Photocathode

A photocathode is a negatively charged electrode in emitted electrons vs. impinging quanta (of light). The
a light detection device such as a photomultiplier or eciency varies with construction as well, as it can be
phototube that is coated with a photosensitive compound. improved with a stronger electric eld.
When this is struck by a quantum of light (photon),
the absorbed energy causes electron emission due to the
photoelectric eect.
3 Coatings
Although a plain metallic cathode will exhibit photoelectric properties, the specialized coating greatly increases
the eect. A photocathode usually consists of alkali metFor many years the photocathode was the only prac- als with very low work functions.
tical method for converting light to an electron curThe coating releases electrons much more readily than
rent. As such it tends to function as a form of 'electric
the underlying metal, allowing it to detect the low-energy
lm' and shared many characteristics of photography. It
photons in infrared radiation. The lens transmits the rawas therefore the key element in opto-electronic devices,
diation from the object being viewed to a layer of coated
such as TV camera tubes like the orthocon and vidicon,
glass. The photons strike the metal surface and transfer
and in image tubes such as intensiers, converters, and
electrons to its rear side. The freed electrons are then coldissectors. Simple phototubes were used for motion delected to produce the nal image.
tectors and counters.

Uses

Phototubes have been used for years in movie projectors

to read the sound tracks on the edge of movie lm.[1]

4 Photocathode materials

The more recent development of solid state optical devices such as photodiodes has reduced the use of photocathodes to cases where they still remain superior to
semiconductor devices.

Ag-O-Cs, also called S-1. This was the rst compound photocathode material, developed in 1929.
Sensitivity from 300 nm to 1200 nm. Since AgO-Cs has a higher dark current than more modern
materials photomultiplier tubes with this photocathode material are nowadays used only in the infrared
region with cooling.

Construction

Photocathodes operate in a vacuum, so their design parallels vacuum tube technology. Since most cathodes are
sensitive to air the construction of photocathodes typically occurs after the enclosure has been evacuated. In
operation the photocathode requires an electric eld with
a nearby positive anode to assure electron emission.

Sb-Cs (antimony-caesium) has a spectral response

from UV to visible and is mainly used in reectionmode photocathodes.
Bialkali (antimony-rubidium-caesium Sb-Rb-Cs,
antimony-potassium-caesium Sb-K-Cs). Spectral
response range similar to the Sb-Cs photocathode,
but with higher sensitivity and lower dark current
than Sb-Cs. They have sensitivity well matched to
the most common scintillator materials and so are
frequently used for ionizing radiation measurement
in scintillation counters.

Photocathodes divide into two broad groups; transmission and reective. A transmission type is typically a
coating upon a glass window where the light strikes one
surface and electrons exit from the opposite surface. A
reective type is typically formed on an opaque metal
electrode base, where the light enters and the electrons
exit from the same side. A variation is the double reection type, where the metal base is mirror-like, causing
light that passed through the photocathode without causing emission to be bounced back for a second try. This
mimics the retina on many mammals.

High temperature bialkali or low noise bialkali

(sodium-potassium-antimony, Na-K-Sb). This material is often used in oil well logging since it can
withstand temperatures up to 175 C. At room temperatures, this photocathode operates with very low
dark current, making it ideal for use in photon counting applications.

The eectiveness of a photocathode is commonly expressed as quantum eciency, that being the ratio of
1

6
Multialkali (sodium-potassium-antimony-caesium,
Na-K-Sb-Cs), also called S-20. The multialkali
photocathode has a wide spectral response from
the ultraviolet to near infrared region. It is widely
used for broad-band spectrophotometers and photon
counting applications. The long wavelength response can be extended to 930 nm by a special photocathode activation processing.
GaAs (gallium(II) arsenide). This photocathode
material covers a wider spectral response range than
multialkali, from ultraviolet to 930 nm.
InGaAs (indium gallium arsenide). Extended sensitivity in the infrared range compared to GaAs.
Moreover, in the range between 900 nm and 1000
nm, InGaAs has a much better signal to noise ratio than Ag-O-Cs. With special manufacturing techniques this photocathode can operate up to 1700 nm.
Cs-Te, Cs-I (caesium-telluride, caesium iodide).
These materials are sensitive to vacuum UV and UV
rays but not to visible light and are therefore referred
to as solar blind. Cs-Te is insensitive to wavelengths
longer than 320 nm, and Cs-I to those longer than
200 nm.

References

[1] Fielding, Raymond. A Technological History of Motion

Pictures and Television. p. 360. ISBN 9780520050648.

External links
Photomultiplier Tubes Basics and Applications from
Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.

EXTERNAL LINKS

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