Usually the following parameters are used to describe the image intensifier tube performance:
1st: the material of photocathode : GaAs. Some suppliers provide the specification very high but they do not show the material, Gen3 material must be GaAs
2nd: the sensitivity of photocathode: it should be over 1600, better over 1800, if below 1600, the quality is not good
3rd: the limiting resolution (lp/mm): from 54-72 lp/mm, normally the higher the better ,but the image has other factor which effect image quality.
4th: the signal to noise ratio (SNR): over 28, if below 28 the quality not good, our tube over 31
5th: autogating/autogated: gen 3 has autogating/autogated
Gen 3 – Green Phosphor image intensifiers are manufactured by MH. Each intensifier features a high-efficiency GaAs photocathode bonded to a glass input window, a microchannel plate current amplifier and a P-43 phosphor screen on an inverting fiber optic output window. This tube is found in most night vision goggles and monocular systems.
FOM values are listed above with each tube serial number. FOM is a number calculated by multiplying the Signal-to-noise ratio by the resolution of a night vision image intensifier.
