Performance of Silicon photomultipliers at low temperatures

TL;DR

This study experimentally characterizes Silicon photomultipliers across a broad cryogenic temperature range, revealing their operational stability, effects of temperature on performance parameters, and limitations at specific low temperatures.

Contribution

It provides new empirical data on SiPM performance at cryogenic temperatures, including effects of thermal cycling and the identification of a tunneling breakdown at 20-30 K.

Findings

SiPMs operate effectively from 90 mK to 40 K

Thermal cycling does not degrade SiPM performance

A tunneling breakdown limits operation at 20-30 K

Abstract

We present experimental results of characterization of Silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) in a temperature range from 90~mK to 40~K. Two SiPMs, one from ONSEMI and one from Hamamatsu Photonics were tested. Operating voltage ranges, dark count rates, afterpulsing effects and photon detection efficiencies (PDE) were determined with illumination by 275 and 470~nm light fed into the cryostat via an optical fiber. A cryogenic shutter provided a true dark condition, where thermal radiation from room temperature is shielded and the thermal excitations in the chips are frozen. A second tunneling breakdown was observed at this condition, which substantially limits the operating voltage range for the temperatures 20-30 K. Below $\sim$5 K, both SiPMs recover to an operating over-voltage range of 3-5 V. We found the chips function through the entire tested temperature range, and are capable of withstanding thermal cycling with no major performance degradation.