Channel plate matrix of tubes having twisted septa

Claim 1

An improved matrix for a channel plate electron multiplier having improved image resolution, comprising: a side by side stacked array of substantially identical tubes, each tube having an interior surface and a substantially geometrically centered longitudinal axis thereof, each tube having an identical number of substantially equally spaced septa extending from said axis to said interior surface, said septa spiralling about each other in the longitudinal direction to define within each of said tubes the same number of substantially identical longitudinal channels spiralling about each other, said number of channels being within the range of three to six inclusive, the inside surfaces of said defined channels being at least slightly conductive and secondary emissive, said septa being set back from the end of said tubes intended to be the input end and spiralling through an angle of substantially 360* or an integer multiple thereof, whereby the ends of said defined channels are in the same relative position with respect to adjacent tubes on both sides of said stacked array thereby improving the image resolution of said array.