Justin L. Bond

Atomic layer deposition of alternative glass microchannel plates

The technique of atomic layer deposition (ALD) has enabled the development of alternative glass microchannel plates (MCPs) with independently tunable resistive and emissive layers, resulting in excellent thickness uniformity across the large area (20 × 20 cm), high aspect ratio (60:1 L/d) glass substrates. Furthermore, the use of ALD to deposit functional layers allows the optimal substrate material to be selected, such as borosilicate glass, which has many benefits compared to the lead-oxide glass used in conventional MCPs, including increased stability and lifetime, low background noise, mechanical robustness, and larger area (at present up to 400 cm2). Resistively stable, high gain MCPs are demonstrated due to the deposition of uniform ALD resistive and emissive layers on alternative glass microcapillary substrates. The MCP performance characteristics reported include increased stability and lifetime, low background noise (0.04 events cm−2 s−1), and low gain variation (±5%).

Development of polycapillary x-ray optics for synchrotron spectroscopy

A new spectrometer design that will result in a highly efficient, easy to handle, low-cost, high-resolution spectroscopy system with excellent background suppression is being developed for the NSLS-II Inner-Shell Spectroscopy beamline. This system utilizes non-diffractive optics comprised of fused and directed glass capillary tubes that will be used to collect and pre-collimate fluorescence photons. There are several advantages enabled by this design; a large energy range is accessible without modifying the s-stem, a large collection angle is achieved per detection unit: 4-5% of the full solid angle, easy integration in complex and harsh environments is enabled due to the use of a pre-collimation system as a secondary source for the spectrometer, and background from a complex sample environment can be easily and efficiently suppressed. The polycapillary X-ray focusing optics segment of this application has been under development. This includes improvement in manufacturing methods of polycapillary structure for x-ray optics, forming the polycapillary structure to produce X-ray optics to achieve the required solid angle collection and transmission efficiency, and measurement of X-ray focusing properties of the optics using an X-ray source. Two promising advances are large open area ratios of 80% or more, and the possibility of adding coatings in the capillaries using Atomic Layer Deposition techniques to improve reflection efficiency.

Pilot production and advanced development of large-area picosecond photodetectors

We report pilot production and advanced development performance results achieved for Large Area Picosecond Photodetectors (LAPPD). The LAPPD is a microchannel plate (MCP) based photodetector, capable of imaging with single-photon sensitivity at high spatial and temporal resolutions in a hermetic package with an active area of 400 square centimeters. In December 2015, Incom Inc. completed installation of equipment and facilities for demonstration of early stage pilot production of LAPPD. Initial fabrication trials commenced in January 2016. The “baseline” LAPPD employs an all-glass hermetic package with top and bottom plates and sidewalls made of borosilicate float glass. Signals are generated by a bi-alkali Na2KSb photocathode and amplified with a stacked chevron pair of “next generation” MCPs produced by applying resistive and emissive atomic layer deposition coatings to borosilicate glass capillary array (GCA) substrates. Signals are collected on RF strip-line anodes applied to the bottom plates which exit the detector via pinfree hermetic seals under the side walls. Prior tests show that LAPPDs have electron gains greater than 107, submillimeter space resolution for large pulses and several mm for single photons, time resolutions of 50 picoseconds for single photons, predicted resolution of less than 5 picoseconds for large pulses, high stability versus charge extraction, and good uniformity. LAPPD performance results for product produced during the first half of 2016 will be reviewed. Recent advances in the development of LAPPD will also be reviewed, as the baseline design is adapted to meet the requirements for a wide range of emerging application. These include a novel ceramic package design, ALD coated MCPs optimized to have a low temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and further advances to adapt the LAPPD for cryogenic applications using Liquid Argon (LAr). These developments will meet the needs for DOE-supported RD for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), nuclear physics applications such as EIC, medical, homeland security and astronomical applications for direct and indirect photon detection.

Life testing of ALD-GCA MCPs: recent results (Conference Presentation)

Microchannel plates have been made by combining glass capillary substrates with thin films. The films impart the resistance and secondary electron emission (SEE) properties of the MCP. This approach permits separate choices for the type of glass, the MCP resistance and the SEE material. For example, the glass may be chosen to provide mechanical strength, a high open area ratio, or a low potassium-40 concentration to minimize dark rates. The resistive film composition may be tuned to provide the desired resistance, depending on the power budget and anticipated count rate. Finally, the SEE material may be chosen by balancing requirements for gain, long term stability of gain with extracted charge, and tolerance to air exposure. Microchannel plates have been fabricated by Incom Inc., in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory and UC Berkeley. Glass substrates with microchannel diameters of 10 and 20 microns have been used, typically with a length to diameter ratio of 60:1. Thin films for resistance and SEE are applied using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). The ALD technique provides a film with uniform thickness throughout the high aspect ratio microchannels. MCPs have been made in sizes up to 8”x8”. This three-component method for manufacturing MCPs also makes non-planar, curved MCPs possible. Life testing results will be presented for 10 and 20 micron, 60:1 l/d ratio MCPs, with an aluminum oxide SEE film and two types of glass substrates. Results will include measurements of resistance, dark count rates, gain, and pulse height distributions as a function of extracted charge.

ALD-microchannel plates for cryogenic applications (Conference Presentation)

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has enabled the development of a new technology for fabricating microchannel plates (MCPs) with improved performance that offer transformative benefits to a wide variety of applications. Incom uses a “hollow-core” process for fabricating glass capillary array (GCA) plates consisting of millions of micrometer-sized glass microchannels fused together in a regular pattern. The resistive and secondary electron emissive (SEE) functions necessary for electron amplification are applied to the GCA microchannels by ALD, which – in contrast to conventional MCP manufacturing– enables independent tuning of both resistance and SEE to maximize and customize MCP performance. Incom is currently developing MCPs that operate at cryogenic temperatures and across wide temperature ranges. The resistive layers in both, conventional and ALD-MCPs, exhibit semiconductor-like behavior and therefore a negative thermal coefficient of resistance (TCR): when the MCP is cooled, the resistance increases, and when heated, the resistance drops. Consequently, the resistance of each MCP must be tailored for the intended operating temperature. This sensitivity to temperature changes presents a challenge for many terrestrial and space based applications. The resistivity of the ALD-nanocomposite material can be tuned over a wide range. The material’s (thermo-) electrical properties depend on film thickness, composition, nanostructure, and the chemical nature of the dielectric and metal components. We show how the structure-property relationships developed in this work can be used to design MCPs that operate reliably at cryogenic temperatures. We also present data on how the resistive material’s TCR characteristics can be improved to enable MCPs operating across wider temperature ranges than currently possible.

Recent Advances in Large Area Micro-channel Plates and LAPPD™

Recent performance results are presented for Large Area Picosecond Photodetectors (LAPPDTMs) being developed by Incom, Inc. The LAPPD is a micro-channel plate (MCP) based photodetector containing a bi-alkali photocathode with overall dimensions of 230 × 220 × 21 mm3, an active area of up to 400 cm2, spatial resolution ~1 mm, and timing resolutions of ~50 ps for single photoelectrons and 2 × 107.

Development of polycapillary x-ray optics for x-ray spectroscopy

Bundles of hollow glass capillaries can be tapered to produce quasi-focusing x-ray optics. These optics are known as Kumakhov lenses. These optics are interesting for lab-based sources because they can be used to collimate and concentrate x-rays originating from a point, such as a laser focus or an electron-beam focus in a microtube.

Large Area Micro-Channel Plates for LAPPD™

Manufacturing plans for “next generation” microchannel plates (MCPs) and the technical advantages enabled by this evolving technology are presented. The Large Area Picosecond Photodetector (LAPPD) is an MCP based photodetector, capable of imaging, with high spatial and temporal resolution in a hermetic package with an active area of 400 square centimeters. A key component of LAPPD is a chevron pair of large area (20 x 20 cm) MCPs. The manufacture of these large-area high performance MCPs has been enabled by the convergence of two technological breakthroughs. The first is the ability to produce large blocks of hollow, micronsized glass capillary arrays (GCAs) developed by Incom Inc. The Incom process is based on the use of an etchless “hollow-core” approach in the glass drawing process, eliminating the need to remove core material by chemical etching. The arrays are fabricated as large blocks that can be sliced to form large area wafers, without regard to the conventional limits of L/d (capillary length / pore diameter). Moreover, the glass used in these GCAs is physically more robust, does not have a tendency to warp, and has low levels of radioactive isotopes resulting in low dark noise. The second breakthrough is the advent of atomic layer deposition (ALD) coating methods and materials to functionalize GCAs to impart the necessary resistive and secondary emission properties suitable for large area detector applications. Recent results demonstrating the high performance, uniformity, and long term stability of the current MCP product are presented.