The Cytometry Web Page soon to come on line from Wiley-Liss includes a
"Sources of Supply" section which initially comprises the chapter of the
same name from the 3rd Edition of Practical Flow Cytometry. I will be
maintaining this section and, if there are enough vintage (and current)
commercial cytometer aficionados out there, will try, with their help, to
compile and maintain parts lists and lists of suppliers (I wonder what I'm
letting myself in for? It's relatively easy with Cytomutts...).
With photodiodes, unlike PMT's, what you may need (if you don't have the
spec from the manufacturer) is simply the physical dimensions of the diode,
and possibly relevant circuit details (some diodes are packaged with
integral amplifiers; some are run with bias voltages, and some without, and
I don't know which manufacturers use which). It's probably easy to
approximate what you have for under $100, and exact replacements may not be
much more unless you use more exotic devices such as multi-sector detectors.
--Howard