Characteristics of a Microchannel Plate Intensifier

The Atmospheric Emissions Photometeric Imaging Experiment (AEPI) to be flown on the Spacelab 1 mission is designed to study optically faint auroral phenomena occurring as natural and as artificallly stimulated atmospheric emissions. The AEPI detector consist primarily of a dual channel, 3.7¿, F2.0, 2×10° wide angle and 12.4¿, F/2.5, 2×3° telephoto, low-light level TV system (LLLTV). A complementary 9.4¿, F2.5, 2×3° telephoto optical system, boresighted with the LLLTV, images onto the photocathode of a proximity focused multichannel plate photomultiplier which has 100 discrete anodes. In this system, the Photon Counting Array (PCA), photons are counted from individual anodes directly providing the photometric luminosity of an object which is crudely imaged. The object may be viewed simultaneously with high spatial resolution by the LLLTV. The multianode photomultiplier is manufactured by ITT specifically for the AEPI application, however multianode devices are of general use. Performance parameters of the PCA including modal gain, resolution, dynamic range are discussed.