Fully active voltage divider for PMT photo-detector

A high voltage divider is one of critical parts which define performance of photo-multiplier tube (PMT) based photodetector. It directly influences the main characteristics of the photo-detector - gain control range, linearity, transient response, power consumption and heat dissipation, lifetime, required PCB area and volume, as well as cost. This paper describes a new Fully Active Voltage Divider (FAVD) for PMT which provides significant improvement in performance of wide dynamic range PMT photo-detectors. The paper includes requirements for a PMT high voltage divider, an overview of prior state of the art, operation principles and features of the developed FAVD, and measurement results. The presented FAVD design is protected by patent application.