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In this paper, a high spatial resolution, high gating speed framing camera capable of four separate two-dimensional images is designed and tested. A mirror-based image splitter has been designed an...

This paper describes the design of the 8-inch and 20-inch photomultiplier tubes based on microchannel plates (MCP-PMT). In the large area MCP-PMT, the small MCPs replace the bulky dynode chain in the traditional large PMTs. Photoelectrons are electrostatically focused on MCPs. The MCP assembly, focusing electrodes as well as the supply voltages are carefully optimized to achieve a wide photosensitive area, high photon detection efficiency and good timing resolution.

Owing to the severe loss of photoelectrons striking at the input electrode of conventional microchannel plate (MCP), photoelectron collection efficiency (CE) of devices based on traditional MCP fluctuates around the MCP open area ratio and cannot make a breakthrough. Photoelectron backscattering from the MCP surface also causes late pulses smearing timing and spatial performance. In this work, a novel bowl-shaped MCP with an open area ratio higher than 90% whose input electrode is coated by a thin film with high secondary electron emission yield (SEY) is proposed as an effective approach to improve CE and suppress late pulses. A three-dimensional MCP-PMT model is developed in CST Studio Suite to evaluate CE and time performance of the bowl-shaped MCP, and compared with the traditional one. Results show that CE of the PMT based on the bowl-shaped MCP is nearly 100% and the delayed pulse is less than 2%. This indicates that good temporal and spatial resolution can be achieved with the bowl-shaped MCP.

The microchannel plate photomultiplier tube (MCP-PMT) used in high energy physics experiments usually needs to be able to operate in strong magnetic fields. In this paper, a 3D MCP-PMT model is developed in CST studio suite to study the magnetic field up to 5 T effect on the photoelectrons traveling from the photocathode to the MCP. Results predict that a growing number of photoelectrons strike back to the photocathode with enhancing magnetic field, which not only decreases electron collection efficiency and gain, but also impairs the photocathode lifetime.

The late pulse occurring in photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) is attributed to photoelectron backscattering. The small effective open area of microchannel plates (MCPs) increases the probability of photoelectrons bouncing on the front surface of MCPs and aggravates late pulses. In this work, a three-dimensional MCP-PMT model is developed in CST particle studio, a powerful electromagnetic field simulation program, to evaluate the effects of secondary emission yield (SEY) property of the MCP input facet and electric field on the photoelectron backscattering. Timing properties and the number of collected electrons are extracted without smearing due to electronic noise and finite pulse width. Results predict that the collection efficiency (CE) and the time performance can be improved by coating the MCP Nickel–Chromium input electrode with a high SEY material and operating in a proper photocathode-MCP bias voltage.

The technology of atomic layer deposition has been used to improve the lifetime of the microchannel plate-photomultiplier tube (MCP-PMT) effectively and makes MCP possible to choose to coat different potential emissive materials on the internal surface of the MCP channels in the future. However, it is still an open question to what extent the secondary electron emission (SEE) yield properties of the emissive materials influence the behavior of the ALD-coated MCP. In this work, the dependences of the gain and timing performance on the SEE yield properties were assessed by using the Monte Carlo and particle-in-cell methods. We established the three-dimensional MCP single channel model in Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Particle Studio. Three important secondary electron emissions, the backscattered, rediffused and true SEEs, were discussed numerically based on the probabilistic model. The secondary electron cascade processes in the MCP single channel were simulated. The simulation results indicate that the opportunities for improving the gain of the ALD-coated MCP by improving the SEE yields corresponding to the incident energies of 0 eV–100 eV. The backscattered and rediffused electrons are found to have strong effects on the gain and timing performance of the MCP. Although the higher the SEE yield the higher the MCP gain, the drawback is the extremely high SEE yield will make the MCP saturated prematurely and degrade the time resolution. The simulation results will be used to guide the design and selection of emissive material for ALD-coated MCP development.

Microchannel plates (MCPs) are widely used as electron, ion, and X-ray detectors. The gain factor and time resolution of the MCP are strongly dependent on its operating and geometry parameters (applied voltage, length-to-diameter ratio, bias angle, and electrode penetration depth). Measurements about this dependence are sparse and do not cover the full range of the parameters. In this paper, 3-D single channel models are developed in computer simulation technology studio suit to systematically and comprehensively calculate the MCP gain and time resolution for various operating and geometry parameters. Furman secondaries electron emission model is employed in our simulation. Simulated result of the gain versus bias voltage is validated by the available experimental data. Finally, geometry parameters of $L = 373.6~\mu \text{m}$ , $D =10~\mu \text{m}$ , $h_{{{\text {in}}}}=h_{{{\text {out}}}}= 5~\mu \text{m}$ , and $\theta =12^{\circ }$ are proposed to optimize the MCP performances. Simulation results show that the gain, mean transit time, and transit time spread of the optimized MCP are expected to reach 128 012, 128 ps and 19 ps at the applied voltage of 1000 V.

This paper discusses the electron optical system of an 8-in. spherical MCP-PMT. The MCP assembly, the supporting pole and the supply voltages are carefully designed to optimize the photoelectron collection efficiency and the transit time spread. Coating the MCP nickel-chromium electrode with an additional high secondary emission material is employed to make a breakthrough on the collection efficiency. With the simulation software CST, the Finite Integration method and the Monte Carlo method are combined to evaluate the collection efficiency, the time properties and the Earth's magnetic field effects. Simulation results show that the photocathode active solid angle is over 3.5 πsr, the average collection efficiency can exceed 95% with the coated MCP and the mean transit time spread is 2.2 ns for a typical electric potential of 500 V applied between the photocathode and the MCP input facet. The prototype and the measured single photoelectron spectrum are also presented.

To obtain a high spatial resolution of a image intensifier based on microchannel plate (MCP), the long tail in the exit energy distribution of the output electrons (EDOE) is undesirable. The existing solution is increasing the penetration depth of the MCP output electrode, which will result in a serious gain reduction. Coating the MCP output electrode with efficient secondary electron yield (SEY) materials is supposed to be an effective approach to suppress the unfavorable tail component in the EDOE without negative effects on the gain. In our work, a three-dimensional MCP single channel model is developed in CST STUDIO SUITE to systematically investigate the dependences of the EDOE and the gain on the SEY property of the coated material, based on the Finite Integral Technique and Monte Carlo method. The results show that besides the high SEY of the coated material, the low incident energy corresponding to the peak SEY is another essential element affecting the electron yield in the final stage of multiplication and suppressing the output energy spread.

A novel large-area (20-inch) photomultiplier tube based on microchannel plate (MCP-PMTs) is proposed for the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) experiment. Its photoelectron collection efficiency C-e is limited by the MCP open area fraction (A(open)). This efficiency is studied as a function of the angular (theta), energy (E) distributions of electrons in the input charge cloud and the potential difference (U) between the PMT photocathode and the MCP input surface, considering secondary electron emission from the MCP input electrode. In CST Studio Suite, Finite Integral Technique and Monte Carlo method are combined to investigate the dependence of C-e on theta, E and U. Results predict that C-e can exceed A(open), and are applied to optimize the structure and operational parameters of the 20-inch MCP-PMT prototype. C-e of the optimized MCP-PMT is expected to reach 81.2%. Finally, the reduction of the penetration depth of the MCP input electrode layer and the deposition of a high secondary electron yield material on the MCP are proposed to further optimize C-e. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A multi-anode microchannel plate photomultiplier (Ma MCP-PMT) is an appropriate photo sensor for particle identification in high energy physics experiments such as PANDA, Belle II, etc. Since these detectors usually work in a strong magnetic field, the sensors must be immune to the field. In this article, the effects of the magnetic field on the conventional MCP and the atomic layer deposited MCP (ALD-MCP) are studied by simulating the electron multiplication in the microchannel of the MCP . Simulation results show that the gain of conventional MCP-PMTs increases a little before it starts decreasing while the magnetic field is further increasing. We found that the shortening of electronic trajectories and the reduction of secondary electrons mainly contribute to gain variations of a conventional MCP . For the ALD-MCP that usually has higher secondary emission yields, it is found that high re-diffusion secondary electron yields could make it more vulnerable to magnetic fields.