Breakdown voltage and triggering probability of SiPM from IV curves

This work presents a model describing the IV characteristics of SiPM detectors allowing to easily determine important physical parameters like breakdown voltage VBD and triggering probability PGeiger. The proposed model provides a good description of experimental data taken with SiPMs of different technologies (i.e. Hamamatsu HPK, KETEK) and geometries. Good agreement over a very wide range of current (i.e. 10-11A up to 10-4A) was observed between the experimental and calculated values. Silvaco TCAD simulation tool was used to acquire further insights into the physics behind the IV current and to identify the different components of DC current (i.e. Shockley-Read-Hall thermal generated carriers, trap-assisted and band-to-band tunneling). The results of our model are shown to be in good agreement with VBD and PGeiger determined from AC measurements.