Performance results of the ICON FUV sealed tube converters

The ICON Far Ultra Violet Imaging Spectrograph (ICON FUV) instrument includes one sealed tube microchannel plate (MCP) converter for each of two (135.6 nm and 157 nm wavelength) channels. These are each integrated with a CCD camera assembly to provide ICON FUV’s sensor systems. The ICON FUV sealed tube converters have a 27mm active area and include a double MCP stack with a cesium iodide (CsI) photocathode, a magnesium fluoride (MgF 2 ) input window, a ceramic and Kovar brazed mechanical structure and a phosphor output screen. Performance characteristics are measured for each detector throughout manufacturing and before shipping and include the collection of gain-voltage data, pulse height distributions, flat field images of the output window, background count rates and images, quantum efficiency curves and resolution characteristics. The design and testing of the ICON FUV sealed tube converters are described here.