title: Monte Carlo simulations of high-speed, time-gated microchannel-plate-based x-ray detectors: saturation effects in dc and pulsed modes and detector dynamic range.
abstract: We present here results of continued efforts to understand the performance of microchannel plate (MCP)-based, high-speed, gated, x-ray detectors. This work involves the continued improvement of a Monte Carlo simulation code to describe MCP performance coupled with experimental efforts to better characterize such detectors. Our goal is a quantitative description of MCP saturation behavior in both static and pulsed modes. A new model of charge buildup on the walls of the MCP channels is briefly described. The simulation results are compared to experimental data obtained with a short-pulse, high-intensity ultraviolet laser, and good agreement is found. These results indicate that a weak saturation can change the exponent of gain with voltage and that a strong saturation leads to a gain plateau. These results also demonstrate that the dynamic range of a MCP in pulsed mode has a value of between 10(2) and 10(3).
authors.affiliation: National Security Technologies, LLC, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544, USA.
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Kruschwitz
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moy
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rochau