gain depression

Detector effect, occuring at high count rates, that cannot be mathematically corrected. For high signals, the current flowing over the dynodes of the electron multiplier is limited, leading to loss in gain. It is said continuous dynode detector suffers more severe gain depression effects than discrete detector does, since the continuous dynode is normally made from a thin film, that does not support high currents across its total length while discrete dynodes alow for feeding in the current at each stage.