Detecting a very fast moving object with a photoelectric sensor
A response time 1.4ms is a long time for an optical sensor. We can detect a short little bullet moving at 1400fps (~430m/s) fairly easily. Mechanical motion is much, much slower than the signals on fiber optic cables. 

If you were to do it with discrete parts you could use most phototransistors (working into a low resistance or virtual ground to avoid Miller effect), probably not a photodarlington and definitely a photodiode, in conjunction with a suitable amplifier and comparator. 

However there are quite inexpensive all-in-one 3-pin logic-output photosensor devices such as this one that will respond to 250kHz, or about 10x faster than you require.

Of course you have to meet the optical requirements for this to work reliably.