sizes of similar to 3 mu m;
total detector rates of > 200 000 events s(-1); local rates of > 100 events
s(-1) per resolution element; event timing of < 1 ns; and low background c
ounting rates (< 1 event cm(-2)s(-1)). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All r
ights reserved.