Abstract: Apparatus having a headstock and tailstock between which a shortened fiber optic image-inverter is formed by twisting and axially compressing a heated bundle of light-conducting fibers held by endpieces respectively supported in said headstock and tailstock; said endpieces being axially rotatable, one relative to the other, for twisting said bundle and moveable, one axially toward the other, for compression of said bundle.

Abstract: Making glass microchannel plates by drawing bundles of large numbers of glass tubes sufficiently to reduce the cross-sectional sizes of openings through the tubes to desired microchannel size with minimal distortion of original tube shape and wall thickness in resulting assemblies. Drawing is accomplished with no less than two separate steps; a first step being effected with large pulling force and minimal heating and a second step effected with relatively small pulling force, heating to relatively high viscosity and rapid drawing for short exposure to heat.

Abstract: A glass electron-multiplying microchannel plate of lead-containing glass is mounted within a supporting rim of another glass. The plate is connected to the rim with a relatively low melting temperature solder glass and the rim is slotted at a number of points about its periphery. The slots extend completely through the rim and partially into the connecting solder glass to protect against fracturing of the assembly during treatment thereof in reducing atmospheres.

Abstract: An electron multiplier channel plate comprised of a web structure of open channels fused within a solid glass annulus. Inner walls of the channels are constructed of a high lead content glass having its electrical resistance lowered by treatment at high temperature in a reducing atmosphere. Outer walls of the channels are formed of a glass which remains rigid during the treatment at high temperature whereby the tendency for shrinking of the web structure along the inner boundary of the solid glass annulus is prevented.