multianode

Multianode refers to electronic devices or detectors that employ more than one anode electrode to collect charge from electron emission or ionization events. In vacuum and solid-state devices, a multianode configuration divides the anode into multiple isolated regions. This segmentation enables several readout channels, improved charge collection, and, in many cases, position-sensitive information from a single event.

In photodetectors, multianode designs include multianode photomultiplier tubes (MAPMTs) and multi-anode photodiodes. These devices use arrays of anode pads or pixels that are read out independently. The anodes operate with a common electron multiplication stage, such as dynodes, to convert photons into measurable electronic signals. The segmentation provides spatial imaging capabilities, fast timing, and high channel counts for applications requiring detailed photon localization.

Applications span scientific and medical fields. In nuclear and particle physics, multianode detectors are used for imaging, tracking, and spectroscopy, often coupled to scintillators or solid-state sensors. In medical imaging, MAPMTs and related devices are employed in PET and SPECT cameras, gamma-ray detectors, and other scintillator-based systems to achieve higher resolution and faster readout. Gas-based detectors and microfabricated devices also utilize multianode configurations to produce position-sensitive readouts.

Advantages of multianode designs include improved spatial resolution, parallelized data acquisition, and enhanced dynamic range. Challenges include increased electronics complexity, calibration requirements, and potential channel-to-channel gain variations.

See also: photomultiplier tube, dynode, multianode photodiode, position-sensitive detector, scintillation detector.