Hybrid photomultipliers – their properties and application in scintillation studies

A principle of a hybrid photodetection and of a hybrid photomultiplier (HPMT) will be described. HPMT consists of a photocathode and an anode which is the silicon PIN diode. About 280 electron–hole pairs per 1kV and up to 15kV accelerating voltage can be used. From beginning of nineties of the last century the HPMTs are used in scintillation response studies. They show high sensitivity in the measurements of Nphels photoelectron yield starting from ∼20ph/MeV (at PbWO4) without an upper limit.