Single photon detection with Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) products
Silicon Photomultipliers are arrays of Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) operated in Geiger mode, designed for the detection of extremely weak light, down to the single photon. Depending on the light source and application, several hundred to thousands of SPADs are connected in parallel to form an SiPM. Each SPAD includes an integrated series resistor which quenches the avalanche and resets the diode for the next incoming photon.
The SiPM signal output is an electrical current proportional to the number of photons hitting the sensor. The main signal features are: very high gain (>1 x 10^6), very fast response and short recovery time.
Application fields are those requiring weak light detection and/or very good timing information. Typical examples are scintillator based detectors and time-of-flight systems. Examples are Medical, IVDx, Automotive LiDAR, Flow Cytometry, Safety & Security, Radiation Spectroscopy, and HEP experiments.
A general introduction to Silicon Photomultipliers can be found here.
Key benefits:
- High Photo Detection Efficiency (PDE)
- High dynamic range
- Low cross-talk
- Low dark count rate
- Short recovery time
Applications:
- X-ray and gamma-ray detection
- Automotive & Industrial LiDAR
- Direct time of flight (dToF)
- Biophotonics
- Nuclear medicine
- Positron emission tomography
- Safety and security
- Physics experiments
Application examples in the field of Life Sciences:
- Flow-Cytometry
- Fluorescence Detection
- Chemiluminescence Detection
- Microscopes
- Laser Scanning Microscopy
- Two-Photon-MIcroscopy
- Fluorescence Microscopy
- PCR Tests und DNA Melting Curve Analysis
- Fluorescence Glucose Biosensors
- Particle Detection
- Bacterial monitoring
Download Whitepaper:
Advancing Photon Detection in Life Sciences: SiPMs vs. PMTs
Are you still relying on traditional PMTs for your critical detection needs?
In the evolving landscape of photon detection, Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) are redefining performance standards for life science applications. Our comprehensive whitepaper provides a rigorous technical exploration of how SiPMs are transforming critical detection methodologies.
Key technical insights include:
- Photon detection efficiency: Up to 65% detection capability, significantly outperforming traditional PMTs
- Unprecedented dynamic range: Photon flux measurement across 12 orders of magnitude
- Advanced signal characteristics: Substantially reduced excess noise factor
- Architectural optimization: Simplified system design with voltage requirements <50V
Critical application domains:
- Laser scanning and fluorescence microscopy
- Flow cytometry
- Fluorescence lifetime imaging
- Microplate readers
For research teams and engineering professionals seeking to push the boundaries of detection technology, this whitepaper offers essential insights into next-generation photon sensing.
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Further reading
Discover 3 reference links to external scientific sites:
- Timing advances of commercial divalent-ion co-doped LYSO:Ce and SiPMs in sub-100 ps time-of-flight positron emission tomography
- 16-channel SiPM high-frequency readout with time-over-threshold discrimination for ultrafast time-of-flight applications
- Characterization of external optical crosstalk reduction for SiPM-based scintillation detectors with an optical bandpass filter
Application notes
- AFBR-S4EP001: NIR30 SiPM Evaluation Kit NEW
- AFBR-S4P11P012R: NIR30 SiPM Electro-Optical Performance Parameter Correlation NEW
- AFBR-S4E001 NUV-MT SiPM Evaluation Kit NEW
- AFBR-S4NXX SiPM waveform and bandwidth consideration NEW
- AFBR-S4NxxPyy4M SiPM characteristics for PMT users NEW
- AFBR-S4NxxPyy4M: NUV-MT Soldering
- AFBR-S4NxxPyy4M: SiPM Dynamic Range, Linearity, and Saturation
- AFBR-S4NxxPyy4M: Single-Photon Measurements
- AFBR-S4NxxPyy4M: NUV-MT SiPM Performance Correlation
- AFBR-S4XX: Working with Broadcom SiPMs
- AFBR-S4XX: Brief Introduction to Silicon Photomultipliers
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