Electron detector channeltron/channelplate

Figure 4.19 Time-dependent current i(f) and voltage U(t) signal produced by an electron avalanche in the channeltron/channelplate. The shaded area of the current pulse represents the total charge Q of the avalanche collected during the time rcoll on the detector s capacitance, thus producing l/mM on this capacitor.

Figure 4.20 Equivalent circuit for the channeltron/channelplate as the current source i(t) shown together with the main components of the external circuit. CD is the capacitance of the detector which is depicted by the dotted lines in order to indicate that - in contrast to actual electronic components - it is a property inherent to the detector HV is a high voltage source, Ra the load resistor, CK the high voltage coupling capacitor and Amp the...

From the function of a channeltron/channelplate detector it is obvious that high gains are desirable. However, ion feedback and space charge effects limit the gain with increasing charge of the electron avalanche, electron impact ionization with molecules of the residual gas or molecules desorbed under electron bombardment from the channel surface occurs more frequently. The ions produced are then accelerated towards the channel input. If such an ion hits the surface at the channel entrance, it may release an electron which again can start an avalanche of practically the same size, i.e., it causes after-pulses. 

A critical part of the electron spectrometer is the detector which registers the energy-analysed electrons. Channeltrons or channelplates are very convenient detectors, and they will now be discussed with respect to their performance characteristics, the use of channelplates as position-sensitive detectors and their detection efficiencies. 

The names of both detectors reflect that these devices are channels which act as continuous dynode electron multipliers. If there is one channel, it is called a channeltron (channeltron electron multiplier, CEM), if many microchannels are used to form a plate it is called a microchannel electron multiplier plate (in short a microchannelplate, MCP, or channelplate), see Fig. 4.17. A comprehensive description of these devices is given in [Wiz79]. 

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