Measurements of the gain, time resolution, and spatial resolution of a 20×20 cm2 MCP-based picosecond photo-detector

Microchannel plates (MCPs) allow for micron-level spatial imaging and picosecond-level time resolution, making them a good choice for the next generation of photo-detectors aiming for precision time-of-flight measurements. The Large-Area Picosecond Photo-Detector Collaboration (LAPPD) is currently developing a 20×20 cm2, thin, planar, glass-body detector with two MCPs in chevron geometry with 8° bias angle. The modular design of the strip-line anode allows covering large areas while keeping the number of electronics channels low. We have built a complete detector system approximating the final detector design. We have measured a gain of up to 2×107, time-of-flight resolution of up to 35 ps, differential time resolution of ~6ps, and spatial resolution of better than 1 mm.