Patent ID: 7687759

Claim:
A microchannel plate (MCP) for an image intensifier comprising an active portion having an input surface area for receiving electrons and an output surface area for outputting multiplied electrons, the input and output surface areas oriented horizontally with respect to each other and spaced by a vertical distance, and a non-active portion formed from glass surrounding the active portion, the non-active portion including at least one slot extending vertically into the non-active portion and extending horizontally to form a horizontal slotted area corresponding to a surface area of etchable glass, wherein when the MCP is positioned vertically above an electron sensing device having wires looping vertically above the electron sensing device, the slot is configured to receive a portion of the wires, resulting in a vertical clearance between the MCP and the electron sensing device, the at least one slot extends vertically into the non-active portion of the MCP, and terminates at the surface area of etchable glass, the active portion includes stacked fiber optic channels having acid etchable core rods and acid resistant cladding glass surrounding the core rods, and the non-active portion includes stacked acid etchable fiber optic channels having acid etchable core rods and acid etchable cladding glass surrounding the core rods, and the slot is formed by etching away the acid etchable fiber optic channels.