Test of Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM) at Liquid Nitrogen

Temperature

Yura Efremenko, Vince CianciolonEDM CalTech Meeting

02/14/2007

SiPM – Principle of Operation

Topology Electric field distribution in epitaxial layer

The pixel size – 32x32 μm2

Total number of pixels – 576 for 1x1 mm photodetector

Real topology is patented and

different from it

SiPM

We use standard 42V green sensitive 1_mm SiPM without any extra

modification for low temperature operation

SiPM was connected to the

readout electronics via following preamplifier

SiPM

1mm

Experimental Setup

Cryostat with SiPM

Blue LED

Optical fiber to SiPM

Control ComputerCAMAC DAQ

Signal from SiPM

Pulse generator

Note: the LED and the SiPM wavelengths were not optimized, but we were looking for a relative measurement.

Protocol

•All equipment was setup and debugged at room temperature

•Liquid nitrogen (-1950C) was added into cryostat

•SiPM actually was not inside liquid nitrogen but in its vapor

•With remote probe it was verified that SiPM temperature is actually at –1950C

•System let alone for extended period of time

•After a day all nitrogen boiled out and temperature stat to come back to the room temperature.

Result for Light sensitivity

Horizontal axes on both plots are signal amplitude in .25 pC.

Upper: -195OCLower: room temperature

One can see strong improvement in both light sensitivity and single photon detection resolution at colder temperatures

On upper plot (-195OC) up to 11 individual photons can be seen

The mean increases twice as much as the gain, suggesting an increase in the quantum efficiency of two times.

Gain increases by x1.8

Room temperature

Liquid Nitrogen

Mean increases by x3.6

Transition from Cold to Room TemperatureHorizontal axis time, hours.

Upper plot: dark rate HzSingle photon noise rate ~ 10 kHz.

Lower plot: signal charge, in 0.25 pC.

One can clearly see that noise was lower and gain was higher at low temperature.

Between 15 and 23 hour, SiPM was illuminated by ambient light to test its recovery back to single photon regime after exposure to strong light. Its performed as expected

One possibility for nEDM Light Readout w/SiPMs

Inside of mst. cell

TPB impregnated acrylic

WLS fibers

Tyvek coating

Front View Top View

WLS fibers

Clear fibers out to SiPMs

Estimate of #photons• Initially ~ 8350 prompt EUV photons from neutron capture.

– 5470/250 KeV β (764KeV/250 KeV) * 50% [1]• dTPB conversion efficiency (in matrix): 30%• Blue-to-Green conversion efficiency in WLS fibers ~35%

– Assume 8% of area covered w/ WLS fibers, 88% reflectivity for TYVEK– 8% is ~ four 1mm fiber loops/side (32 channels/cell)– Could gain by adding more fiber coverage with resulting increase in # of

channels.• Capture inside WLS fibers: 7%

– Readout both ends.• Attenuation in WLS fibers: 85%

– 3m attenuation length, assume 25 cm average length + few % loss at clear/WLS fiber joint.

• Sensor efficiency: 70%– Guesstimate based on room temperature quantum efficiency of 35% and

observed x2 increase at LN2 temperature. • Total # photons/event: 37

• Paul H. suggested the possibility of multi-clad fibers coated w/ TPB inside the acrylic.

– Could gain ~ x4 in TPB efficiency.– Activation issues?

[1] D.N. McKinsey et al., NIM A516 (2004) 475.

Realistic

Pessimistic

Optimistic

Other Advantages

• Very small power consumption• Small service penetration requirements

– Exactly how much depends on location of preamplifiers.

• Not expected to be affected by magnetic fields.– Should be tested.

Conclusion & To Do

•SiPM performed extremely well ant liquid nitrogen temperature.

•According to all tested parameters its performance did not show any degradation but rather improvement.

•Future tests at even lower temperatures are possible.

•Assembling a setup to make absolute measurement of quantum efficiency.