Photomultiplier tube recognised by the IEEE

The PMT was originally developed by Hamamatsu at the request of Masatoshi Koshiba (Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo), who jointly won the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics for his research on the detection of cosmic neutrinos. Initially, hundreds of the 20” PMTs were manufactured and installed in the Kamioka Proton Decay Experiment. Subsequently, over ten thousand 20” PMTs were installed in the experiment.

For its contribution to the observation of neutrinos, the 20” PMT has been certified as an IEEE Milestone, which IEEE describes as an award that recognises ‘technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity found in unique products, services, seminal papers and patents’.