A handy method to monitor outputs from a pulsed light source and its application to photomultiplier's rate effect studies

In order to study photomultiplier's short-term gain stability at high counting rate, we constructed an LED pulsed light source and its output monitor system. For the monitor system, we employed a photon counting method using a photomultiplier as a monitor photon detector. It is found that the method offers a simple way to monitor outputs from a pulsed light source and that, together with an LED light source, it provides a handy way to investigate photomultiplier's rate effects.