An image intensifying device comprising: a. a lens that is positioned at a light input, the lens forming an image of a scene; and b. an image intensifier tube comprising: i. a photocathode that is positioned to receive the image of the scene formed by the lens, the photocathode generating photoelectrons in response to the image of the scene; and ii. a microchannel plate comprising: a substrate defining a plurality of pores extending from a top surface of the substrate to a bottom surface of the substrate, the plurality of pores having a resistive material on an outer surface that forms a resistive layer, and an emissive layer formed over the resistive layer; and an input surface comprising the photocathode, the microchannel plate receiving the photoelectrons generated by the photocathode and generating secondary electrons; and c. an electron detector that receives the secondary electrons generated by the microchannel plate and generates an intensified image of the scene, wherein the resistive layer and the emissive layer form a resistive and emissive film, the resistive and emissive film comprising one or more films, wherein the emissive and resistive film is a high purity emissive and resistive film for reduced ion contamination, and/or the microchannel plate comprises multiple emissive layers and the thickness and material properties of a second of the emissive layers or multiple of the emissive layers are chosen to provide a barrier to ion migration. a. a lens that is positioned at a light input, the lens forming an image of a scene; and b. an image intensifier tube comprising: i. a photocathode that is positioned to receive the image of the scene formed by the lens, the photocathode generating photoelectrons in response to the image of the scene; and ii. a microchannel plate comprising: a substrate defining a plurality of pores extending from a top surface of the substrate to a bottom surface of the substrate, the plurality of pores having a resistive material on an outer surface that forms a resistive layer, and an emissive layer formed over the resistive layer; and an input surface comprising the photocathode, the microchannel plate receiving the photoelectrons generated by the photocathode and generating secondary electrons; and i. a photocathode that is positioned to receive the image of the scene formed by the lens, the photocathode generating photoelectrons in response to the image of the scene; and ii. a microchannel plate comprising: a substrate defining a plurality of pores extending from a top surface of the substrate to a bottom surface of the substrate, the plurality of pores having a resistive material on an outer surface that forms a resistive layer, and an emissive layer formed over the resistive layer; and an input surface comprising the photocathode, the microchannel plate receiving the photoelectrons generated by the photocathode and generating secondary electrons; and a substrate defining a plurality of pores extending from a top surface of the substrate to a bottom surface of the substrate, the plurality of pores having a resistive material on an outer surface that forms a resistive layer, and an emissive layer formed over the resistive layer; and an input surface comprising the photocathode, c. an electron detector that receives the secondary electrons generated by the microchannel plate and generates an intensified image of the scene, wherein the resistive layer and the emissive layer form a resistive and emissive film, the resistive and emissive film comprising one or more films, wherein the emissive and resistive film is a high purity emissive and resistive film for reduced ion contamination, and/or the microchannel plate comprises multiple emissive layers and the thickness and material properties of a second of the emissive layers or multiple of the emissive layers are chosen to provide a barrier to ion migration.