Acta Photonica Sinica, Volume. 52, Issue 6, 0631003(2023)

Investigation on the Preparation of TiO2∶Al2O3 Nanocomposite Film Applied to the Conductive Layer of Microchannel Plate

Jichao LI1,2, Xiangping ZHU1,2, Xiangxin LI3, Jingpeng HU3, Cunyu LI1,2, and Wei ZHAO1,2、*
Author Affiliations
  • 1State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechnics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710119, China
  • 2University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • 3Xi'an Zhongke Atomic Precision Manufacturing Technology Co., Ltd., Xi'an 710110, China
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    Microchannel Plate (MCP) is a high-gain electron multiplier that consists of a channel-type array of millions of single-channel electron multipliers tightly spaced parallel to each other. MCP is widely used in low-light night vision technology, time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and other fields due to its advantages of high electronic gain, high spatial resolution, high temporal resolution, and extremely low background noise. Traditional MCP is constructed of lead-silicate glass and is created by the processes of stretching, stacking, fusing, slicing, etching, and hydrogen reduction. After hydrogen reduction chemical treatment, a conductive layer and a Secondary Electron Emission (SEE) layer are formed. When MCP works, a DC high voltage is applied at both ends. When electrons or photons enter the channel, they collide with the SEE layer to excite secondary electrons, and then accelerate to bombard the tube wall under the action of an electric field to produce more electrons, resulting in the amplification of the input signal. However, because of the complicated manufacturing process of traditional MCP, its performance is difficult to improve. In recent years, Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) has given a straightforward solution to the aforementioned issues. ALD is a thin film deposition technology capable of producing very thin conformal films. By exposing the substrate surface to alternate gases for successive surface reactions, the thickness and composition of the film are regulated at the atomic level. ALD can also deposit homogenous nano-films on substrates with high aspect ratio structures at the same time. Based on the benefits of ALD discussed above, the researchers recommend depositing a conductive layer and a SEE layer inside the channel to improve the performance of traditional MCP. Using ALD to functionalize the MCP can remove the functional layer from the glass substrate, allowing for variable modification of the conductive layer and emission layer based on individual demands, therefore simplifying the production process, and improving MCP performance. The MCP conductive layer is responsible for conducting current and supplementing electrons in SEE layer. If the resistivity of the conductive layer is too large, the electron charge of the SEE layer can not be replenished in time, causing the MCP to saturate ahead of time and lower its electrical gain. If the resistivity is too small, the current going through the MCP will be too strong, resulting in a thermal effect and MCP damage. At the moment, the conductive layer films produced by ALD are mainly ZnO∶Al2O3(AZO), W∶Al2O3, and Mo∶Al2O3 composite materials. However, there are several issues with these conductive layer film materials. Because MCP requires a high-voltage environment, but the performance of AZO thin film is unstable and easily broken down under high voltage, and the precursors of W and Mo are costly and very poisonous, there are issues such as safety and economy in industrial mass production. As a result, it is critical to design a novel conductive layer composite film to address both safety and economic concerns. Al2O3 is a typical dielectric material with a high dielectric constant and resistance. TiO2 has excellent electrical characteristics as well as chemical stability. Simultaneously, the precursors of Al2O3, Al(CH3)3 (TMA), and the precursor of TiO2, Ti(N(CH3)2)4 (TDMAT), have the benefits of cheap cost, non-toxic, and innocuous reaction by-products. In this paper, we propose TiO2∶Al2O3 nanocomposite films as the conductive layer of MCP. Based on the bulk resistance of the MCP, we first calculated the sheet resistance requirements of the conductive layer and found that for a channel with an aperture of 10 μm, a center distance of 12 μm, an aspect ratio of 48∶1, a diameter of 25 mm and a diameter of 20.5 mm in the active area for MCP, when the bulk resistance value is 100~300 MΩ, the sheet resistance value range of the conductive layer should be 1.73×1013~5.20×1013 Ω/□. On borosilicate glass substrates, we used ALD to deposit TiO2∶Al2O3 nanocomposite films with varying TiO2 cycle percentages. The square resistance of TiO2∶Al2O3 nanocomposite films is found to be within the required range of the square resistance of the conductive layer when the TiO2 cycle percentage is between 30.27%~37.06%. A 20 nm Al2O3 transition layer and a 100 nm TiO2∶Al2O3 nanocomposite film are designed and prepared on a p-type single-sided polished monocrystalline silicon (100) substrate. The thickness of the film is measured by SEM to be 122 nm, and the surface is flat and smooth. Finally, the conductive layer of TiO2∶Al2O3 nanocomposite film in the MCP is prepared. The measured bulk resistance is 212.81 MΩ@1 000 V, and the gain is 18 357@1 000 V. To summarize, the TiO2∶Al2O3 nanocomposite film we developed can well meet the requirements of the MCP conductive layer and has the advantages of low cost, high voltage resistance, low corrosivity, and high safety, providing a new material choice for the development of ALD-MCP.

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    Jichao LI, Xiangping ZHU, Xiangxin LI, Jingpeng HU, Cunyu LI, Wei ZHAO. Investigation on the Preparation of TiO2∶Al2O3 Nanocomposite Film Applied to the Conductive Layer of Microchannel Plate[J]. Acta Photonica Sinica, 2023, 52(6): 0631003

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    Paper Information

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    Received: Feb. 17, 2023

    Accepted: Mar. 27, 2023

    Published Online: Jul. 27, 2023

    The Author Email: ZHAO Wei (weiz@opt.ac.cn)

    DOI:10.3788/gzxb20235206.0631003

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