Bare MCP
About MCP
MCP (microchannel plate) is a 2D component used to detect and amplify single particles or photons in a vacuum.
It consists of millions of independent microchannels, running parallel to each other through the MCP. The channels do not run straight across, but enter the MCP at a slight angle ("bias angle").Each microchannel works as an independent electron multiplier. A potential gradient is applied across the MCP. A particle enters a channel, hits the wall of the channel and emits an electron from the channel wall (secondary electron emission). The emitted secondary electrons propagate through the channel in a parabolic trajectory, accelerated by the applied voltage.
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Every time an electron hits the channel wall, it produces further secondary emissions. This cascade process yields a cloud of electrons, magnifying the original signal by several orders of magnitude (the ultimate amplification depends on the MCP and the applied voltage). Since the electrons are confined within the channels, the resulting amplified signal possesses the same spatial pattern as the incident signal.
The electrons exit on the opposite side of the MCP and proceed to a readout device.