Performance of Microchannel Plates with Al2O3 Ion Barrier Film after High-Temperature Degassing

The ion barrier film of microchannel plate (MCP) plays a most important role in the third generation low-light level image intensifier to prevent the feedback of positive ions, protect the photocathode and prolong the operating life of image intensifier. In this paper, the influence of high-temperature degassing on the performances of the ion barrier film and the MCP itself were investigated by the experiments. The high-temperature degassing and the corresponding measurement system of MCP were shown, the detailed technology process was given, and the changes of the ion barrier film´s morphology and the MCP´s electrical performance after high-temperature degassing were compared. For a MCP with an ion barrier film, it was found that the electron gain decreased, the bulk resistance increased, the grain size of the ion barrier film increased and the dead-voltage decreased after high-temperature degassing.