Development of a single-photon-counting camera with use of a triple-stacked micro-channel plate

Abstract

At the quantum-mechanical level, all substances (not merely electromagnetic waves such as light and X-rays) exhibit wave–particle duality. Whereas students of radiation science can easily understand the wave nature of electromagnetic waves, the particle (photon) nature may elude them. Therefore, to assist students in understanding the wave–particle duality of electromagnetic waves, we have developed a photon-counting camera that captures single photons in two-dimensional images. As an image intensifier, this camera has a triple-stacked micro-channel plate (MCP) with an amplification factor of 10(6). The ultra-low light of a single photon entering the camera is first converted to an electron through the photoelectric effect on the photocathode. The electron is intensified by the triple-stacked MCP and then converted to a visible light distribution, which is measured by a high-sensitivity complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor. Because it detects individual photons, the photon-counting camera is expected to provide students with a complete understanding of the particle nature of electromagnetic waves. Moreover, it measures ultra-weak light that cannot be detected by ordinary low-sensitivity cameras. Therefore, it is suitable for experimental research on scintillator luminescence, biophoton detection, and similar topics.

High spatial resolution detection of low-energy electrons using an event-counting method, application to point projection microscopy

“…An event-counting detection method using a microchannel plate (MCP) stack with a fluorescent screen and a CCD camera is already used for photon or neutron detection 1,15,16,17 and shows sub-15µm spatial resolution. The method is based on the fact that one single particle impact at the channel plate input creates one single stain on the screen.…”