Progress in the application of atomic layer deposition technology in novel microchannel plates

Abstract Microchannel plates (MCPs), as core electron multiplication devices, play a key role in particle physics, space exploration, and low-light imaging. Traditional lead-silicate glass MCPs are limited by material selection, difficulty in independently optimizing resistivity and secondary electron emission yield, and challenges in fabricating large-area devices with small pore sizes. The introduction of atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology has provided a new technological route for overcoming these bottlenecks. This article systematically reviews the research progress of ALD-MCPs. First, the theoretical design and fabrication principles of ALD-MCPs are described, with particular emphasis on the calculation basis for the bulk resistivity of the conductive layer and the thickness of the emission layer, as well as the structural design. Second, the research progress of composite thin-film systems for conductive layers, including ZnO/Al₂O₃ and W/Al 2 O 3 -Mo/Al₂O₃, is discussed in detail in terms of resistivity regulation, stability, and applications. In addition, the gain performance and stability of Al₂O₃, MgO, and their composite films as secondary electron emission layers are analyzed. By separating the MCP substrate from the functional layers through ALD technology, ALD-MCPs exhibit significant advantages, including high electron gain, low dark count rate, long lifetime, and tunable resistivity, thereby laying a technical foundation for the development of novel MCP photodetectors with high resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio, and large area.