Operational analysis of the continuous dynode channel electron multiplier

A theory of operation is developed for the continuous dynode channel electron multiplier and its validity checked by comparison with experimentally measured data. Secondary emission, the multiplication mechanism inside the channel, is best described by a Maxwell distribution in energy and a Lambert distribution in direction of released electrons. Electron motion in the uniform axial field of the channel interior leads to three probability density functions describing at a fixed time interval after emission the electron´s expected location. A graphical method is employed to relate the probability of being able to locate the electro with respect to the cylindrical channel geometry.