Advances in anodic alumina MCP development

The development of microchannel plates (MCP) on the basis of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) started in the recent years. High electric resistivity of AAO up to several GΩ makes impossible to obtain an amplification of the electrons current. Several approaches to increase the electric conductivity of AAO were studied by the authors. One of these approaches was successful and new AAO samples present a resistance around tens of MΩ, which can vary in a wide range depending on the production parameters. An etching technology, which has a characteristic “anisotropy” due to the porous structure of the AAO, is developed in order to achieve AAO MCP with optimal operational aspect ratio (OAR). This technique allows the production of open-ended channels that keep a constant diameter along the full length of a plate.