Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. has been recognized by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, corporate headquarters: New York, NY), the world’s largest professional organization for the advancement of technology in the areas of electronics, information technology and telecommunications, for technical achievement in the development of the 20-inch photomultiplier tube (PMT), which has been used for the observation of phenomena such as supernovas and neutrinos.
The 20-inch 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-inch PMTs were manufactured and installed in the Kamioka Proton Decay Experiment. Subsequently, over ten thousand 20-inch PMTs were installed in the Super-Kamioka Neutrino Detection Experiment.
For its contribution to the observation of neutrinos, the 20-inch PMT has been certified as an IEEE Milestone, which IEEE describes as an award that recognizes “technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity found in unique products, services, seminal papers and patents” in one of the technical areas represented by IEEE.