Methods for the detection of single photons with photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), semiconductor, and combined detectors are compared. The one-electron characteristics of modern detectors and the analytical relationships between the one- and multi-electron amplitude resolution and the dynode secondary-emission coefficients are presented. The pulse height spectra of short light pulses (τ = 1.5-15 ns) produced by a setup with an avalanche generator were measured withΦЭY-130 PMTs operating in the one-electron mode, and this technique was shown to be promising for the detection of Cerenkov radiation. With the aim of usingΦЭY-130 PMTs in differential Cerenkov counters, methods to further improve their one-electron characteristics were considered.
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