# US 8,786,168 B2 · Microchannel plate for electron multiplier > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,786,168 B2 - Document ID: US8786168B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/779,118 - Filed: 2013-02-27 - Published: 2013-08-29 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-29 - Assignees: Photek Limited - Applicants: Jonathan Ross Howorth - Inventors: Jonathan Ross Howorth - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786168B2 ## CPC - H01J 43/28: Vessels {, e.g. wall of the tube}; Windows; Screens; Suppressing undesired discharges or currents - C23C 16/40: Oxides - C23C 16/45555: {applied in non-semiconductor technology} - H01J 9/125: {of secondary emission electrodes} - H01J 43/246: {Microchannel plates [MCP] (image amplification tubes using MCP H01J31/507)} - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract A microchannel plate (1) for a microchannel plate electron multiplier, comprising: a substrate (5) forming a plate having first and second opposing faces and having a plurality of parallel channels therethrough from first to second faces and; a first electrode (3) on the first face, the first electrode (3) having a first side adjacent to the substrate and a second side opposite to the first side; a second electrode (4) on the second face, the second electrode (4) having a first side adjacent to the substrate (5) and a second side opposite to the first side; and a layer (6, 7) of resistive and secondary emissive material on the second side of the first electrode and the second electrode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A microchannel plate for a microchannel plate electron multiplier, comprising: a substrate forming a plate having first and second opposing faces and having a plurality of parallel channels therethrough from first to second faces and; a first electrode on the first face, the first electrode having a first side adjacent to the substrate and a second side opposite to the first side; a second electrode on the second face, the second electrode having a first side adjacent to the substrate and a second side opposite to the first side; and a layer of resistive and secondary emissive material on the second side of the first electrode and the second electrode, each layer of resistive and secondary emissive material configured to be deposited on one of the first and second electrodes by atomic layer deposition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The microchannel plate of claim 1, in which the resistive and secondary emissive material comprises at least one of magnesium oxide (MgO) and aluminium oxide (Al2O3). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The microchannel plate of claim 2, in which the resistive and secondary emissive material comprises a dopant present to control the resistance of the material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The microchannel plate of claim 3, in which the dopant is Zinc Oxide (ZnO). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The microchannel plate of claim 1, in which each layer is less than 100 nanometers thick. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The microchannel plate of claim 5, in which each layer is between 10 and 100 nanometers thick. ### Claim 7 A microchannel plate for a microchannel plate electron multiplier, comprising: a substrate forming a plate having first and second opposing faces and having a plurality of parallel channels therethrough from first to second faces and; a first electrode on the first face, the first electrode having a first side adjacent to the substrate and a second side opposite to the first side; a second electrode on the second face, the second electrode having a first side adjacent to the substrate and a second side opposite to the first side; and a layer of resistive and secondary emissive material on the second side of the first electrode, configured to be deposited by atomic layer deposition and in which the layer is less than 100 nanometers thick. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The microchannel plate of claim 7, in which each layer of resistive and secondary emissive material has been deposited on one of the first and second electrodes by means of atomic layer deposition. ### Claim 9 A method of forming a microchannel plate for use in a microchannel plate electron multiplier, the method providing a plate of a substrate having a plurality of generally parallel channels therethrough from first to second opposing faces, forming a plurality of electrodes on each of the first and second faces and depositing on the plurality of electrodes a layer of resistive and secondary emissive material using atomic layer deposition. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, in which the step of forming the electrodes on the first and second faces comprises using vacuum evaporation to deposit the electrodes on the faces. ### Claim 11 A microchannel plate electron multiplier, comprising a microchannel plate, the microchannel plate comprising: a substrate forming a plate having first and second opposing faces and having a plurality of parallel channels therethrough from first to second faces and; a first electrode on the first face, the first electrode having a first side adjacent to the substrate and a second side opposite to the first side; a second electrode on the second face, the second electrode having a first side adjacent to the substrate and a second side opposite to the first side; and a layer of resistive and secondary emissive material on the second side of the first electrode and the second electrode, each layer of resistive and secondary emissive material configured to be deposited on one of the first and second electrodes by atomic layer deposition; the microchannel plate electron multiplier comprising a voltage source coupled to the first and second electrodes so as to provide a voltage thereacross; and an input for electrons to be multiplied, the layer of material on the first electrode facing the input. ### Claim 12 A microchannel plate electron multiplier, comprising a microchannel plate, the microchannel plate comprising: a substrate forming a plate having first and second opposing faces and having a plurality of parallel channels therethrough from first to second faces and; a first electrode on the first face, the first electrode having a first side adjacent to the substrate and a second side opposite to the first side; a second electrode on the second face, the second electrode having a first side adjacent to the substrate and a second side opposite to the first side; and a layer of resistive and secondary emissive material on the second side of the first electrode, in which the layer is less than 100 nanometers thick, each layer of resistive and secondary emissive material configured to be deposited on one of the first and second electrodes by atomic layer deposition; the microchannel plate electron multiplier comprising a voltage source coupled to the first and second electrodes so as to provide a voltage thereacross; and an input for electrons to be multiplied, the layer of material on the first electrode facing the input.