Why does X-Z LAB use SiPM instead of PMT in our radiation detectors?

Similar to a photomultiplier tube (PMT), a silicon photomultiplier chip (SiPM) provides high-gain and a fast response when detecting radiation. In other words, you can see more clearly and at a higher resolution—and the results come back much quicker.

Unlike PMT, SiPM is far more compact and it uses a much lower voltage in the instrument. SiPM is more rugged and can operate in strong magnetic fields and environmental extremes, such as extreme humidity, heat, and cold. By using SiPM in X-Z LAB products, the radiation detectors themselves are much more compact and rugged by default. In the image below, you can see that the size difference is extreme.

X-Z LAB detectors can detect a wider range of radiation more accurately, and the devices consume less power, making them last longer than other digital detectors in the field.

In this image below, left is a PMT instrument; right is a SiPM radiation detector.