Cooling a photomultiplier tube

photomultiplier-tube-cooling-rig

A photomultiplier tube is a device used to measure very low levels of light. It's a common tool of particle physics when trying to detect just a few photons. It turns out that running a tube at room temperature will not provide the best results. To improve the accuracy and sensitivity of his equipment [David Prutchi] built this thermoelectric photomultiplier tube cooling rig. You can't actually … [Read more...]

Large area x-ray detector

large-area-xray-detector

This is an x-ray detector built by [Ben Krasnow]. It's an interesting combination of parts working with an oscilloscope. The result is an audible clicking much the same as you would hear from a Geiger counter He's measuring backscatter, which is the reflection of x-rays on other objects. Because the signal will be quite weak compared to waves emitted directly from an x-ray source he needed a … [Read more...]

Imploding Vacuum tubes for science

LBNE PHOTOMULTIPLIER TUBE

The researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory are looking for a way to harden photomultiplier tubes. In order to make a more durable tube the researchers decided it would be a good idea to first observe how the tubes are failing. So they got their hands on an old torpedo test bay and smashed some bulbs inside of it. Check in after the break for some high fps bulb … [Read more...]