Fast gating of a windowless dual-multichannel-plate-intensified array detector

A technique for rapid gating of the gain of a windowless dual-multichannel-plate-intensified array detector is described. A DC bias applied to the plates allows effective switching of the gain with a relatively low-voltage (500 V) pulse. The pulse is generated by discharging 50 Omega transmission lines through a single fast MOSFET. The pulser characteristics and the dependence of the intensifier sensitivity on the applied voltage are discussed. The apparatus was used to obtain time-resolved extreme ultraviolet spectra with an optical aperture time of about 5 ns.