Cross strip microchannel plate imaging photon counters with high time resolution

Sealed tube MCP detectors have provided a valuable platform for high spatial resolution photon counting detectors. Specifically, electronic readout microchannel plate (MCP) based sensors have been used as photon counting, imaging, event time tagging detectors for astronomy, time resolved biological imaging, imaging LIDAR, Cherenkov (RICH), scintillation detection, and neutron imaging [1]–[10]. For future applications we have been developing novel atomic layer deposited MCPs, UV optimized photocathodes and high resolution cross strip readouts for sealed tube detectors. The Photonis Planacon is a useful sealed detector format (~50 mm square active area) to employ and demonstrate these novel technologies. The Planacon standard geometry has been used, but the standard anode pad array is replaced with a cross strip anode that demonstrates ~20 µm FWHM spatial resolution for single photon events at electron gains of the order 106. Atomic layer deposited MCPs with 10µm pores have been used in place of conventional MCPs, providing tight pulse amplitude distributions, enhanced gain stability and reduced gamma ray sensitivity. The entrance window (Sapphire or MgF2) permits the high UV sensitivity of bialkali photocathodes (>30% @180nm) to be utilized. Event encoding electronics implemented in surface mount components also provides high resolution imaging at event rates of up to 5 MHz. ASIC versions of the encoding electronics are in the prototype phase and show considerable promise for enhanced performance with lower power and smaller footprints.

Microchannel plate (MCP) detectors have been used on many ultraviolet (UV) space based observatories. Future NASA missions would benefit from scaled designs with larger areas, higher spatial resolution, and high counting rate capability. These prospects are being successfully demonstrated with cross strip (XS) anode readouts, but the electronics that read out such detectors would require reduction in size, weight, and power. The GRAPH ASIC was developed as an efficient high bandwidth solution to read out cross strip anodes for MCP detectors. First generation GRAPH ASICs have been wire bonded to circuit boards and initial testing and characterization have been done. Firmware and software have been implemented to process XS anode events producing X-Y photon positions. To further test and characterize performance of the GRAPH ASIC a GRAPH board is being used to read out photon events from an MCP detector with a cross strip anode. We present preliminary results on GRAPH design and operation. In addition we demonstrate photon detection with position and pulse height analysis and a description of the firmware currently being used to carry out these tests.

Microchannel plate based detectors are widely used for photon counting spectroscopy and imaging in astronomical, high energy physics and remote sensing applications^1-15. We present progress in the development of imaging cross strip readout detectors using novel microchannel plates functionalized by atomic layer deposition (ALD). ALD microchannel plates have established formats of 10 cm with 10 μm pore sizes and 20 cm with 20 μm pores. ALD MCPs show with high quantum efficiency (>50% @115 nm) using opaque alkali halide photocathodes and very low background levels (0.05 events cm^-2) have been achieved. Readout systems have also evolved and now cross-strip anodes and encoding electronics enable high spatial resolution (<20 μm) at low gain (10⁶) and over large formats (10 cm) with high dynamic range (>5 MHz). These characteristics are essential for UV instrument concepts currently under study for NASA including the Large UV/Optical/IR Surveyor (LUVOIR)¹⁶, the Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission (HABEX)¹⁶, and Cosmic Evolution Through UV Spectroscopy (CETUS)¹⁶.

ALD-GCA-MCPs are a technology advancement that affords microchannel plates (MCPs) with significant performance benefits compared to conventional MCP technology. Incom now routinely produces ALD-GCA-MCPs with dimensions up to 20 cm x 20 cm. Notable advancements and benefits over conventional lead-oxide based MCPs are larger size and higher mechanical stability, high and stable gain (>1e4for single MCP @ 1000 V, stable gain to ≥ 1 C/cm2 extracted charge), low dark counts (≤ 0.05 cts/sec/cm2), ~3x lower gamma-ray sensitivity, and the unique ability to individually customize and control the MCP resistance and secondary electron emission (SEE) amplification characteristics. ALD-GCA-MCPs find application in a variety of photon and charged particle counting applications and are particularly suited for applications that require fast timing, high spatial resolution, radiation hardness, and long detector life times, such as Ion-TOF, electron spectroscopies, and a variety of other analytical instruments. They can also be incorporated into low-power, low-background photodetectors suitable for applications in extreme environments such as remote sensing applications in rugged environments, in space flight instrumentation, as well as in high-energy physics and nuclear physics experiments. In this paper we will provide a brief ALD-GCA-MCP technology overview highlighting recent developments that focused on improving the glass capillary array (GCA) substrate, and their implications for large-area photodetectors and spectrometers used in nuclear and high energy physics, space science, and other sensing applications.

Advances in photocathodes (GaN, Diamond, GaAs), microchannel plates (Silicon MCP's), and readouts (Cross strip) are poised to make a significant impact on the capabilities of future space instruments. Alkali halide cathode efficiencies have been improved and GaN photocathodes have achieved >30% DQE in the UV with a bandpass limit of ~400nm. In addition diamond photocathodes have been made with 40% DQE and bandpass up to 200nm, and GaAs photocathodes with ~50% DQE in the visible have been made. This offers the potential for efficient photon counting from 10 - 900nm. Silicon MCP's of 25mm format with ~7μm pores, have been made, achieving gain of nearly 104 for a single Si MCP. The quantum detection efficiency for Si MCP's is the same as glass MCP's, but the background is as low as ~ 0.02 events sec-1 cm-2, the best for any MCP. Flat fields are free of any periodic modulation, and the gain uniformity is good. Silicon MCP's have low stopping power for X, gamma and cosmic rays, are stable at high temperatures (>800°C), and chemically compatible with many photocathodes. The cross delay line and cross strip anodes are based on multi-layer metal and ceramic cross strip patterns. Event positions are encoded by the difference of signal arrival times at the anode contacts (delay line) or by direct sensing of the charge on each strip (cross strip) and determination of the charge cloud centroid for each event. The spatial resolution (<5μm) achieved is sufficient to resolve 7μm microchannel plate pores while using low MCP gain (≈2 x 106). Image linearity is good enough to see distortions in the microchannel plate pore alignment, and the low MCP gain will enhance the overall lifetime of MCP detector systems.

Improved efficiency of high resolution thermal and cold neutron imaging

Microchannel plate (MCP) is an important compact two-dimension multiplier for parallel multiplication of charged particles. With the advantages of high temporal resolution, high spatial resolution, high electron gain and compact structure, microchannel plate has become an important potential readout device for cryogenic quantum computing, such as the quantum computation based on floating electrons of liquid helium surface. For the sake of ultra-fast reading, it requires the signal readout time is less than 10^-5 s at a temperature lower than 30K in the cryogenic quantum computing. However, the bulk resistance of MCP multiplier became giant at cryogenic temperature for the property of huge negative temperature coefficient of resistance, almost 10⁵ Gohm at 20K~30K, resulting in a readout time of 10^-2 -1s at cryogenic temperature, which was one of the major bottlenecks for the application of MCPs in the cryogenic quantum computing. In this paper, the bulk resistance of MCPs in two different bismuth contents (1at%, 2.4at%) under the same hydrogen reduction temperatures (730K) were present as the surrounding temperature controlled from 300K to 20K. The cryogenic bulk resistance of MCP was only decreased into 24% with the increase bismuth content from 1at% to 2.4at%, while thereof the normal bulk resistance was decline into 5%. The normal bulk resistance reduced only in the manner of improving the conductivity of conductive layer, could also increase the temperature-resistance sensitivity of MCP, leading an even greater temperature coefficient of resistance, which deteriorated the stability of readout in the cryogenic quantum computing.

NASA has funded, through their Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program, the development of a cross strip (XS) microchannel plate (MCP) detector with the intention to increase its technology readiness level (TRL), enabling prototyping for future NASA missions. One aspect of the development is to convert the large and high powered laboratory Parallel Cross Strip (PXS) readout electronics into application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) to decrease their mass, volume, and power consumption (all limited resources in space) and to make them more robust to the environments of rocket launch and space. The redesign also foresees to increase the overall readout event rate, and decrease the noise contribution of the readout system. This work presents the design and verification of the first stage for the new readout system, the 16 channel charge sensitive amplifier ASIC, called the CSAv3. The single channel amplifier is composed of a charge sensitive amplifier (pre-amplifier), a pole zero cancellation circuit and a shaping amplifier. An additional output stage buffer allows polarity selection of the output analog signal. The operation of the amplifier is programmable via serial bus. It provides an equivalent noise charge (ENC) of around 600 e^− and a baseline gain of 10 mV/fC. The full scale pulse shaped output signal is confined within 100 ns, without long recovery tails, enabling up to 10 MHz periodic event rates without signal pile up. This ASIC was designed and fabricated in 130 nm, TSMC CMOS 1.2 V technology. In addition, we briefly discuss the construction of the readout system and plans for the future work.

A high spatial resolution event counting neutron detector using microchannel plates and cross delay line readout

과학위성 1호의 주탑재체인 원자외선 분광기의 검출기 전자부에 대한 특성을 분석하였다. FIMS (Far-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph)는 교차 지연선 양극을 가진 MCP(micro-channel plate)를 사용하여 입사된 원자외선 광자의 위치를 검출한다. MCP에 입사하는 광자는 MCP을 통해 전자형태로 변환되고 증폭된다. 증폭된 전하운의 중심은 양분되어 연결된 지연선을 통해 양단으로 나가게 되고, 지연선의 양단에서 전하운의 도착시간 차이를 구하여 입사된 광자의 위치를 판독한다. FIMS의 경우 2개의 MCP 검출기를 갖고 있으며, 각각 25mm<TEX>$\times$</TEX>25mm의 유효 크기를 갖고있다. 또 신호처리계는 1채널의 신호처리 회로계를 통해 2개의 검출기에 대한 영상검출이 가능하도록 함으로써 신호처리계의 복잡성을 피하고 아울러 전력과 무게 비용을 줄였다. 이 시스템을 통해 높은 시간 및 공간 분해능(<<TEX>$35{\times}75$</TEX>ps FWHM)을 얻었으며, 6W 이하의 저전력 시스템을 구현하였다. We describe some performance of the detector electronics system for the FIMS (Far-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph) mission. The FIMS mission to map the far ultraviolet sky uses MCP (micro-channel plate) detectors with a crossed delay line anode to record photon arrival events. FIMS has two MCP detectors, each with a ~25mm<TEX>$\times$</TEX>25mm active area. The unconventional anode design allows for the use of a single set of position encoding electronics for both detector fields. The centroid position of the charge cloud, generated by the photon-stimulated MCP, is determined by measuring the arrival times at both ends of the anode following amplification and external delay. The temporal response of the detector electronics system determines the readout's positional resolution for the charge centroid. High temporal resolution (<<TEX>$35{\times}75$</TEX>ps FWHM) and low power consumption (< 6W) were achieved for the FIMS detector electronics system.

The microchannel plate, delay line, detectors developed for the far ultraviolet spectroscopic explorer mission to be launched in 1998 are described. The two FUSE detectors have a large format (approximately equals 184 mm by 10 mm split into two 88.5 by 10 mm segments), with high spatial resolution (less than 20 micrometers by 50 micrometers FWHM, greater than 9000 by 200 resolution elements) and good linearity (plus or minus 25 micrometers), high image stability, and counting rates in excess of 4 by 10<SUP>4</SUP> events sec<SUP>-1</SUP>. KBr opaque photocathodes have been employed to provide quantum detection efficiencies of 30 - 40% in the 900 - 1200 angstrom range. Microchannel plates with 10 micrometer pores and an 80:1 pore length to diameter ratio, with a 95 mm by 20 mm format have been used in a Z stack configuration to provide the photon amplification (gain approximately equals 2 by 10<SUP>7</SUP>). These show narrow pulse height distributions (less than 35% FWHM) even with uniform flood illumination, and good background levels (less than 0.3 event cm<SUP>-2</SUP>sec<SUP>-1</SUP>). Flat field images are demanded by the microchannel plate multifiber boundary fixed pattern noise and are stable.

Widely used MRI methods show brain morphology both in vivo and ex vivo at very high resolution. Many of these methods (e.g., T2*-weighted imaging, phase-sensitive imaging, or susceptibility-weighted imaging) are sensitive to local magnetic susceptibility gradients produced by subtle variations in tissue composition. However, the spectral resolution of commonly used methods is limited to maintain reasonable run-time combined with very high spatial resolution. Here, the authors report on data acquisition at increased spectral resolution, with 3-dimensional high spectral and spatial resolution MRI, in order to analyze subtle variations in water proton resonance frequency and lineshape that reflect local anatomy. The resulting information compliments previous studies based on T2* and resonance frequency. The proton free induction decay was sampled at high resolution and Fourier transformed to produce a high-resolution water spectrum for each image voxel in a 3D volume. Data were acquired using a multigradient echo pulse sequence (i.e., echo-planar spectroscopic imaging) with a spatial resolution of 50 × 50 × 70 μm(3) and spectral resolution of 3.5 Hz. Data were analyzed in the spectral domain, and images were produced from the various Fourier components of the water resonance. This allowed precise measurement of local variations in water resonance frequency and lineshape, at the expense of significantly increased run time (16-24 h). High contrast T2*-weighted images were produced from the peak of the water resonance (peak height image), revealing a high degree of anatomical detail, specifically in the hippocampus and cerebellum. In images produced from Fourier components of the water resonance at -7.0 Hz from the peak, the contrast between deep white matter tracts and the surrounding tissue is the reverse of the contrast in water peak height images. This indicates the presence of a shoulder in the water resonance that is not present at +7.0 Hz and may be specific to white matter anatomy. Moreover, a frequency shift of 6.76 ± 0.55 Hz was measured between the molecular and granular layers of the cerebellum. This shift is demonstrated in corresponding spectra; water peaks from voxels in the molecular and granular layers are consistently 2 bins apart (7.0 Hz, as dictated by the spectral resolution) from one another. High spectral and spatial resolution MR imaging has the potential to accurately measure the changes in the water resonance in small voxels. This information can guide optimization and interpretation of more commonly used, more rapid imaging methods that depend on image contrast produced by local susceptibility gradients. In addition, with improved sampling methods, high spectral and spatial resolution data could be acquired in reasonable run times, and used for in vivo scans to increase sensitivity to variations in local susceptibility.

High time resolution and extreme radiation hardness are key for detectors to be operated in future particle accelerators and in space or medical applications. With respect to these relevant properties, we report here on performances of pixel sensors prepared on mono- and poly-crystalline synthetic Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) diamonds, by fast laser modification via multiphoton absorption from a 50 fs, 800 nm, Ti:Sa source. The research has been carried out in the framework of the Timespot experiment of the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) aimed to achieve both high spatial resolution (55 &mu;m pitch) and very high time resolution (tens of picoseconds) with very radiation tolerant detectors. Timespot exploits the recent 3D electrode architecture to enhance both time resolution and radiation hardness with respect to standard planar silicon and diamond detectors. We present here a major step forward in material engineering and fabrication procedure, yielding a time resolution improvement of our devices from the initial 280 ps to the present 80 ps, bringing this figure of merit very close to that allowed by the more mature 3D silicon technology. Recent results will be presented, and strategies for further improvements will be discussed. Since diamond is known to be a very radiation-tolerant material, it is considered very promising for implementing devices planned for very fast response and radiation hardness. We present results on a thorough study of polycrystalline and monocrystalline diamond sensors irradiated up to a fluence level of 1016 neq (1 MeV)/cm2. The superior radiation hardness of the 3D architecture is demonstrated with respect to the planar detectors. We have also verified that the radiation hardness increases with increasing bulk electrode density. The results are discussed and compared with other radiation hardness studies carried out on 3D diamond sensors.

High-resolution UV, alpha and neutron imaging with the Timepix CMOS readout

We report the results obtained with a novel readout system for scintillating fibres and X-ray imaging based on the combination of a silicon pixel detector and one stage of light amplification using a 2nd generation image intensifier. The pixel detector is a hybrid assembly of a high resistivity silicon detector bump-bonded to a CMOS binary readout chip and can be read out at a speed of 15 MHz. Each pixel element measures 75 /spl mu/m/spl times/500 /spl mu/m. Scintillating fibre ribbons and scintillating crystals are coupled to the detector array using one stage of light amplification provided by a micro-channel plate (MCP) image intensifier with fiberoptic faceplates. We have used the system to image electron tracks in a bundle of scintillating fibre ribbons. Further we have shown how the system can be used for imaging 122 keV X-rays such as those used in nuclear medicine. The system provides the possibility of single photon counting, high spatial resolution and Compton rejection.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>