Purpose

The frame tube is an image converter tube with electrostatic focusing capable of resolving sub-nanosecond events within visible and near IR spectral range. It usually forms a part of a frame camera. The frame tube is used to investigate the temporal variation of a single-shot or low-repetition-rate two-dimensional signal. It can be applied to ballistics, laser optics, electric discharge physics, quantum electronics, and so on. 
  
Construction and operation principles

The tube is equipped with a semitransparent multialkali photocathode. There is a micro-channel plate in the tube. 

  The main components of the frame tube are:
- a semitransparent photocathode
- electron optics (cathode, focusing electrode and anode)
- two pairs of deflection plates
- a micro channel plate
- a phosphor screen

  These components are assembled within the single metal/glass envelope. The photocathode is evaporated onto spherical surface of the fibro-optic input window. The output window is a fibro-optic substrate for the phosphor screen. The micro-channel plate is located very close to the screen and produces a high electric field for the proximity focusing the photoelectron image onto the screen. The deflection plates are furnished with pin-connectors.
 
   An image of the visible and near IR phenomenon to be analyzed is focused onto the input window faceplate. The photocathode in response to the incident photons emits the photoelectrons. The electron optics accelerates emitted photoelectrons and focuses them onto the locked micro-channel plate. The pairs of deflection plates are scanning the photoelectron image over the micro-channel plate to the perpendicular axes, placing frames. At some moments the gate pulses unlock the micro-channel plate. The photoelectron images one by one are intensified and then are proximity focused to the screen. The phosphor screen converts the photoelectron pattern into a visible image to be coupled to a read-out device. 

General data

Performance at typical operating voltages