The aim of this work is an evaluation of MPPC array
characteristics in application for scintillation light readout in
gamma-ray spectrometry. Hamamatsu MPPC array of 4 × 4 channels
format and total area of 12 × 12 mm2 was used as a
light readout device with CsI:Tl, BGO, LSO, LaBr3, NaI:Tl,
CsI:Na, LaCl3, CaF2:Eu, and CdWO4 scintillators. The
measurements presented in this work covered: measurements of the
breakdown voltage for each channel of the MPPC array, selection of
the optimum operating voltage, evaluation of the linearity range of
MPPC response for each of the used crystals, measurements of the
number of photoelectrons per MeV and measurements of the energy
resolution for 661.6 keV γ-rays from 137Cs. The
results of the energy resolution and number of photoelectrons
obtained with the tested MPPC and nine scintillators were compared
to those obtained for the same scintillators with XP2020Q and XP5212
PMTs. The energy resolution data for 661.6 keV γ-rays,
obtained with 12 × 12 × 12 mm3 CsI:Tl, LSO and BGO
scintillators coupled to the tested MPPC are equal to: 6.4%,
9.4% and 9.5%, respectively, and are close to the results
obtained for the same scintillators coupled to the XP2020Q PMT
(6.6%, 9.4% and 10.5%, respectively). The study showed that
light readout by means of an MPPC array produces comparable or even
slightly better (in the case of a proper match of the MPPC and the
scintillator optical surface) results than the XP2020Q PMT readout.