Photomultiplier tube having a transmission strip line photocathode and system for use therewith

A photomultiplier tube which may be used in time resolving a luminiscence profile emitted from a sample with picosecond resolution using short (picosecond) electrical pulses as a probe and in time resolving an electrical pulse profile produced by fast electronic or optoelectronic devices with femtosecond resolution, using short (femtosecond) laser pulses as the probe is disclosed. The photomultiplier tube includes a photocathode for receiving light and producing emission of electrons in proportion to the intensity of the light, said photocathode having a transmission strip line configuration, accellerating means for accellerating electrons emitted by said photocathode, electron multiplication means for performing electron multiplication on the electrons emitted from the accellerating means, anode means for receiving electrons from the electron multiplication means and producing an analog electrical signal output, means for causing electrons emitted by the photocathode to move through the accellerating means and the electron multiplication means and then impinge on the anode means, and means connected to said photocathode for receiving an ultrafast voltage signal.