DocumentCode :
2619236
Title :
Silicon photo-multiplier readouts for scintillators in high-energy astronomy
Author :
Bloser, Peter F. ; Legere, Jason S. ; Bancroft, Christopher M. ; McConnell, Mark L. ; Ryan, James M.
Author_Institution :
Space Science Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 USA
fYear :
2008
fDate :
19-25 Oct. 2008
Firstpage :
727
Lastpage :
731
Abstract :
New scintillator materials have recently been shown to hold great potential for low-cost, reliable gamma-ray detectors in high-energy astronomy. New devices for the detection of scintillation light promise to make scintillator-based instruments even more attractive by reducing mass and power requirements. In particular, silicon photo-multipliers (SiPMs) are starting to become commercially available that offer gains and quantum efficiencies similar to those of photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs), but with greatly reduced mass, high ruggedness, low voltage requirements, and no sensitivity to magnetic fields. We have conducted laboratory tests of a sample of commercially available SiPMs coupled to LaBr3:Ce, a scintillator of relevance to future high-energy astrophysics missions. We present results for gamma-ray spectroscopy, compare the SiPM performance to that of a PMT, and discuss the extent to which SiPMs offer significant advantages for scintillator-based space missions.
Keywords :
Astronomy; Gamma ray detectors; Instruments; Laboratories; Low voltage; Magnetic fields; Materials reliability; Silicon; Solid scintillation detectors; Testing;
fLanguage :
English
Publisher :
ieee
Conference_Titel :
Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record, 2008. NSS '08. IEEE
Conference_Location :
Dresden, Germany
ISSN :
1095-7863
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-2714-7
Electronic_ISBN :
1095-7863
Type :
conf
DOI :
10.1109/NSSMIC.2008.4774554
Filename :
4774554
Link To Document :
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