Abstract :
A ten-channel switch tube with five stages of electron multiplication has been developed. The advantages are low crosstalk, low beam potential, electrostatic deflection, and light weight. This tube will be used to convert wide-band information from a single channel into ten channels of information that can be transmitted over standard telephone cables in telemetering operations. Venetian-blind dynodes are used for the multiplier structure. Each channel is defined by a louver on the dynode desk. U-shaped shields are Used to minimize crosstalk. The channel length is 0.120 inch, or a total length of 1.2 inches for the ten channels. The collector system provides a method for equalizing the gain of all the channels. Operating at a 2-kv beam potential with 5-µa beam current, the tube provides 20 ma of output current, with less than 5% crosstalk to adjacent channels. The electron optics and the performance of the tube are described.