Performance and Applications of Silicon Photomultipliers for Detecting Particulate Radiations

Traditional neutron detection technologies are limited in terms of sensitivity, compactness, and response time. In such detection systems, PMTs have been the dominant option. Instead of the traditional PMTs, SiPMs offer high sensitivity, compact size, and fast response time. In the current study, SiPM principles of operation as well as its most important characteristics, such as noise rate, gain, and response time, have been investigated and discussed. Furthermore, we are proposing a technique for neutron detection based on a converter material placed on/in a scintillating medium where the induced light due to neutron interaction reads out with SiPMs. Such a technology enables the development of low-cost compact detector developments. The detector we are going to illustrate makes use of four SiPM devices, which were attached directly to the ends of a well-polished organic scintillator. This allows choosing events that are strictly coincident between the two sides of the scintillator, reducing erroneous counts. The current study revealed that in order to optimize SiPM gain (≥10⁶), timing performance (≤100 ps), and low dark count (noise rates ≤10 μA), control of the temperature and or operating voltage is essentially important. In the current study, the best achieved time resolution was ~50 ps at 0°C and 1 V over-voltage. The study addresses the neutron detector design considerations, components, assembly method, and the preliminary detector prototype test in lap using beta particles emitted from the available strontium-90 radioactive isotope. Test results revealed that our detector prototype was able to detect and distinguish between different energy β⁻ particles with good detection efficiency.