Photomultiplier Dark Current, Gain, Lifetime and Harmonics Measurements
Photomultiplier Characteristics
What is dark current?
The dark current is a small amount of current flowing in the photomultiplier even when it is not illuminated. This current should be minimized for accurate measurements. The region between 800 V and 1300 V is often ideal for operating the photomultiplier.
The primary source of dark current is the thermionic emission rate from the photocathode and dynodes. Other sources include:
- Leakage current
- Incandescent lighting phenomena
- Field emission
- Current from residual gas ionization
- Radioactive contamination within the device materials
What is the photomultiplier gain?
The gain (G) of a photomultiplier is the ratio between the number of electrons at the output and the number of photons incident on the photocathode....