Development of a small form factor (6 cm × 6 cm) picosecond photodetector as a path towards the commercialization of large area devices

The Large Area Picosecond Photo-Detector Collaboration (LAPPD) is currently developing a large-area, modular photo-detector system composed of thin, planar, glass-body modules, each with two 20 cm × 20 cm ALD-functionalized MCPs in a chevron geometry. The collaboration is working closely with industrial partner Incom, Inc. towards the commercialization of this technology. In this talk, I will describe the path towards commercialization of the 20 cm × 20 cm devices with Incom, Inc. As an intermediate step towards building a full system for making 20 cm × 20 cm devices, Argonne has also developed a small form-factor (6 cm × 6 cm) photodetector development facility consisting of a four vacuum chamber system: loadlock, bake and scrub chamber, photocathode deposition chamber, and sealing chamber. Successful thermocompression sealing of the 6 cm × 6 cm photodetector prototypes at the Argonne development facility has been accomplished in the sealing chamber. The entire system has recently undergone a bakeout and is currently achieving an ultra-high vacuum base pressure throughout the system with photocathode fabrication underway. An overview of results from the first working 6 cm × 6 cm active area detectors based on the ALD micro-channel plate, all glass body technology will be presented as available.