High-volume silicon photomultiplier production, performance, and reliability

Abstract

This publication details CMOS foundry fabrication, reliability stress assessment, and packaged sensor test results obtained during qualification of the SensL B-Series silicon photomultiplier (SiPM). SiPM sensors with active-area dimensions of 1, 3, and 6 mm were fabricated and tested to provide a comprehensive review of SiPM performance highlighted by fast output rise times of 300 ps and photon detection efficiency of greater than 41%, combined with low afterpulsing and crosstalk. Measurements important for medical imaging positron emission tomography systems that rely on time-of-flight detectors were completed. Results with LSYO:Ce scintillation crystals of 3 × 3 × 20 mm 3 demonstrated a 225 AE 2-ps coincidence resolving time (CRT), and the fast output is shown to allow for simultaneous acquisition of CRT and energy resolution. The wafer level test results from ∼150 k 3-mm SiPM are shown to demonstrate a mean breakdown voltage value of 24.69 V with a standard deviation of 0.073 V. The SiPM output optical uniformity is shown to be AE10% at a single supply voltage of 29.5 V. Finally, reliability stress assessment to Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) industry standards is detailed and shown to have been completed with all SiPM passing. This is the first qualification and reliability stress assessment program run to industry standards that has been reported on SiPM.

Preclinical positron emission tomography scanner based on a monolithic annulus of scintillator: initial design study

“…DETECT2000 was then used to track the photons in the scintillator, through a simulated 0.2-mm layer of optical coupling gel and finally to the simulated photodetector surfaces that possess the absorption properties of SensL C-series SiPM arrays. 69 The result of the DETECT2000 simulation was a map of the distribution of the photons detected by the SiPM arrays for each annihilation photon interaction in the scintillator. In order to estimate coordinates of the origin of the emitted photons, a rotational transformation was first applied.…”

Pilot Studies With BGO Scintillators Coupled to Low-Noise, Large-Area, SiPM Arrays

“…We have studied two basic types of BGO crystal arrays (Proteus, Ohio, USA) with different pitch coupled to a 12 × 12 C-Series SiPM array MicroFC-30035-SMT from SensL [11]. A configuration providing depth of interaction (DOI) information has also been tested with two blocks of crystal arrays mounted in the staggered arrangement.…”

SensL B-Series and C-Series silicon photomultipliers for time-of-flight positron emission tomography

“…The wavelength varying data was collected using the responsivity method and was confirmed by a direct PDE measurement at a single wavelength to ensure that afterpulse and crosstalk were accounted for. A full description of this technique can be found in [1] which relies on the single electron gain measurement developed by Dolinsky [3] and the ability to directly measure the PDE at specific wavelengths developed by Otte [4] and Eckert [5]. The PDE peak was approximately 420 nm for both C-Series and B-Series.…”

“…Both products have high Photon Detection Efficiency (PDE), with a peak sensitivity corresponding to the spectral peak of Cerium-doped Lutetium-Orthosilicate (LYSO) at 420 nm. B-Series is a mature product and a complete characterization can be found in [1]. C-Series is a new ultra-low noise product which is pin for pin compatible with B-Series and improves on the high PDE of B-Series but with significantly reduced noise measured to be less than 100 kHz/mm 2 at 2.5 V overvoltage.…”