Silicon Photomultiplier Tubes Research Articles

Design of a new scintillator-based fast ion loss detector on the HL-2A tokamak

A new scintillator-based fast ion loss detector (FILD) has been devised for the HL-2A tokamak, with the objective of discerning the temporal evolution of energy and pitch angle among lost fast ions. A code named FILD Simulation (FSC) has been developed to assist in the design of the detector head and the interpretation of experimental data. By optimising the geometric design, the resolutions of energy and pitch angle are optimised to 5 keV and 3°, respectively. A branched imaging fiber bundle is used to relay the fluorescence image on the scintillator to two distinct instruments. One of these is a high-speed camera, while the other is a silicon photomultiplier tube (SiPM) array with a sampling rate of up to 1 MSamples/s. This configuration enables the attainment of superior temporal and spatial resolution, as well as high photon sensitivity.

Fast Coincidence Filter for Silicon Photomultiplier Dark Count Rate Rejection.

Silicon Photomultipliers find applications across various fields. One potential Silicon Photomultiplier application domain is neutrino telescopes, where they may enhance the angular resolution. However, the elevated dark count rate associated with Silicon Photomultipliers represents a significant challenge to their widespread utilization. To address this issue, it is proposed to use Silicon Photomultipliers and Photomultiplier Tubes together. The Photomultiplier Tube signals serve as a trigger to mitigate the dark count rate, thereby preventing undue saturation of the available bandwidth. This paper presents an investigation into a fast and resource-efficient method for filtering the Silicon Photomultiplier dark count rate. A low-resource and fast coincident filter has been developed, which removes the Silicon Photomultiplier dark count rate by using as a trigger the Photomultiplier Tube input signals. The architecture of the coincidence filter, together with the first results obtained, which validate the effectiveness of this method, is presented.

A compensation circuit for the gain temperature drift of silicon photomultiplier tube

A compensation circuit for the gain temperature drift of silicon photomultiplier tube

Organ-Specific Positron Emission Tomography Scanners for Breast Imaging: Comparison between the Performances of Prior and Novel Models.

The performances of photomultiplier tube (PMT)-based dedicated breast positron emission tomography (PET) and silicon photomultiplier tube (SiPM)-based time-of-flight (TOF) PET, which is applicable not only to breast imaging but also to head imaging, were compared using a phantom study. A cylindrical phantom containing four spheres (3-10 mm in diameter) filled with 18F-FDG at two signal-to-background ratios (SBRs), 4:1 and 8:1, was scanned. The phantom images, which were reconstructed using three-dimensional list-mode dynamic row-action maximum likelihood algorithm with various β-values and post-smoothing filters, were visually and quantitatively compared. Visual evaluation showed that the 3 mm sphere was more clearly visualized with higher β and smaller post-filters, while the background was noisier; SiPM-based TOF-PET was superior to PMT-based dbPET in sharpness, smoothness, and detectability, although the background was noisier at the SBR of 8:1. Quantitative evaluation revealed that the detection index (DI) and recovery coefficient (CRC) of SiPM-based TOF-PET images were higher than those of PMT-based PET images, despite a higher background coefficient of variation (CVBG). The two organ-specific PET systems showed that a 3 mm lesion in the breast could be visualized at the center of the detector, and there was less noise in the SiPM-based TOF-PET image.

Calculation method based on a BGO+SiPM detector for ^13N gas coincidence detection efficiency

To reduce the lower detection limit of 13N gas, we design a γ-γ coincidence measuring instrument including two detectors, a sampling vessel, and a summation and coincidence circuit in this work. The detector uses a 13 cm × 5 cm oversized Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) scintillator and 172 silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) tubes, which greatly reduce the instrument size while improving the coincidence detection efficiency. The 13N gas coincidence detection efficiency is improved by installing a multilayer metal absorber plate inside the cylindrical sampling vessel. Due to the short half-life of 13N gas, it cannot be stored for a long time; additionally, it is difficult to obtain. It is not possible to directly scale the coincidence detection efficiency of this instrument using a 13N gas source with known activity in engineering projects. Based on the spatial distribution of the relative efficiency of the sampling vessel and the absolute efficiency of the reference point, we use a combination of 22Na solid point source experiments and Monte Carlo simulations to calculate the coincidence detection efficiency of this instrument for 13N gas in this work; the coincidence detection efficiency is approximately 4%, which meets the engineering design requirements.

Investigation of the Optical Communication Channel Throughput of an Information Receiver in the Form of a Silicon Photomultiplier Tube under Conditions of Background Illumination

Investigation of the Optical Communication Channel Throughput of an Information Receiver in the Form of a Silicon Photomultiplier Tube under Conditions of Background Illumination

Conceptual design of a GEM (gas electron multiplier) based gas Cherenkov detector for measurement of 17MeV gamma rays from T(D, γ)5He in magnetic confinement fusion plasmas.

The only method for assessing the fusion power throughput of a deuterium-tritium (DT) reactor presently relies on determining the absolute number of 14MeV neutrons produced in the DT plasma. An independent method, developed and investigated during the recent DT campaign at the Joint European Torus, is based on the absolute counting of 17MeV gamma rays produced by the competing T(D, γ)5He reaction that features a very weak branching ratio (about 3-6 × 10-6) when compared to the main T(D,n)4He reaction. The state-of-the-art spectrometer used for gamma-ray measurements in magnetic confinement fusion plasmas is LaBr3(Ce) scintillator detectors, although they require significant neutron shielding to extract a relatively weak gamma-ray signal from a much more abundant neutron field. A better approach relies on a gamma-ray detector that is intrinsically insensitive to neutrons. We have advanced the design of a gamma-ray counter based on the Cherenkov effect for gamma-rays whose energy exceeds 11MeV, optimized to work in the neutron-rich environment of a steady-state, magnetically confined fusion plasma device. The gamma-rays interact with an aluminum window and extract electrons that move into the radiator emitting photons via the Cherenkov effect. Since the Cherenkov light consists of few photons (25 on average) in the far UV band (100-200nm), a pre-amplifier is required to transport the photons to the neutron-shielded location, which may be a few meters away, where the readout elements of the detector, either a silicon or standard photomultiplier tube, are placed. The present work focuses on the development of a scintillating GEM (Gas Electron Multiplier) based pre-amplifier that acts as a Cherenkov photon pre-amplifier and wavelength shifter. This paper presents the result of a set of Garfield++ simulations developed to find the optimal GEM working parameters. A photon gain of 100 is obtained by biasing a single GEM foil to 1kV.

Fabrication and characterization of silver polycrystalline photocathode

Silver is considered the most noble metal after gold, which makes it a potential candidate for the metallic photocathode. In this article, we report on the fabrication of a polycrystalline silver photocathode by using a physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique. For the first time, silver photocathodes in both the reflection and transmission modes were fabricated on a super quartz (JGS1) substrate and characterized. The polycrystalline nature of the fabricated sample was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The work function of the fabricated photocathode was measured at around 4.73 eV using photoemission yield spectroscopy in the air (PYSA). Photocurrent measurement and quantum efficiency (Q.E.) calculations were performed using a picoammeter and a 250 nm high power ultraviolet (UV) LED source. Silver photocathode yielded a Q.E. of (8.77±0.90)×10−6 in reflection mode, and (1.20±0.12)×10−6 in transmission mode. After being exposed to air for up to 72 h, no sign of degradation in its photocurrent/Q.E. was observed. The silver photocathode thickness was estimated to be (138 ± 5) nm for the reflection mode and (35 ± 1) nm for the transmission mode. The developed photocathode will be ultimately used for the study of the proposed novel photodetector concept called silicon photomultiplier tube (SiPMT).

Investigation of the optical communication channel throughput of an information receiver in the form of a silicon photomultiplier tube under conditions of background illumination

Investigation of the optical communication channel throughput of an information receiver in the form of a silicon photomultiplier tube under conditions of background illumination

Исследование пропускной способности оптического канала с приемником информации в виде кремниевого фотоэлектронного умножителя

The implementation of such technology of data transmission as Li-Fi requires photodetectors that are optically sensitive in the visible range of wavelengths. The photomultiplier tubes are characterized by highest sensibility in this wavelength range, but also by large size, higher power supply voltage, and frangibility. An alternative to the mentioned type of photodetectors is a silicon photomultiplier tube (Si-PMT) characterized by good sensibility in the visible range of wavelengths. In this work, the throughput of an optical communication channel with an informa-tion receiver in the form of a Si-PMT is investigated. As a result, it was found that the highest throughput value corresponded to the supply voltage value equal to the breakdown voltage of the Si-PMT, and to the optical radiation wavelengths of 470 nm. It has been established that an in-crease in temperature causes a decrease in the transmission capacity of the photodetector, and an increase in the optical pulses’ radiant exposure leads to an increase in the transmission capacity. The results obtained can be used in the development of optical communication systems.

Dedicated SiPM array for GRD of GECAM

PurposeThe discovery of gravitational waves and gamma-ray bursts heralds the era of multi-messenger astronomy. With the adoption of two small satellites to achieve the all-sky monitoring of gamma-ray bursts, the gravitational wave high-energy electromagnetic counterpart all-sky monitor (GECAM) possesses a quasi-real-time early warning ability and plays an important role in positioning the sources of gravitational waves and in subsequent observations. Each satellite of GECAM was fitted with 25 3-inch-diameter gamma-ray detectors (GRD), covering an energy range of 8–2 MeV. GRDs have adopted silicon photomultiplier tubes (SiPM) in lieu of photomultiplier tubes (PMT) to adapt to the dimensional limitations of micro-satellites.MethodsA unique 3-inch circular SiPM array was designed. In this design, 64 6 × 6 mm chips were arranged evenly in a circular manner with the seams filled with reflecting films, thus achieving satisfactory uniformity of light collection. The integrated pre-amplifier circuit on the back of the SiPM array adopted two-level grouping and summing; further, it achieved a satisfactory signal-to-noise ratio. Two high-gain and low-gain channels were adopted to achieve a large dynamic range, and two independent power supply units were used, where each unit can be closed separately, thus improving reliability.ResultsPerformance studies show that this SiPM array meets the requirements of GECAM.ConclusionA 3-inch SiPM array have been developed that uses grouped summation, reflective films, a circular arrangement, two groups of independent power supplies, high- and low-gain signals, differential signal output technologies, etc. This solution can be used not only for GECAM, but also as a general solution for SiPM-based scintillation detectors.

Investigation of the Dynamic Range of Silicon Photomultiplier Tubes

Investigation of the Dynamic Range of Silicon Photomultiplier Tubes

Emerging Single-Photon Detectors Based on Low-Dimensional Materials.

Single-photon detectors (SPDs) that can sense individual photons are the most sensitive instruments for photodetection. Established SPDs such as conventional silicon or III-V compound semiconductor avalanche diodes and photomultiplier tubes have been used in a wide range of time-correlated photon-counting applications, including quantum information technologies, in vivo biomedical imaging, time-of-flight 3D scanners, and deep-space optical communications. However, further development of these fields requires more sophisticated detectors with high detection efficiency, fast response, and photon-number-resolving ability, etc. Thereby, significant efforts have been made to improve the performance of conventional SPDs and to develop new photon-counting technologies. In this review, the working mechanisms and key performance metrics of conventional SPDs are first summarized. Then emerging photon-counting detectors (in the visible to infrared range) based on 0D quantum dots, 1D quantum nanowires, and 2D layered materials are discussed. These low-dimensional materials exhibit many exotic properties due to the quantum confinement effect. And photodetectors built from these nD-materials (n = 0, 1, 2) can potentially be used for ultra-weak light detection. By reviewing the status and discussing the challenges faced by SPDs, this review aims to provide future perspectives on the research directions of emerging photon-counting technologies.

Preliminary Study on the Timing Characteristics of a Fast SiPM for the TOF of the Beam Line in IHEP

The upgrade of the BESIII end cap time-of-flight (TOF) detector needs to achieve a ~40-ps time resolution level to provide high-performance reference time for beam testing. Fast silicon photomultiplier tubes (SiPMs) have excellent time characteristics and the transition time spread (TTS) can reach tens of picoseconds. Therefore, SiPMs are selected to replace the PMTs in T0 detectors. In this article, we describe that the time characteristics of a fast SiPM and T0 system were studied using a high-speed real-time oscilloscope. In order to obtain the optimal time resolution, coupling techniques of the plastic scintillators and SiPMs were studied. Single-ended coupling between a SiPM and a plastic scintillator can obtain the best time resolution.

All-Optical Three-Dimensional Electron Momentum Imaging.

We report a new implementation of three-dimensional (3D) momentum imaging for electrons, employing a two-dimensional (2D) imaging detector and a silicon photomultiplier tube (siPMT). To achieve the necessary time resolution for 3D electron imaging, a poly(p-phenylene)-dye-based fast scintillator (Exalite 404) was used in the imaging detector instead of conventional phosphors. The system demonstrated an electron time-of-flight resolution comparable with that of electrical MCP pick-off (tens of picoseconds), while achieving an unprecedented dead time reduction (∼0.48 ns) when detecting two electrons.

Atomic emission dual-spectrum thermometry for laser-induced Cu plasma temperature

Atomic emission double-spectrum temperature measurement method was developed, and a photoelectric temperature detector based on silicon photomultiplier tube was designed. The structure and principle of the temperature measurement of the photoelectric temperature detector were introduced. The spectral radiation signal of the copper sheet excited by the laser was transmitted to the photoelectric thermometer, and Cu I 510.5 nm and Cu I 521.8 nm were used as the temperature scale spectral lines during the temperature measurement. In different acquisition delays, the ratio of the intensity of the two Cu plasma spectral lines was obtained through the LIBS system. At the same time, the ratio of the maximum voltage value of the two channels was measured using a photoelectric thermometer. At the time of 6us, and the maximum temperature of Cu plasma excited by different laser energy was calculated to be 12745 K. The results show that the atomic emission dual-spectrum temperature measurement method has the characteristics of the higher temperature measurement limit and faster response speed.

Исследование динамического диапазона кремниевых фотоэлектронных умножителей

For detecting the low-intensity optical radiation the silicon photoelectronic multiplyers are used more often. However, not all characteristics of these photoelectronic multiplyers have been thoroughly studied. So, there is no information about the influence of supply voltage on the value of the dynamic range. In the work as the study objects, the test specimens Si-PEM with a p+–p–n+ structure, produced by JSC Integral (Republik of Belarus), have been used, as well as the serially produced silicon photomultiplyers Ketek PM 3325 and ON Semi FC 30035. It has been found that an increase in the supply voltage leads to the critical decrease. It has been discovered that an increase an in the supply voltage leads to a decreased value of the threshold intensity. It has been proved that the dependence of the dynamic range on the supply voltage has a maximum. To ensure the maximum dynamic range of registration in the photo-detector devices based on the Si-photomultiplier tubes, it is necessary to select the photo-detector supply voltage, corresponding to this maximum. The results obtained in this article can be applied in the development and design of the devices for recording the optical radiation based on silicon photomultiplier tubes.

Investigation of the spectral characteristics of silicon photomultiplier tubes

Успехи прикладной физики, 2021, том 9, No 2165I. R. Gulakov, A. O. Zenevich, and O. V. KocherginaBelarusian State Academy of Communications8/2 F. Skorina st., Minsk, 220114, BelarusE-mail: o.kochergina@bsac.byReceived January 12, 2021Recently multipixel avalanche photodetectors, called silicon photomultipliers are of-ten used to record optical radiation. The influence of ambient temperature and sup-ply voltage on the spectral sensitivity and dynamic range of prototypes of silicon pho-tomultipliers manufactured by JSC "Integral" (Republic ofBelarus) and commercially available photomultipliers KetekRM 3325 and ON Semi FC 30035 has been investigated in this article. It was determined that the spectral sensitivity maxi-mum of silicon photomultipliers is shifted to the short-wavelength region andcorre-sponds to the wavelength of optical radiation of 470 nm. It is shown that an increase in the supply voltage leads to an increase in the sensitivity of the investigated photodetectors, and the dependence of the sensitivity on temperature manifests itself in different ways when exposed to optical radiation of different wavelengths.

Operation of silicon photoelectronic multipliers with the structure p<sup>+</sup>–p–n<sup>+</sup> in the single quantum registration mode

The conditions for realizing the single-quantum detection mode for silicon photomultiplier tubes with the p + –p–n + structure are studied and data on their characteristics in this mode are obtained. The structure of the experimental setup and the research technique are presented. Measurements of the counting characteristics of the photodetectors, such as the dependences of the counting rate of single-photon pulses, the speed of dark pulses, and the signal-to-noise ratio, have been performed. The dependences of the counting rate of one-photon pulses on the intensity of optical radiation recorded by a silicon photomultiplier tube are presented. It was found that these dependences had a linear section, the length of which increased with increasing overvoltage of silicon photomultiplier tubes. Also, with an increase in overvoltage, the angle of inclination of the linear section increased. The dependences of the count rate of one-photon and dark pulses, as well as the signal-to-noise ratio on overvoltage, are given. It was found that the counting rate of dark pulses increased with increasing overvoltage. It was found that the dependence of the signal-to-noise ratio on the overvoltage for these silicon photomultiplier tubes has a maximum. To obtain the maximum sensitivity of the studied silicon photomultiplier tubes, it is necessary to select the overvoltage corresponding to this maximum. As a result of comparing the sensitivity of the investigated silicon photomultiplier tubes and avalanche photodiodes, it was found that silicon photomultiplier tubes operating in the single-quantum detection mode have a higher sensitivity compared to avalanche photodiodes in the same operating mode. With a decrease in temperature, this superiority persisted. Also, a decrease in temperature led to a decrease in the minimum value of the intensity of the recorded optical radiation. Thus, the possibility of operation of silicon photomultiplier tubes in the single-quantum registration mode has been proved. These results can be applied in quantum cryptography systems when receiving an optical signal.

Analysis of the results of designing reading electronics of silicon photomultiplier tubes driven by the base matrix crystal MN2XA030

The aim of the work is analyzing the results of an experimental research of a charge-sensitive amplifier with an adjustable conversion coefficient and a base level recovery circuit fabricated on the master slice array MN2XA030 for silicon photomultiplier tubes. The amplifier is called ADPreampl3. The parameters were measured on a small batch of chips in the amount of 20 samples. In the process of measuring the main parameters of the amplifier, the signal from the SiPM Photonique equivalent circuit was fed to the amplifier input. In the course of measuring the parameters, it was revealed that the spread of the baseline level for the FOut output ranged from -24 to 276 mV with an average value of 85.6 mV. In this case, a voltage changing in the FOoutShift node from -3 to 3 V is sufficient to establish a base level value of FOut output close to zero. When the recovery scheme is disabled, the spread of the basic level for OutA output is from 300 to 800 mV. When the OutAShift output is connected to the zero-voltage bus the average base level for OutA output is 3.72 mV and for OutAinv output it is minus 2.42 mV. The base level at the outputs OutA and OutAinv smoothly changes in the range of ± 0.9 V. At maximum gain, the dynamic range of ADPreampl3 exceeds 20 dB, however, at the same time, the conversion coefficient depends on the value of the input charge. To register large input charges, it is recommended to reduce the output pulse by reducing the voltage at the Gain pin or process the signal from the FOut pin. The output parameters of the experimental samples are compared with the results of computer simulation. The discrepancy between the results of modeling and measurements, peak time and propagation delays of the amplifier signal was revealed. Based on this, a decision to adjust the SPICE parameters of the elements used in the simulation was made.