The PMA Hybrid is a compact single photon sensitive detector based on a fast hybrid photomultiplier tube with peltier cooler to reduce the dark count rate. The detector includes a high voltage power supply and pre-amplifier with overload protection and emergency shut down procedure if the detector count rate reaches a critical limit. Overload protection, high voltage setup and temperature regulation are calibrated at PicoQuant and do not require any adjustment. The detector is prepared for PicoQuant system integration via CAN interface.

Three different photocathodes can be incorporated into the PMA Hybrid to meet the user's needs. A blue sensitive, low dark count version covers the spectral range from 220 nm to 650 nm. The standard unit is sensitive in the range from 300 nm to 720 nm and features a very high photon detection efficiency up to 45 % at 500 nm. A third cathode covers the red spectral range between 380 nm and 900 nm. The PMA Hybrid is built in a nickel coated aluminum housing to achieve high level of RF and magnetic shielding and protection against the interference with other devices. The built-in pre-amplifier is specially targeted at timing sensitive applications such as Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC).

All PMA Hybrid have a very good timing resolution that can even reach values down to 50 ps FWHM for the blue sensitive version. In contrast to other detector types, the afterpulsing is negligible. This special features makes the PMA Hybrid especially suited for e.g. Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS), where the afterpulsing peak at early lag times often makes analysis of the autocorrelation function problematic.

The PMA Hybrid interfaces directly to all PicoQuant TCSPC products such as the PicoHarp 300 or HydraHarp 400. Due to its large active area of 3 mm, the detector can be connected to spectrometers such as the FluoTime 200 or FluoTime 300. It can also be attached to Laser Scanning Microscopes in Non-Descanned Detection (NDD) setups via the C-mount adapter. Integration in descanned detection mode or other systems, such as the confocal time-resolved microscope MicroTime 200 is of course also possible.

Signal output for the PMA Hybrid is a standard 50 Ohms SMA connector. The module only needs a 12 V DC supply line, which is delivered already with the PMA Hybrid unit.