Investigation of the burst phenomenon in SiPMs at liquid nitrogen temperature

TL;DR

This paper investigates the burst phenomenon in Silicon Photomultipliers at liquid nitrogen temperatures, identifying external triggers and internal sensor mechanisms, notably luminescence from trapping centers caused by ionizing radiation.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the burst effect in SiPMs at cryogenic temperatures, linking it to internal luminescence and external radiation triggers, which was not previously characterized.

Findings

Bursts are caused by luminescence from trapping centers.

External ionizing radiation triggers burst events.

Burst phenomena are distinguishable from dark count rate and correlated noise.

Abstract

Burst effect of Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) at cryogenic temperatures have been discovered few years ago looking at the dark count rate of SiPMs at liquid nitrogen temperatures. Bursts are trains of single signals that happen randomly and are clearly distinguishable from the primary DCR and correlated noise because of their particular time distribution. In this article we describe a detailed study related to both the external causes that triggers bursts and to the phenomenon, internal to the sensor, that produces this dark signals. We related the burst occurrence to the luminescence produced by some trapping centers in the SiPMs when they are excited by ionizing radiation that impinges on the sensor.