We present results of the development of a hybrid phototube with luminescent screen based on a fast ZnO:Ga scintillator crystal.

The characteristics of the photomultiplier tube used in a photodetector of fluorescent radiation and the arrangement of its power supply and control systems are described. The photodetector is used to observe extensive air showers from near-Earth orbit under varying conditions of the night sky background.

A two-channel photomultiplier tube is developed to use as part of a QUASAR-370 hybrid photodetector. The test results of the amplitude and time responses are described. The time resolution is ≤340 ps; the peak-to-valley ratio of the charge distribution of single photoelectron pulses is ∼1.5.

Single-electron and time characteristics of a ФЭУ-184U photomultiplier tube with a uviol window are presented. The ФЭУ-184U single-electron resolution can reach a value of ∼63–64%, and, in case of single-electron light-striking of the photocathode, the photoelectron transit time distribution (full width at half maximum) is ∼6 ns.

We report the results of tests of prototype proximity mesh dynode photomultiplier tubes (FEU-527) manufactured by MELS. These tubes were compared with similar Hamamatsu models R5505/R3432-01 to determine their suitability for use in the Time-of-Flight (TOF) subsystem of the Solenoidal Tracker at RHIC (STAR) project. Gain and timing characteristics of these tubes were measured both with and without a magnetic field. The results show that some of the Russian prototype tubes meet the requirements for the STAR TOF subsystem.

Future experiments on RHIC and LHC require the performance of photodetectors with stable operation in strong magnetic fields, 0.5 T for the STAR (RHIC) Time of Flight system (TOF) and more than 3 T for the CMS (LHC) electromagnetic calorimeter. Such photodetectors have to possess a good energy and time resolution, for TOF measurements less than 100 ps [1] simultaneously being radiation hard up to some Mrad. Fine mesh dynode proximity photomultiplier tubes FMPMT developed and produced in recent years by Hamamatsu are the most promising detectors for the above specified goals. Different kinds of PMT were tested by some experimental groups in axial magnetic field up to 1.5 T [2–4]. The obtained PMT time resolution in beam test together with Bicron scintillator was better than 100 ps [1].

The radiation hardness of a Phi(sic)Y- 115 photomultiplier (PMT) with photocathode windows of C96-1 glass; alloyed-type dynode systems; and PMT input windows of MgF2, C95-2, C50, and radiation-hard C96-1 glasses was studied. The transparency of the C96-1 glass photocathode windows, the Phi(sic)Y-115 PMT signals, and the gain of the alloyed-type dynode systems were observed to be unaffected by radiation at doses up to 35, 15, and 100 Mrad, respectively.