Noun
photomultiplier tube (plural photomultiplier tubes)
(electronics) A type of vacuum tube that detects electromagnetic radiation in the range from ultraviolet to infrared, including the visible spectrum, and them amplifies the detection induced current into an output signal
In recent years, the electronic circuits built around the photomultiplier tube have replaced the camera, allowing real-time spectrographic analysis with far greater accuracy. Source: Internet
The classic photomultiplier tube exploits the photoelectric effect : a photon of sufficient energy strikes a metal plate and knocks free an electron, initiating an ever-amplifying avalanche of electrons. Source: Internet