Small portable night vision system

A compact light detector module for night vision imaging, comprising from a first end to a second end:

• a photocathode configured to receive light and convert the received light to electrons emitted therefrom,
• a microchannel plate positioned to receive the electrons emitted from the photocathode and to emit additional electrons in response thereto,
• a lens array comprising a plurality of microlenses, each lens conformally coated with a phosphor layer and positioned to receive electrons from the microchannel plate, the phosphor layer structured to convert electrons to light which is focused by the microlenses,
• a plurality of barriers disposed on the lens array, each barrier disposed between an adjacent pair of microlenses and extending along an optical axis of each lens towards the microchannel plate a distance greater than a sag of the respective adjacent microlenses to deter light emitted by a phosphor layer on a first microlens of the plurality of microlenses from reaching a second microlens of the plurality of microlenses, and
• a detector array where each element of the detector array is disposed in registration with a respective microlens of the lens array to receive the focused light therefrom.