What is the dynamic range of MCPs?
A.- An important performance feature of a Microchannel Plate (MCP) detector is the dynamic range. The dynamic range is the range of detectable signal level over which the MCP linearly amplifies a signal. The dynamic range of a microchannel plate or any electron multiplier when detecting extremely low signal levels is limited by the dark current or the background noise inherent in the multiplier. There are a number of ways to minimise the effects of the dark current or dark count, including the use of some new specialised low noise glass formulations which have recently been developed. The background count rate of a microchannel plate is limited ultimately by the cosmic ray background found here on earth. The background count rate of the glass itself is limited by the amount of radioactive decay of trace impurities found in the glass. The glasses used to manufacture Photonis electron multipliers have been specially formulated to produce low background noise. The upper limit of dynamic r
