The Microchannel Plate (MCP) consists of millions of very-thin, conductive glass capillaries (4 to 25 micro meters in diameter) fused together and sliced into a thin plate. Each capillary or channel works as an independent secondary-electron multiplier to form a two-dimensional secondary-electron multiplier. The MCP shows a high detection efficiency to electrons and ions. It is also sensitive to a wide range of other radiation including UV, VUV, soft X-ray photons and neutrons. The MCP offers many advantages over conventional detectors, compact, light weight, good timing properties due to short length, high gain, excellent pulse height distribution and two-dimensional imaging when used in conjunction with a phosphor screen. MCPs are used in mass spectroscopy, low light level imaging and all types of electron microscopes.
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