The present work aims to address a comprehensive analytical analysis of a new accurate equivalent electrical model of silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) detectors. The proposed circuit model allows to ...truthfully reproduce the output signal waveform generated by the light sensors apart from the specific technology adopted for the fabrication process, and can also be profitably exploited to perform reliable circuit-level simulations. A detailed and in-depth investigation of the functional parameters involved in the output pulse signals is here developed, and the most significant physical relationships are analytically derived as well. Experimental measurements are finally carried out on real devices, in order to validate the accuracy of the attained expressions, and good fittings are achieved between the analytical curve plots and the associated measurements results. The adopted analysis turns out to be particularly helpful when designing an optimum front-end architecture for SiPM detectors, since the performance of the entire detection system, especially in terms of dynamic range and timing resolution, can be accurately predicted as a function of the SiPM model parameters and the foremost features of the coupled front-end electronics.
In this paper we present the results of the first electrical and optical characterization performed on 1 mm 2 total area Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM) fabricated in standard silicon planar ...technology at the STMicroelectronics Catania R&D clean room facility. The device consists of 289 microcells and has a geometrical fill factor of 48%. Breakdown voltage, gain, dark noise rate, crosstalk, photon detection efficiency and linearity have been measured in our laboratories. The optical characterization has been performed by varying the temperature applied to the device. The results shown in the manuscript demonstrate that the device already exhibits relevant features in terms of low dark noise rate and inter-pixel crosstalk probability, high photon detection efficiency, good linearity and single photoelectron resolution. These characteristics can be considered really promising in view of the final application of the photodetector in the Positron Emission Tomography (PET).
Improved SPICE electrical model of silicon photomultipliers Marano, D.; Bonanno, G.; Belluso, M. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
10/2013, Volume:
726
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
The present work introduces an improved SPICE equivalent electrical model of silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) detectors, in order to simulate and predict their transient response to avalanche ...triggering events. In particular, the developed circuit model provides a careful investigation of the magnitude and timing of the read-out signals and can therefore be exploited to perform reliable circuit-level simulations. The adopted modeling approach is strictly related to the physics of each basic microcell constituting the SiPM device, and allows the avalanche timing as well as the photodiode current and voltage to be accurately simulated. Predictive capabilities of the proposed model are demonstrated by means of experimental measurements on a real SiPM detector. Simulated and measured pulses are found to be in good agreement with the expected results.
•An improved SPICE electrical model of silicon photomultipliers is proposed.•The developed model provides a truthful representation of the physics of the device.•An accurate charge collection as a function of the overvoltage is achieved.•The adopted electrical model allows reliable circuit-level simulations to be performed.•Predictive capabilities of the adopted model are experimentally demonstrated.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Solid state single photon detectors are an emerging issue, with applications in the wide field of sensors and transducers. A new kind of device named Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) shows timing and ...charge resolution features that in some respect could even replace traditional photomultiplier tubes. In this paper we illustrate a complete method for the evaluation of gain, dark noise, afterpulsing, cross-talk and detection efficiency of SiPM detectors. We show the application of the method by comparing the performance of our newly developed SiPM (produced by ST Microelectronics) with another sensor present on the market (produced by Hamamatsu), and proving that our device is indeed already outstanding.
Context. A new extremely high speed photon-counting photometer, Iqueye, has been installed and tested at the New Technology Telescope, in La Silla. Aims. This instrument is the second prototype of a ...“quantum” photometer being developed for future Extremely Large Telescopes of 30–50 m aperture. Methods. Iqueye divides the telescope aperture into four portions, each feeding a single photon avalanche diode. The counts from the four channels are collected by a time-to-digital converter board, where each photon is appropriately time-tagged. Owing to a rubidium oscillator and a GPS receiver, an absolute rms timing accuracy better than 0.5 ns during one-hour observations is achieved. The system can sustain a count rate of up to 8 MHz uninterruptedly for an entire night of observation. Results. During five nights of observations, the system performed smoothly, and the observations of optical pulsar calibration targets provided excellent results.
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The Extended Analogue Silicon Photo-multiplier Integrated Read Out Chip, EASIROC, is a chip proposed as front-end of the camera at the focal plane of the imaging Cherenkov ASTRI SST-2M telescope ...prototype. This paper presents the results of the measurements performed to characterize EASIROC in order to evaluate its compliance with the ASTRI SST-2M focal plane requirements. In particular, we investigated the trigger time walk and the jitter effects as a function of the pulse amplitude. The EASIROC output signal is found to vary linearly as a function of the input pulse amplitude with very low level of electronic noise and cross-talk (<1%). Our results show that it is suitable as front-end chip for the camera prototype, although, specific modifications are necessary to adopt the device in the final version of the telescope.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
In this paper, we present the results of the first noise characterization performed on our novel 100-channel silicon photomultiplier. We have improved our previous single-photon avalanche photodiode ...technology in order to set up a working device with outstanding features in terms of single-photon resolving power up to R = 45, timing resolution down to 100 ps, and photon-detection efficiency of 14% at 420 nm. Tests were performed, and features were measured, as a function of the bias voltage and of the incident photon flux. A dedicated data-analysis procedure was developed that allows one to extract at once the relevant parameters and quantify the noise.
This work addresses a systematic and in-depth electro-optical characterization of the Multi-Pixel Photon Counter (MPPC) sensors constituting the camera detection system at the focal plane of the ...ASTRI telescope prototype. The paper reports the experimental results of a large set of measurements on the MPPC devices in order to provide a reliable qualification of the detector performance and evaluate its compliance with the telescope focal plane requirements. In particular, breakdown voltage, internal gain, dark count rate, cross-talk and extra-charge probability, and absolute photon detection efficiency measurements are performed on the basic sensor device unit as a function of the detector operating conditions.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
In this paper, we present the results of the charge and time characterization performed on our novel 100-channel silicon photomultiplier. We have improved our previous single-photon-avalanche-diode ...technology in order to set up a working device with outstanding features in terms of single-photon resolving power up to R = 45, a timing resolution down to 100 ps, and photon-detection efficiency of 14% at 420 nm. Tests were performed, and features were measured as a function of the bias voltage and of the incident photon flux. A dedicated data analysis procedure was developed that allows to extract at once the relevant parameters from the amplitude spectra and to determine the timing features.
The fabrication of silicon shallow junction photodiodes is a relevant topic for the detection of blue and near ultraviolet weak photon fluxes. In this paper we present a simple model to calculate the ...quantum detection efficiency (QDE) of a Geiger mode avalanche photodiode (GMAP) as a function of the dead layer thickness above the junction depletion layer. A comparison between calculated and experimental data is also presented. Moreover, by using the same model, an analysis of the QDE at 420 nm wavelength of conventional GMAPs based on shallow N + -P and P + -N junctions is given.
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