Dynamic Range of SiPMs with High Pixel Densities

TL;DR

This paper explores the response characteristics of high pixel density SiPMs across a wide dynamic range, combining experimental measurements with simulations to improve accuracy in high-energy detection scenarios.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive experimental and simulation approach to characterize SiPMs with high pixel densities and develop correction methods for saturation effects.

Findings

Simulations matched experimental laser light responses, showing similar nonlinearity trends.

Multi-firing effects in simulations increased photon counts for scintillation light.

The derived response correction method improves measurement accuracy in high-energy events.

Abstract

This study investigates the characteristics of Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) with different pixel densities, focusing on their response across a wide dynamic range. Using an experimental setup that combines laser source and photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) for accurate light intensity calibration, we evaluated SiPMs with pixel counts up to 244,719 and pixel sizes down to 6 micrometers. To complement the experimental findings, a "Toy Monte Carlo" was developed to replicate the SiPMs' reponses under different lighting conditions, incorporating essential parameters such as pixel density and photon detection efficiency. The simulations aligned well with the experimental results for laser light, demonstrating similar nonlinearity trends. For BGO scintillation light, the simulations, which included multi-firing effect of pixels, showed significantly higher photon counts compared to the laser simulations. Furthermore, the simulated response derived in this research offer a method to correct for SiPM saturation effect, enabling accurate measurements in high-energy events even with SiPMs having a limited number of pixels.