A single-photon multichannel detector: the megapixel EBCCD

The CERN RD46 Collaboration is developing a new high resolution tracking detector based on glass capillaries filledwith liquid scintillator. In this framework we have built a read-out chain based on a newly developed device: the Megapixel Electron Bombarded CCD (EBCCD). This device is a hybrid image-intensifier tube, with a 1024×1024 pixels CCD chip in place of the phosphor screen. The tube has a 40 mm diameter photocathode, is gateable and zoomable from 0.62 to 1.3. The EBCCD tube is able to detect single photoelectrons, with a signal to noise ratio better than 10. This Megapixel multichannel photon countingdevice is attractive for many applications in high-energy physics, astrophysics, biomedical diagnostics, and very low-light imaging.