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Detectors integrated with Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM)
The design and operation of scintillation detectors are shifting to Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) detectors from the traditional Photomultiplier Tube (PMT) due to several major advantages. SiPMs require much less power than PMTs, typically by a factor of 20x – 30x lower operating voltage. SiPMs have a higher photon detection efficiency than PMTs for scintillation light. This creates larger signals with less stochastic and Poisson noise. PMTs are greatly affected by magnetic fields whereas SiPMs are insensitive to magnetic fields. The SiPM is a highly attractive alternative, providing all the benefits of a solid-state sensor while still achieving the low-light detection capabilities of the PMT. Read the interview with Peter Menge.
Saint-Gobain Crystals has developed unique integrated solutions to truly leverage the value of SiPMs.
An underappreciated advantage of SiPMs is that they are discrete and separable, unlike monolithic PMTs. This allows for the usage of fewer SiPMs strategically placed on the crystal surface, striking a balance between system performance and cost. Saint-Gobain can optimize this balance with their experience with scintillation optics and the ability to tailor the detector assembly to match the SiPM configuration.
Saint-Gobain has the SiPM integrated solution to meet your needs, ranging from standard configurations to highly customized applications.
Features/Benefits
- Low-voltage operation - run at 5V in, and use less than 150mW
- Magnetic field insensitivity
- Mechanical robustness
- Temperature gain compensation
- Compactness - Average height reduction for a detector about 4”
- Noise edge (typical): <20 keV for 2"x2" NaI(Tl) at 50°C
- Designed for and successfully evaluated under ANSI N42.34
ANSI N42.34, 2006 Conditions: Section Temperature (-20°C to 50°C) 7.1 Humidity (to 93% relative) 7.3 Moisture & Dust 7.4 Electrostatic Discharge (up to 6kV) 8.1 RF Susceptibility (20V/m @ 80MHz to 2500MHz) 8.2
Design Options
Using our expertise in detector processing, packaging and optical analysis, Saint-Gobain has developed cost-effective solutions to provide excellent performance, including optimization of:
- Number and location of SiPMs for the required performance
- Detector packaging to match SiPM configuration
- Offer SiPM solutions on almost any geometry of scintillator
- Analog output options: Charge Sensitive, I-toV, TTL
- Gain compensation over a wide temperature range
- Option for watertight package and connectors
- Wide range of performance levels (power, resolution, etc.)
Standard Configurations Integrated with SiPM, Pre-amplifier, and High Voltage Power Supply
| Scintillator | Model |
Scintillator Dimensions |
Electronics |
PHR Specifications |
Sales Drawing | Request Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NaI(Tl) | Si38.1NI38.1D80 | 1.5" diameter x 1.5" | I to V Positive | ≤ 8% | 690-1113 | Click here |
| NaI(Tl) | Si38.1NI38.1B80 | 1.5" diameter x 1.5" | Charge Sensitive Positive | ≤ 8% | 690-1119 | Click here |
| NaI(Tl) | Si50.8NI50.8D75 | 2" diameter x 2" | I to V Positive | ≤ 7.5% | 690-1100-16-00 | Click here |
| NaI(Tl) | Si50.8NI50.8B75 | 2" diameter x 2" | Charge Sensitive Positive | ≤ 7.5% | 690-1065-16-00 | Click here |
| NaI(Tl) | Si76.2NI76.2D85 | 3" diameter x 3" | I to V Positive | ≤ 8.5% | 690-1105 | Click here |
| NaI(Tl) | Si76.2NI76.2B85 | 3" diameter x 3" | Charge Sensitive Positive | ≤ 8.5% | 690-1096 | Click here |
| USB | USB OUTPUT ADAPTER, SiPM ANALOG | 690-1071 | Click here | |||
| Scintillator | Model |
Scintillator Dimensions |
Electronics |
PHR Specifications |
Sales Drawing | Request Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NaIL | Si50.8NL50.8D75 | 2" diameter x 2" | I to V Positive | ≤ 7.5% | 690-1081-16-00 | Click here |
| NaIL | Si50.8NL101.6D80 | 2" diameter x 2" | I to V Positive | ≤ 8% | 690-1109 | Click here |
| NaIL | Si76.2NL76.2D85 | 3" diameter x 3" | I to V Positive | ≤ 8.5% | 690-1102 | Click here |
| NaIL | Si50.8X101.6NL101.6D85 | 2" X 4" X 4" | I to V Positive | ≤ 8.5% | TBD | Click here |
| USB | USB OUTPUT ADAPTER, SiPM ANALOG | 690-1071 | Click here | |||
| Scintillator | Model |
Scintillator Dimensions |
Electronics |
PHR Specifications |
Sales Drawing | Request Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaBr3 | Si38.1BL38.1D40 | 1.5" diameter x 1.5" | I to V Positive | ≤ 4% | 690-1118 | Click here |
| Enhanced LaBr | Si38.1BE38.1D35 | 1.5" diameter x 1.5" | I to V Positive | ≤ 3.5% | 690-1142 | Click here |
| Example Model |
Indicates a SiPM based detector |
Diameter or Length in mm | Width in mm | Scintillation Material | Height in mm | Electronics | Specialty Finish | Specified Max Resolution | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Si50.8x101.6NL101.6D85 |
Si |
50.8 | 101.6 | NaIL | 101.6 | D | None | 85 | ||||
| Si50.8NI50.8BW85 | Si | 50.8 |
The absence of a width dimension indicates it is a cylindrical geometry |
NaI(Tl) | 50.8 | B | W | 85 | ||||
|
Si50.8NI50.8B75 |
Si | 50.8 | NaI(Tl) | 50.8 | B | None | 75 | |||||
| Code | Scintillator | Code | Electronics | Code | Finish | Resolution of Cs-137 | ||||||
|
|
NI | NaI(Tl) | B | Analog, CS, P | W | Well |
85 |
≤8.5% | ||||
| NL | NaIL | D | Analog, I-V, P |
X | Other | 75 | ≤7.5% | |||||
| CB | CLLB | - | None | |||||||||
| BE | Enhanced LaBr | |||||||||||
| BL | LaBr3 | |||||||||||
VIDEO
Depending on the application, we are able to adapt and optimize SiPM quantity and layout on the crystal in order to achieve optimum design and performance tradeoffs.