Large-format microchannel plate gated framing camera

An X-ray framing camera using a large-format microchannel plate (MCP) is reported. The diameter of the MCP is 106 mm and the width of each microstrip line cathode deposited on the MCP is 12 mm. The temporal record length of the camera is about 3 ns. The photocathode is driven by a gating electrical pulse having a width of 175 ps and an amplitude of −2.5 kV plus −300 V bias, while the exposure time is about 69 ps. Finally the gain uniformity of the microstrip line photocathode is measured, showing that there is a 8.9× drop in gain along the pulse propagation direction, whereas the variations in the gain transverse to the pulse propagation direction are within 16.7%.