Shock resistant cascaded microchannel plate assemblies and methods of use

A vibration and shock resistant tube having a cascaded microchannel plate assembly resistant to the relative movement of the cascaded microchannel plates, said tube comprising:

• a chambered housing having a cylindrical body and an input window at a forward end thereof for receiving photons;
• a photocathode within said chambered housing for receiving said photons and responsively releasing photoelectrons in a shower having a pattern replicating said photons;
• a cascaded microchannel plate assembly for receiving said photoelectrons and responsively releasing proportionate secondary emission electrons to produce an intensified electron shower in a pattern replicating said photons, said cascaded microchannel plate assembly including a stacked pair of microchannel plates in facial contact with one another, said stacked pair of microchannel plates defining an outer diameter, a pair of conductive rings axially spaced apart by an insulating ring, one conductive ring defining an inner diameter sufficient to pass the outer diameter of the of the microchannel plates, the other conductive ring defining an inner diameter less than the outer diameter of the microchannel plates, said pair of conductive rings cooperatively defining a shoulder upon which the microchannel plates are seated, said insulating ring defining an inner diameter surface radially confronting each one of said stacked pair of microchannel plates to constrain radial dislocation thereof.

A particle amplification tube with enhanced resistance to disruptive short circuits, said tube comprising:

• a chambered housing having a cylindrical body and an input window at a forward end thereof for receiving photons;
• a photocathode within said chambered housing for receiving said photons and responsively releasing photoelectrons in a shower having a pattern replicating said photons;
• at least one microchannel plate having an input face for receiving said photoelectrons and an output face for responsively releasing proportionate secondary emission electrons to produce an intensified electron shower in a pattern replicating said photons;
• a display electrode positioned to receive said secondary emission electrons to provide an enhanced image, said display electrode associated with a forward surface of a rear image window to transmit said enhanced image outwardly from said tube, a first conductive ring in electrical contact with said output face of said microchannel plate, and a second conductive ring in electrical contact with said display electrode, an insulating ring interposed between said conductive rings, said insulating ring having a tapered inner diameter surface.