# Studies on a silicon-photomultiplier-based camera for Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes

## TL;DR

This paper explores the development of a silicon photomultiplier-based camera for Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes, aiming to enhance sensitivity and reduce costs compared to traditional photomultiplier tubes.

## Contribution

It presents a novel SiPM-based module design for IACTs, including simulation studies to optimize performance and integration with existing telescope systems.

## Key findings

- SiPMs show potential for higher photon detection efficiency than PMTs.
- Design solutions balance performance with minimal impact on telescope camera design.
- Simulations indicate improved light throughput with SiPM integration.

## Abstract

Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) represent a class of instruments which are dedicated to the ground-based observation of cosmic VHE gamma ray emission based on the detection of the Cherenkov radiation produced in the interaction of gamma rays with the Earth atmosphere. One of the key elements of such instruments is a pixelized focal-plane camera consisting of photodetectors. To date, photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) have been the common choice given their high photon detection efficiency (PDE) and fast time response. Recently, silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are emerging as an alternative. This rapidly evolving technology has strong potential to become superior to that based on PMTs in terms of PDE, which would further improve the sensitivity of IACTs, and see a price reduction per square millimeter of detector area. We are working to develop a SiPM-based module for the focal-plane cameras of the MAGIC telescopes to probe this technology for IACTs with large focal plane cameras of an area of few square meters. We will describe the solutions we are exploring in order to balance a competitive performance with a minimal impact on the overall MAGIC camera design using ray tracing simulations. We further present a comparative study of the overall light throughput based on Monte Carlo simulations and considering the properties of the major hardware elements of an IACT.