Engineering Research Paper: Photo Multiplier: Geodimeter

Geodimeter
Student Name
Institution Affiliation
Photo Multiplier
Photomultiplier is a device that converts light flash produced in a scintillator to an amplified electrical pulse. It comprises of an evacuated tube fitted with a glass end in the inner surface with a deposited semi-transparent metal layer that has a property of releasing electrons upon exposure to light (Aliaga Kelly & Boyes, 2010). Photomultiplier acquires light through a glass window covering a photosensitive surface (photocathode) which in turn releases the amplified electrons. Its efficiency depends on the composition of the photocathode. The device is capable of emitting sufficient current even if the incident of light is very low. The tube requires a high voltage source, usually 500 to 2000 volts with a voltage-divider circuit, which distributes the desired voltage amount to each electrode for satisfactory performance. The photomultipliers don’t store charge and can respond to changes of input light influxes within nanoseconds. Due to this, they are used to detect and record very fast events.