The Digital Silicon Photomultiplier

The Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) are the new step in the development of the modern detection structures in the area of low photon flux detection with a unique capability of detection up to the single photons. The Silicon Photomultiplier intrinsically represents a digital signal source on the elementary cell level. The materials and technology of SiPMs are consistent with the modern electronics technology. We present the realization and implementation of a fully digital Silicon Photomultiplier Imager with an enclosed readout and processing on the basis of modern 3D technology

Silicon Photomultiplier for the Plug & Imaging PET system: Physics, Technological Challenges and Application to Modern Nuclear Medicine

We propose the design of a Silicon Photomultiplier at the 180 nm GLOBALFOUNDRIES BCDLITE CMOS technology node. We perform a characterization of the device, in comparison with other results obtained a CMOS technology node and we investigate the limits and strengths of this approach. Finally we show possible future applications of the SiPM in Nuclear Medicine, in particular to digital positron emission tomography systems

Jupiters radiation belts and their effects on spacecraft

The effects of electron and proton radiation on spacecraft which will operate in the trapped radiation belts of the planet Jupiter are described, and the techniques and results of the testing and simulation used in the radiation effects program are discussed. Available data from the Pioneer 10 encounter of Jupiter are compared with pre-encounter models of the Jupiter radiation belts. The implications that the measured Jovian radiation belts have for future missions are considered

Monolithic Perimeter Gated Single Photon Avalanche Diode Based Optical Detector in Standard CMOS

Since the 1930\u27s photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) have been used in single photon detection. Single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) are p-n junctions operated in the Geiger mode. Unlike PMTs, CMOS based SPADs are smaller in size, insensitive to magnetic fields, less expensive, less temperature dependent, and have lower bias voltages. Using appropriate readout circuitry, they measure properties of single photons, such as energy, arrival time, and spatial path making them excellent candidates for single photon detection. CMOS SPADs suffer from premature breakdown due to the non-uniform distribution of the electric field. This prevents full volumetric breakdown of the device and reduces the detection effciency by increasing the noise. A novel device known as the perimeter gated SPAD (PGSPAD) is adopted in this dissertation for mitigating the premature perimeter breakdown without compromising the fill-factor of the device. The novel contributions of this work are as follows. A novel simulation model, including SPICE characteristics and the stochastic behavior, has been developed for the perimeter gated SPAD. This model has the ability to simulate the static current-voltage and dynamic response characteristics. It also simulates the noise and spectral response. A perimeter gated silicon photomultiplier, with improved signal to noise ratio, is reported for the first time. The gate voltage reduces the dark current of the silicon photomultiplier by preventing the premature breakdown. A digital SPAD with the tunable dynamic range and sensitivity is demonstrated for the first time. This pixel can be used for weak optical signal application when relatively higher sensitivity and lower input dynamic range is required. By making the sensitivity-dynamic range trade-off the same detector can be used for applications with relatively higher optical power. Finally, an array has been developed using the digital silicon photomultiplier in which the dead time of the pixels have been reduced. This digital photomultiplier features noise variation compensation between the pixels

Portable light detectors for bioluminescence biosensing applications: A comprehensive review from the analytical chemist's perspective

Bioluminescence, that is the emission of light in living organisms, has been extensively explored and applied for diverse bioanalytical applications, spanning from molecular imaging to biosensing. The unprecedented technological evolution of portable light detectors opened new possibilities to implement bioluminescence detection into miniaturized devices. We are witnessing a number of applications, including DNA sequencing, reporter gene assays, DNA amplification for point-of care and point-of need analyses relying on BL. Several photon detectors are currently available for measuring low light emission, such as photomultiplier tubes (PMT), charge-coupled devices (CCD), complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS), single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) and smartphone-integrated CMOS. Each technology has pros and cons and several issues, such as temperature dependence of the instrumental specific noise, the power supply, imaging capability and ease of integration, should be considered in the selection of the most appropriate detector for the selected BL application