photomultiplier tube
noun
pho·to·mul·ti·pli·er tube
ˌfō-tō-ˈməl-tə-ˌplī(-ə)r- 
: a vacuum tube that detects light especially from dim sources through the use of photoemission and successive instances of secondary emission to produce enough electrons to generate a useful current
called also photomultiplier
Examples of photomultiplier tube in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Surrounding the acrylic sphere are tens of thousands of extremely sensitive photomultiplier tubes (PMTs).
—
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025
This liquid will produce flashes of light when neutrinos collide with matter, which are detected by an array of 43,200 photomultiplier tubes.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
The xenon vats are ringed by a photomultiplier tube (PMT) array containing 500 sensitive light detectors designed to spot faint flashes of light.
—Robert Lea, Popular Mechanics, 29 July 2022
The tank is lined with 13,000 photomultiplier tubes, which detect brief flashes of light when neutrinos speed through the tank.
—Dennis Overbye, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2020
The Florida team came up with a simpler approach using a cheap, low-power laser and a common light detector called a photomultiplier tube, which records the total intensity of photons falling on it.
—Prachi Patel, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2017
Although an old technology, photomultiplier tubes are both extremely sensitive and able to respond to nanosecond photon bursts.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Aug. 2012
Hundreds of photomultiplier tubes watch for the flashes of Cherenkov light at the bottom of Lake Baikal.
—Anil Ananthaswamy, Discover Magazine, 29 June 2010
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Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025
This liquid will produce flashes of light when neutrinos collide with matter, which are detected by an array of 43,200 photomultiplier tubes.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
The xenon vats are ringed by a photomultiplier tube (PMT) array containing 500 sensitive light detectors designed to spot faint flashes of light.
—Robert Lea, Popular Mechanics, 29 July 2022
The tank is lined with 13,000 photomultiplier tubes, which detect brief flashes of light when neutrinos speed through the tank.
—Dennis Overbye, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2020
The Florida team came up with a simpler approach using a cheap, low-power laser and a common light detector called a photomultiplier tube, which records the total intensity of photons falling on it.
—Prachi Patel, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2017
Although an old technology, photomultiplier tubes are both extremely sensitive and able to respond to nanosecond photon bursts.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Aug. 2012
Hundreds of photomultiplier tubes watch for the flashes of Cherenkov light at the bottom of Lake Baikal.
—Anil Ananthaswamy, Discover Magazine, 29 June 2010
Cite this Entry
“Photomultiplier tube.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photomultiplier%20tube. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
photomultiplier tube
noun
pho·to·mul·ti·pli·er tube
ˌfōt-ō-ˈməl-tə-ˌplī(-ə)r-
: a vacuum tube that detects light especially from dim sources through the use of photoemission and successive instances of secondary emission to produce enough electrons to generate a useful current
called also photomultiplier
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