| Autogating |
Rapid cycling of the tube power supply to maintain image quality in changing light conditions and reduce blooming. |
| Automatic Brightness Control (Auto-Gain) |
Automatically regulates tube brightness to maintain a consistent image and protect the intensifier. |
| Black Spots / Blems |
Cosmetic imperfections visible within the image area of the tube. |
| Blooming |
Image washout or halo effect caused by excessive bright light entering the tube. |
| Bright Spots |
Small bright areas within the image caused by signal irregularities inside the tube. |
| Bright Spot Protection (BSP) |
Electronic protection feature reducing tube voltage under excessive light exposure. |
| Chicken Wire / Fixed Pattern Noise |
Faint honeycomb pattern sometimes visible due to MCP structure. |
| Emission Point |
A fixed bright point within the image area that remains stationary. |
| Equivalent Background Illumination (EBI) |
Measurement of internal tube noise in extremely dark conditions. |
| Figure of Merit (FOM) |
Overall performance value calculated using resolution and SNR. |
| Fixed Pattern Noise |
Structured image noise occasionally visible in brighter conditions. |
| Gain |
The level of light amplification produced by the image intensifier tube. |
| Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) |
Photocathode material used in Gen 3 tubes for improved sensitivity. |
| Highlight Shutoff |
Protective feature temporarily shutting the tube down under excessive light. |
| Image Intensification (I²) |
Technology that amplifies ambient and near-infrared light. |
| LP/mm (Line Pairs per Millimetre) |
Resolution measurement showing the tube’s ability to resolve fine detail. |
| MCP (Microchannel Plate) |
Electron multiplication component found in Gen 2 and Gen 3 tubes. |
| Photocathode |
Light-sensitive surface converting photons into electrons. |
| Photocathode Sensitivity |
Measurement of how effectively the photocathode converts light into signal. |
| Resolution |
The ability of the intensifier system to distinguish fine detail. |
| Screen / Phosphor Screen |
Output surface where the intensified image becomes visible. |
| Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) |
Measurement comparing image signal quality against background noise. |
| Scintillation |
Faint sparkling noise, directly correlates to SNR (e.g. the higher SNR the lower the Scintillation) |
| System Gain |
Effective visible amplification after accounting for optical losses. |
| Generations |
Classification system for night vision tube technologies (Gen 0–Gen 3). |
| Edge Glow |
Bright area visible near the edge of the image area. |
