Characteristics and applications of advanced technology microchannel plates

A method for fabrication of novel thin-filrn continuous dynode electron multipliers is described. We have shown the feasibility of crucial manufacturing steps, including anisotropic dry etching of substrates into photolithographically-defined arrays of high-aspect-ratio channels, and the formation of thin-film continuous dynodes by chemical vapor deposition. We discuss potential performance and design advantages of this advanced technology microchannel plate (AT-MCP) over the conven tional reduced lead silicate glass inicrochannel plate (RLSG-'MCP) and implications for new applications.