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A comprehensive and in-depth characterization procedure for obtaining very accurate measurements on silicon photomultiplier detectors (SiPMs) is here described. A large amount of optical tests are systematically carried out and discussed in terms of the most important SiPM performance parameters; in particular, an accurate estimation of the photon detection efficiency in the 350-900-nm wavelength spectral range and in steps of 10 nm is achieved, based on the single-photon counting technique, with substraction of the dark noise contribution and avoiding the additional noise sources of crosstalk and afterpulsing. Some recently produced detectors are analyzed and their relevant electro-optical parameters are evaluated in order to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficacy of the adopted characterization procedure and data-handling protocols in assessing the overall SiPM performance, regardless of the specific device tested. Tests repeatibility is carefully verified and all the evaluated parameter trends are proved to be compatible with the physics theory of the SiPM device. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A comprehensive and in-depth characterization procedure for obtaining very accurate measurements on silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) detectors is described here. A large amount of electro-optical tests are systematically carried out in terms of the most significant SiPM performance parameters; in particular, an accurate estimation of the photon detection efficiency is achieved, based on the single-photon counting technique, with substraction of the dark noise contribution and avoiding the additional noise sources of crosstalk and after pulsing. Some recently produced detectors are analyzed and their relevant electro-optical parameters are evaluated in order to confirm the effectiveness and efficacy of the adopted characterization procedure in assessing the overall SiPM performance. The repeatibility of measurements is carefully verified. All evaluated parameter trends are proved to be compatible with the physics theory of the SiPM device. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper we present the results of the first electrical and optical characterization performed on 1 mm² 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). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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[sup+] - P and P[sup+] - N junctions is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An instrumentation based on a silicon monolithic array of 60 photon counters [single-photon avalanche diode array (SPADA)] for state-of-the-art measurements of fast transient phenomena and adaptive optics (AO) is presented. The fabricated solid-state photon counters are rugged, easy to be integrated in the optical system, free from read-out noise, and provide very fast frame rates (> 10 kHz) and nanosecond electronic gating. The detection electronics includes an integrated active-quenching circuit (AQC) for each pixel of the array. The real-time data- processing board is implemented into a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and a digital signal processor (DSP) and is configurable for dealing with different applications: acquisition and processing of two-dimensional (2-D) images with fast frame rate and extraction of the curvature wavefront for adaptive optics applications. The optical and electrical characterization of the detectors and the associated electronics is reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]