Photo-detector device and a method for biasing a photomultiplier tube having a current source for setting a sequence of voltage follower elements

摘要

A photo-detector and method for operating same: the photo-detector comprises a photomultiplier tube comprising a plurality of electrodes, each having a photocathode, an anode, a first dynode, intermediate dynodes and a last dynode; and a biasing circuit that comprises a sequence of voltage follower elements, a voltage divider and a current source. The voltage divider is coupled across a high voltage power supply and different dynodes are coupled to different ones of the voltage follower elements, control inputs of which are coupled to different junctions of the voltage divider. The current source is coupled to the voltage divider, to the sequence of the voltage follower elements and to the cathode. The anode is coupled to a load element coupled to a positive pole of the high voltage power supply and arranged to receive an output signal of the anode and convert it to an output signal of the photo-detector.

主权项

1. A photo-detector device comprising:
a photomultiplier tube comprising a plurality of electrodes, the plurality of electrodes comprises a photocathode, an anode, a first dynode, intermediate dynodes and a last dynode; and a biasing circuit that comprises a sequence of voltage follower elements, a voltage divider and a current source; wherein the voltage divider is coupled across a high voltage power supply; wherein different dynodes are coupled to different voltage follower elements of the sequence of voltage follower elements; wherein control inputs of different voltage follower elements are coupled to different junctions of the voltage divider; wherein the current source is coupled to the voltage divider, to the sequence of the voltage follower elements, to the cathode and to a negative pole of the high voltage power supply such that the current source sets the current in the sequence of voltage follower elements; and wherein the anode is coupled to a load element coupled to a positive pole of the high voltage power supply and arranged to receive an output signal of the anode and convert it to an output signal of the photo-detector device.