Single photon timing in the picosecond regime

The ultimate time resolution of a detector is limited by charge carrier velocities responsible for the electronic signal representing the event. In solid state detectors the signal bandwidth is limited by the mobilities of the charge carriers of the particular material: the highest mobilities being found in exotic materials such as GaAs and graphene. Although vacuum tube technology has been superseded by solid state devices in many areas, fast timing remains a niche where the electrons velocities in vacuum allow timing performance which surpasses all other technologies.

The High-Speed Imaging Group within the Space Research Centre at Leicester, led by Professor Jon Lapington, specialises in the research and development of vacuum and solid state based photon-counting detectors for space and other applications where ultimate sensitivity coupled with imaging and ultra-high time resolution is a requirement. The aim of this programme is to improve PMT state-of-the-art timing performance by an order of magnitude, opening the door to a range of new ultra-fast timing applications, including intensity interferometry utilising the Cherenkov Telescope Array in which the group is already collaborating.

This studentship will study and develop technologies to exploit the ultimate timing potential of photomultiplier tubes (PMT). Conventional PMTs and microchannel plate intensifiers utilise reflection dynodes which allow a multitude of electron trajectories within the device giving rise to time-broadening of the signal down to ~25 picoseconds. This studentship will investigate novel materials and techniques for the manufacture of transmission dynodes: electron gain structures which allow linear electron trajectories with minimal time-broadening, resulting in potential time resolution in picoseconds.

The work programme will entail working with colleagues in nuclear fusion to demonstrate application to inertial confinement fusion diagnostics, as well as possible involvement in other picosecond timing applications in astronomy (e.g .intensity interferometry), particle physics, medical imaging, and quantum imaging.