Tenfold Speed Accelerator for Resistive Anode Imaging and Optical Anode Alterative

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For imaging or position-sensitive detection (particle counting) of low-intensity electron, ion, or photon beams, a common approach is to use a microchannel plate (MCP) intensifier (with an appropriate emissive coating or photocathode if necessary) followed by a position-sensitive anode. Of several possible anode designs, one which has proven to be rugged, inexpensive, and very useful, particularly when timing of individual particle arrivals is important, is the resistive anode encoder (RAE). Present limitations of this device include limited maximum counting rate due to RC delays and electronic processing times, and the need to use high voltage vacuum feedthroughs and breakdown-prone standoff capacitors on the signal leads for in-situ vacuum applications where the anode must be biased to high voltages. A fast new generation of RAE-type detectors will be developed. Proposed new pulse processing electronics, applicable to existing RAE devices as well, should increase the signal rate over that of current detectors by a factor of ten. The new detector would replace the resistive anode with its optical analog, using a scintillating lightguide to convert an electron burst into optical pulses, which can be transmitted over optical fiber signal leads. The advantages include inherent high speed, noise immunity, and non-conducting signal leads that allow the detector to float at high voltage.