Hexagonal Flared Microchannel Plate to Prevent Tip Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microchannel plates with high open area ratios are prone to tip discharge in high field strength applications, limiting their practical use.
Innovation Solution
A microchannel plate design with hexagonal tapered bores on the inlet end face, achieving an open area ratio of ≥91% and a flared end face channel wall thickness of ≥100 nm, using a preparation method involving nested cladding tubes and controlled etching to form a honeycomb structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the open area ratio is increased to improve detection efficiency, then the detection efficiency is improved, but the mechanical strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the channel structure by introducing a hexagonal tapered bore configuration with specific taper angles (5°-15°) and depth ratios (0.5d-6d), which optimizes the balance between open area ratio (≥91%) and mechanical strength (channel wall thickness ≥100 nm), resolving the contradiction between detection efficiency and mechanical strength
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a hybrid cladding tube structure combining multiple glass materials with different etching rates (first cladding glass ≥ second cladding glass > third cladding glass), creating a composite structure that enables precise control of channel geometry and wall thickness, thereby achieving both high open area ratio and sufficient mechanical strength
2Productivity
If the open area ratio is increased to ≥90% by flaring the end face, then the open area ratio is improved, but tip discharge occurs in high field applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetry in the channel geometry by creating a hexagonal tapered bore with a specific taper angle (5°-15°) that breaks the symmetry of conventional circular channels, which effectively prevents tip discharge while maintaining high open area ratio (≥91%), resolving the contradiction between open area ratio and tip discharge resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The hexagonal tapered bore structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it increases the open area ratio to ≥91%, prevents tip discharge in high field applications, maintains channel wall thickness ≥100 nm for mechanical strength, and enables universal application across high/medium/low surface electric field intensity scenarios
3Productivity
If the channel wall is thinned to increase open area ratio, then the open area ratio is improved, but the mechanical strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the channel wall thickness parameter to be ≥100 nm while achieving open area ratio ≥91%, using the hexagonal tapered bore geometry and hybrid cladding tube structure to maintain sufficient wall strength without sacrificing open area ratio, resolving the contradiction between open area ratio and channel wall strength
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design significantly improves detection efficiency and expands application scenarios to high/medium/low-surface electric field intensity applications while preventing tip discharge.
Implementation Method 1
the first cladding glass, the second cladding glass and the third cladding glass have a pre-set etching property, and an etching rate of the first cladding glass≥an etching rate of the second cladding glass>an etching rate of the third cladding glass
Implementation Method 2
Each independent hollow glass channel wall has a secondary electron emission layer and an electron conduction layer, after charged particles enter its channel, secondary electron avalanche emission and weak current amplification can be achieved
Implementation Method 3
after charged particles enter its channel, secondary electron avalanche emission and weak current amplification can be achieved
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a microchannel plate, a preparation method and application thereof, where the microchannel plate is provided with a large number of channels penetrating in the thickness direction. On one side of an inlet end face of the microchannel plate, a flared end face of each channel is a hexagonal tapered bore; and in a cross-section perpendicular to an axial direction of each channel, the flared end face of the channel has an outer edge that is hexagonal and an inner edge that is circular. The present invention proposes a hexagonal special-shaped flared microchannel plate with an array of micropores having hexagonal tapered bores in the end face and cylindrical inside, where the circles in the form of a hexagonal packed periodic array is replaced with the hexagons in the form of a hexagonal close-packed periodic array, so that the close-packed coefficient of the channel array of the microchannel plate increases from 0.907 when the existing circular channels are arranged in a hexagonal manner to 1 when the hexagonal channels are arranged in a hexagonal manner, so that when the flared end face channel wall thickness of the channel of the microchannel plate is ≥100 nm, an open area ratio of the microchannel plate is ≥91%. The present invention significantly improves the open area ratio of the input surface of the microchannel plate, improves the detection efficiency of the microchannel plate for an input signal, while avoiding generation of a flared tip to cause a tip discharge, and thus is more suitable for practical use.