Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM) & Multi-Pixel Photon Counters (MPPC)
The silicon photomultiplier, which is also referred to as a multi-pixel photon counter, uses the technique whereby an array of CMOS compatible photon counting (Geiger mode) photodiodes, each with an integrated quench circuit, are connected together in parallel on a single piece of silicon. An incident photon on any photodiode produces a pulse of current at the sensor output. The total output is the sum of all individual current pulses from each photodiode detecting a photon at a moment in time. The output current is thus proportional to the incident photon flux. At one million, the total SiPM gain is significantly higher than that of a normal APD which is typically near 100. This novel device combines the main advantages of conventional silicon APDs — namely small size, low voltage operation, and robustness — with the main advantages of PMTs, namely high gain, sensitivity, and stability. Listed below are some of the more common SiPM and MPPC arrays available today from Ketek, Broadcom, SensL, and Hamamatsu.
Hamamatsu S13615-1025N-08 8 x 8 Array
This latest series of new MPPCs from Hamamatsu is a 8 x 8 array of detectors available with 1.0 mm square photosensitive area per detector and 25um micropixel pitch. They are used in PET, SPECT, and high energy physics.
On Semiconductor ArrayJ-60035-64P 8 x 8 Array
The latest array technology released by On Semiconductor. It is an 8 x 8 Array of ArrayJ-60035 on PCB with individual pixel fast and standard readout. The array is four side tilable.
Ketek PA3325-WB-0808 8 x 8 Array
Ketek’s most recent entry into the market for SiPM arrays is the PA3325-WB-0808. The device is a 64 element 8 x 8 array comprised of 3.0 mm square elements having a 25um microcell size. It has excellent timing properties and high photon detection efficiency making it a good choice for PET and SPECT applications.
Hamamatsu S13361-3050NE-08 8 x 8 Array
This MPPC from Hamamatsu is a 8 x 8 array of detectors available with 3.0 mm square photosensitive area per detector and 50um micropixel pitch. They are used in PET, SPECT, and high energy physics.
Broadcom AFBR-S4N44P163 4 x 4 Array
The AFBR-S4N44P163 from Broadcom is a 4×4 pixel silicon photo multiplier (SiPM) array for the ultra-sensitive precision counting of single photons. The device makes efficient use of surface area by using through silicon via (TSV) technology, allowing for a high packing density without wires. Larger detector areas can be covered by tiling multiple arrays almost without edge losses. The detector has a broad response in the visible light spectrum with particular optimization towards blue and near UV light. A thin glass layer highly transparent down to UV wavelength protects the array, making it well suited for the detection of scintillation or Cherenkov light from the most common scintillators, such as LSO, LYSO, GSO, BGO, NaI, CsI, BaF, LaBr.
On Semiconductor ArrayJ-30035-16P 4 x 4 Array
This latest array from On Semiconductor is offered in a 35 um micropixel sizes. It is a 4 x 4 array of 3mm square pixels on a PCB with individual pixel fast and standard readout.
Hamamatsu S13361-3050AE-04 4 x 4 Array
This MPPC from Hamamatsu is a 4 x 4 array of detectors available with 3.0 mm square photosensitive area per detector and 50um micropixel pitch. They are used in PET, SPECT, and high energy physics.
Hamamatsu S11064 4 x 4 Array
This series MPPCs from Hamamatsu is a 4 x 4 array of detectors available with either 3,600 or 14,400 pixels per detector. They are high gain, Geiger mode APDs that have excellent time resolution and photon detection efficiency. They find uses in biomedical fluorescence detection, fluorescence lifetime measurements, confocal microscopes, PET, SPECT, and high energy physics.