High-Quantum Efficiency Photocathodes for Medical Diagnostics

Detection of a single photon is a requirement for many research and medical applications, such as fluorescence imaging, single molecule imaging, and luminescence applications. The sensitivity required for single photon detection has traditionally been provided by a photon amplification tube, such as an image intensifier, a microchannel plate photomultiplier tube (MCP PMTs), or a hybrid photodiode. Improvements to both the quantum efficiency (QE) of the photocathode and dark count rate (DCR), as well as some other factors, can improve both sensitivity and performance of any photon amplification tube, in turn improving the sensitivity of medical diagnostic imaging equipment.