<title>Review Of High Speed Communications Photomultiplier Detectors</title>

Abstract

Although high speed ( > 100 MHz) photomultipliers (PMT's) have been investigated and produced in the past few decades, only in recent years have practical high performance devices. become available. Significant advances in this technology have occurred largely due to the demand for optical receivers for high data rate laser communication systems. In this paper the spectrum of available high speed PMT's is discussed. This spectrum of devices is first broken down into four design classes: All Electrostatic, Static Crossed Field, Dynamic Crossed Field, and Hybrid (EBS). Then the design, construction and performance parameters as well as limitations of each class of device are presented, along with the prognosis for its future in high speed light detection.