Direct Gating of Microchannel Plates

Abstract

We investigated whether direct fast gating of microchannel plates (MCP) is possible. Our experiments measured the MCP gain as a function of time (on the nanosecond time scale) for an MCP intensifier tube that was gated by applying voltage to the plate itself. We also examined the dynamic range of an MCP that was being gated. Our results showed that, though an MCP takes milliseconds to recharge, fast gating is not incompatible with this slow recharge time.