The　micro-channel　plate　(MCP)　is　the　core　device　for　electronic　multiplication　and　signal　amplification　in　the　fields　of　optical　communication　and　optoelectronic　technology,　and　the　performance　improvement　research　of　MCP　is　mainly　focused　on　increasing　gain,　extending　service　life　and　reducing　dark　count.　Currently,　the　commonly　used　commercial　MCPs　are　still　prepared　based　on　the　traditional　lead　silicate　glass　via　hydrogen　reduction　process.　Although　its　gain,　lifetime　and　dark　count　can　reach　103,　0.3　C/cm2,　0.25　events/(s•cm2),　respectively,　optimized　by　four　generations　of　glass　components　and　preparation　process,　the　glass　composition　and　complicated　preparation　process　limit　its　further　enhancement　in　performance,　e.g.　lower　ion　feedback　and　background　noise,　and　higher　gain.　In　view　of　this,　researchers　have　proposed　and　perfected　a　new　solution　over　the　past　decade:　adopting　atomic　layer　deposition　(ALD)　techno-logy　to　deposit　functional　layers,　including　the　conductive　layers　and　secondary　electron　emission　layers　onto　the　surface　of　borosilicate　glass　substrates.　Thereby,　an　MCP　with　conduction　and　electron　multiplication　capability　is　obtained.　This　novel　ALD-MCP　can　effectively　avoid　the　restriction　of　substrate　glass　on　its　performance　optimization,　realize　the　independent　design　of　the　substrate　glass　and　the　functional　layer＇s　materials,　and　significantly　improve　the　comprehensive　performance　of　the　MCP.　Through　continuous　attempts,　the　ALD　functional　layers　exhibiting　much　superior　performance　to　that　of　traditional　MCP　have　been　developed.　The　prevailing　deposition　materials　for　conductive　layer　are　Al2O3/ZnO,　Al2O3/W　or　Al2O3/Mo,　and　for　the　secondary　electron　emission　layers　are　MgO　or　Al2O3,　with　the　products＇　gain　elevated　to　104,　dark　count　reduced　to　0.078　events/(s•cm2),　and　lifetime　prolonged　to　7　C/cm2.　However,　its　stability　still　requires　further　improvement.　In　addition,　deeper　investigations　are　needed　to　improve　deposition　efficiency,　and　to　optimize　and　regulate　the　performance　of　functional　layers.　This　paper　provides　a　systematic　summary　over　the　worldwide　research　status　of　ALD-MCP　from　the　perspectives　of　functional　layer　composition　and　product　performance.　Moreover,　it　also　gives　a　critical　discussion　involving　the　problems　in　current　research　and　a　prospective　outlook　for　future　development　trends.　©　2020,　Materials　Review　Magazine.　All　right　reserved.