photomultiplier tube

noun

pho·​to·​mul·​ti·​pli·​er tube ˌfō-tō-ˈməl-tə-ˌplī(-ə)r- How to pronounce photomultiplier tube (audio)
: 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
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Although an old technology, photomultiplier tubes are both extremely sensitive and able to respond to nanosecond photon bursts. — IEEE Spectrum, 15 Aug. 2012 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

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of photomultiplier tube was in 1941

Rhymes for photomultiplier tube

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Browse Nearby Words

photomosaic
photomultiplier tube
photomural
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Cite this Entry

“Photomultiplier tube.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photomultiplier%20tube. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.

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Medical Definition

photomultiplier tube

noun
pho·​to·​mul·​ti·​pli·​er tube ˌfōt-ō-ˈməl-tə-ˌplī(-ə)r- How to pronounce photomultiplier tube (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on photomultiplier tube

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about photomultiplier tube

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