High-Resolution and Large Size Wafer Microchannel Image Intensifier

Publisher Summary Owing to high luminous gain and spatial resolution, microchannel plate (MCP) image intensifier tubes (IIT) are widely used in night vision equipment. Tubes with double proximity focusing (wafer type) have some clear advantages in comparison with the inverter types relative to distortion-free imaging, light weight, and compactness. IITs of such a design are particularly well suited for designing low-light level (LLL) film camera equipment. The compactness of the proximity-focused intensifier tube allows the design of a novel camera for airborne reconnaissance and also for general purposes in physics. The main advantages of this new tube are a large useful format and very high spatial resolution giving impressive image quality reaching 90,000 picture elements per frame; direct optical coupling between the phosphor screen and film—yielding the three advantages of efficient optical coupling, low distortion with no vignetting, and reduction of blooming because of the local saturation of the channel plate and the light guiding through the fiber optic window—and easy frame gating for medium speed cinematography.