Patent attributes
Methods and means for measuring and adjusting the gain of a photomultiplier tube (PMT), or other photo-detector with electron multiplication gain, for the purpose of achieving accurate light measurement, such as in a luminescent radiation dosimeter reader. With a PMT illuminated by a light emitting diode or other light source, the PMT output signal is measured in two modes, signal integration and photon pulse counting. The measured PMT gain is calculated as the ratio of the integrated signal to the photon pulse count. The PMT high voltage may be adjusted to cause the measured PMT gain to correspond to an established calibration gain value, or the data from the PMT may be adjusted to compensate the deviation of the measured PMT gain from the calibration gain value. The light source may be a controllable light source that can be adjusted to provide a specific photon count rate output as measured by the PMT. This invention provides for maintaining light measurement calibration without requiring temperature stabilization or a fixed light source.
