By reviewing all materials starting from scratch and applying an ALD* (atomic layer deposition) technique, we have succeeded in creating ALD-MCPs (microchannel plates) that ensure low noise and high signal multiplication (gain), without using materials containing lead.
Eliminating lead is a great step forward because its use is restricted in the RoHS directive issued by the European Union (EU) as a hazardous substance. The ALD-MCP is likely to replace currently used MCPs that contain lead and will serve as a high performance MCP useful for mass spectrometers and scanning electron microscopes (SEM). We will start supplying samples of ALD-MCP for evaluation from October 1, 2020 aiming to sell them as commercial products next spring.
* ALD: Abbreviation of Atomic Layer Deposition. This is a thin-film deposition technique capable of precisely controlling the thin-film thickness and structure by forming atomic layers one by one and is widely applied in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.