Abstract
Electron-bombarded image sensors (EBCMOS) have attracted considerable attention for applications in defense, autonomous systems, and civilian low-light imaging due to their superior sensitivity under extremely low illumination conditions. However, EBCMOS devices may be constrained by limited photoelectron gain and high noise levels. To address these challenges, this work proposes a novel microchannel-plate-integrated EBCMOS architecture. The proposed design enables high photoelectron multiplication at comparatively low operating voltages, thereby significantly improving device gain characteristics. Besides, the incorporation of the microchannel plate effectively decouples the gain–noise relationship by allowing the photocathode to operate under reduced electric fields, which suppresses cathode field emission and decreases background noise. Moreover, the MCP serves as an effective barrier against positive-ion feedback generated by residual-gas ionization under high-voltage conditions, thereby mitigating scintillation noise. The results demonstrate that the MCP-EBCMOS architecture may achieve enhanced low-light imaging performance for digital night-vision applications.