Imaging device with gated integrator

Abstract

The present invention relates to an imaging device that includes a gating element which receives incident photons and releases pulsed electrons; a single microchannel-plate (MCP) which receives the pulsed electrons and amplifies the pulsed electrons as an amplified pulsed electron flux; a collection element which receives the amplified pulsed electron flux; a high-pass filter; and a gated integrator; wherein the high-pass filter element receives the amplified pulsed electron flux from the collection element and alternate current (AC) couples the amplified pulsed electron flux as a charge pulse to the gated integrator; and wherein the gating element and the gated integrator are time-synchronized to allow charge-integration only while the AC-coupled charge pulse is unipolar. A feedback loop can provide an auto-gating function. The imaging device can be used in night vision goggles or a mass spectrometer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.