PURPOSE 

    The streak & 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 streak camera.

    The streak & frame tube is used to investigate the temporal variation of a single-shot or low-repetition-rate one-dimensional or two-dimensional signal. It can be applied to ballistics, laser optics, nuclear physics, spectroscopy, quantum electronics, and so on.

 
CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATING PRINCIPLE

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

    The main components of the streak & frame tube are:
- a semitransparent photocathode
- electron optics (cathode and anode electrodes)
- a pair 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. This location produces a high electric field for the proximity focusing the photoelectron image onto the screen. The deflection plates are furnished with pin-leads. 

 
Streak mode
 
    An image of the visible and near IR phenomenon to be analyzed is focused onto the input window faceplate. Photocathode in response to the incident photons emits the photoelectrons. Two-electrode electron optics accelerates the emitted photoelectrons and focuses them onto the input surface of the micro channel plate. The deflection plates sweep the photoelectron image over the micro-channel plate, creating a linear time base perpendicular to the spatial axis. The photoelectron pattern is intensified by the micro channel plate and is proximity focused onto the screen. The phosphor screen converts the photoelectron pattern into a visible image to be coupled to a read-out device.

 
Frame mode

    The deflecting line is not used in the frame mode. The electron optics transfers the photoelectron image from the photocathode onto the input surface of the locked micro-channel plate. At some moment the micro-channel plate is unlocked by a gate pulse. The photoelectron image is intensified by micro-channel plate and it is then transferred to the screen.

General data

Performance at typical operating voltages

Useful output area:(streak mode) spatial direction temporal direction		typ min	20 15	mm mm
Useful output area diameter:(flame mode)		typ	25	mm
Magnification		typ	1.0	-
Gain		typ	5000	W/W
Spatial resolution		min	35	l.p./mm
Temporal resolution( О»=800nm)		typ	20	ps
Deflection sensitivity		typ	700	V/mm