SiPM Development for Astroparticle Physics Applications

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development and characteristics of Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) for astroparticle physics, highlighting their advantages, current limitations, and recent advancements in large-area devices for telescopic applications.

Contribution

It presents recent progress in large-area SiPM development and their application in astroparticle physics instruments, including imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes and space-borne fluorescence detectors.

Findings

Large size SiPMs (9 mm^2 and 25 mm^2) have been developed for telescopic applications.

SiPMs exhibit high quantum efficiency, fast response, and high gain.

Current limitations include high dark current and crosstalk.

Abstract

The SiPM is a novel solid state photodetector which can be operated in the single photon counting mode. It has excellent features, such as high quantum efficiency, good charge resolution, fast response, very compact size, high gain of 106, very low power consumption, immunity to the magnetic field and low bias voltage (30-70V). Drawbacks of this device currently are a large dark current, crosstalk between micropixels and relatively low sensitivity to UV and blue light. In the last few years, we have developed large size SiPMs (9 mm^2 and 25 mm^2) for applications in the imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, MAGIC and CTA, and in the space-borne fluorescence telescope EUSO. The current status of the SiPM development by MPI and MEPhI will be presented.