Using pulse shape analysis to improve the position resolution of a resistive anode microchannel plate detector

Abstract

Digital signal processing techniques were employed to investigate the joint use of charge division and risetime analyses for the resistive anode (RA) coupled to a microchannel plate detector (MCP). In contrast to the typical approach of using the relative charge at each corner of the RA, this joint approach results in a significantly improved position resolution. A conventional charge division analysis utilizing analog signal processing provides a position measured resolution of 170 $\mu$m (FWHM). By using the correlation between risetime and position we were able to obtain a measured resolution of 92 $\mu$m (FWHM), corresponding to an intrinsic resolution of 64 $\mu$m (FMHM) for a single Z-stack MCP detector.