Fast microchannel plate detector with an impedance matched anode in suspended substrate technology

Fast particle detectors with subnanosecond pulse widths are key elements in modern time-of-flight mass spectrometers. Typically, an impedance matched transmission line from the extended anode to the coaxial cable is necessary to obtain fast pulses. We present an approach using a planar geometry for the transmission line. Thereby, the impedance match is realized with a transition from a 50 Ω suspended substrate microstrip line to a coaxial 50 Ω line. A prototype with an active area of 1.8 cm diameter including a strategy to reduce peak ringing was built and tested. The mean pulse width measured with a 1 GHz analog oscilloscope was 520 ps (full width at half maximum) with a rise time of 380 ps. The robust, compact, and low-weight design of the detector is well suited for an application in space, where weight, space, and power consumption are very limited resources.