Microchannel plate (MCP) having an asymmetric packing pattern for higher open area ratio (OAR)
AssigneeExelis, Inc.
InventorsArlynn Walter Smith, Thomas Theodore Mabry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A boule for making a multichannel plate (MCP) includes (a) at least two sets of rows of fibers, each set arranged to form a hexagonally shaped boundary of fibers, and (b) an additional row of fibers disposed between the two sets of hexagonally shaped boundary of fibers. The additional row of fibers includes a horizontally oriented row of fibers, which is packed on top of a horizontally oriented boundary of fibers. A fiber of the horizontally oriented row of fibers of the boundary is packed adjacent to two consecutive fibers of the additional row of fibers, forming a triangular shape of fibers. The triangular shape of fibers forms a maximum open area ratio (OAR) of at least 90 percent.
Claims17
A structure for a microchannel plate (MCP) comprising
- a plurality of multifibers, each multifiber having rows of fibers arranged in a symmetrical hexagonal configuration, each hexagonal configuration having a boundary, and
- a plurality of single rows of fibers, in addition to the plurality of multifibers,
- wherein each single row is disposed along a respective boundary of a multifiber,
- the single row of fibers is disposed between two adjacent boundary rows of multifibers, and
- a fiber of the single row is packed between two fibers of one of the two adjacent rows of multifibers, and between two fibers of the other one of the two adjacent rows of mutifibers, forming triangular shapes of fibers.
A boule for making a multichannel plate (MCP) comprising
- at least two sets of rows of fibers, each set arranged to form a hexagonally shaped boundary of fibers, and
- an additional row of fibers disposed between the two sets of hexagonally shaped boundary of fibers,
- wherein each set includes a horizontally oriented row of fibers comprising a portion of the hexagonally shaped boundary of fibers,
- the additional row of fibers includes a horizontally oriented row of fibers, and
- the additional row of fibers is packed on top of the horizontally oriented boundary of fibers.
A method of fabricating a boule for a multichannel plate (MCP) comprising the steps of:
- forming at least first and second stacks of multifibers, each stack having horizontal rows of fibers arranged in a symmetrical hexagonal configuration,
- forming a single row of fibers on top of the first stack, and
- placing the second stack on top of the single row of fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.