A prototype of a revolutionary new instrument design has been developed as a manufacturing means for both large- and small-format, high-gain microchannel plates (MCP's). The method used for manufacture has been called the shear method. Considerable research is needed to address the many parameters which govern the successful application of this instrument to the task of fabricating a "sheared" MCP blank. This project will test and evaluate all aspects of the instrument design theory for 25 mm and 40 mm wafer shears and provide the foundation for future research into 75 mm plates.
Potential Commercial Applications:A variety of applications could exist in the fields of particle physics, space physics, analytical chemistry, and nuclear chemistry.STATUS: Phase I Only
