Abstract
Fluorescence analysis at low-level light intensity is important and inevitable for flow cytometry and cell biology. The photomultiplier (PMT) has been used as a photon-detection device for many years because of its high sensitivity; it can amplify a single photoelectron to millions of electrons by a cascade of dynodes in a vacuum. In addition, the photocathode in the PMT has the advantage of a wide detection area and wide dynamic range through analog photocurrent detection. Recently, microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based PMTs and many solid-state sensors such as Si photodiodes (PDs), avalanche photodiodes (APDs), and Si photomultipliers (SiPMs) have been developed and improved in UV to near-IR wavelengths. Advancements in photosensors especially for photon detection and potential applications are described in this chapter.
I therefore take the liberty of proposing for this hypothetical new atom, which is not light but plays an essential part of every process of radiation, the name Photon—Lewis [1]
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Acknowledgements
I would like to acknowledge the substantial contributions of Keegan Hernandez on electronics and software development, Kathy Ragheb, Jennifer Sturgis, and Eva Biela on biological samples, Gretchen Lawler on chapter editing, and J. Paul Robinson on the opportunity and support.
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Yamamoto, M. (2017). Photon Detection: Current Status. In: Robinson, J., Cossarizza, A. (eds) Single Cell Analysis. Series in BioEngineering. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4499-1_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4499-1_10
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