Remote gain control circuit for photomultiplier tubes
US5367222A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 1, 1993 |
| Grant date | Nov 22, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 1, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J43/30
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A gain control circuit (10) for remotely controlling the gain of a photomultiplier tube (PMT (12)). The remote gain control circuit (10) may be used with a PMT (12) having any selected number of dynodes (DY). The remote gain control circuit (10) is connected to the last dynode nearest the anode (16) in the dynode string which controls the total dynode supply voltage and influences the gain of each dynode (DY). The remote gain control circuit (10) of the present invention includes an integrated-circuit operational amplifier (U1), a high-voltage transistor (Q1), a plurality of resistors (R), a plurality of capacitors (C), and a plurality of diodes (D). Negative feedback is used to set the last dynode voltage proportional to a voltage controlled by the gain control voltage delivered by a voltage source such as a digital-to-analog converter. The control circuit (10) of the present invention is connected to the last dynode using a single connecting wire (22).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.