Microchannel plate inverter image intensifiers

The characteristics of microchannel plate/inverter image intensifiers (MCP/III) are described. This type of image tube is shown to be well suited to some night vision applications. The 25 mm MCP/III developed by the authors has a minimum magnification of 0.96, a maximum distortion of 5 percent, and a limiting resolution of 10 cycles/mm. Its luminance gain is about 10
⁵
at input levels up to 2 × 10
^-3
fc when an S20 photocathode and a P20 phosphor screen are employed. The operational life of a MCP/III is generally a few thousand hours. Accurate life data can be determined, for a given application, after the operating input light level value, the applied MCP potential, and the duty cycle are established. The unique bulb design allows the tube high voltage power supply to be placed around the tube envelope within a 50 mm diameter and reduces the total interelectrode capacitance of the gating/focus electrode to 7 pF.