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Architecture-Level Optimization on Digital Silicon Photomultipliers for Medical Imaging.
Franco Bandi1, Victor Ilisie2, Ion Vornicu3
1Organisation Européenne Pour la Recherche Nucléaire, Experimental Physics Department, Esplanade des Particules 1, 1211 Meyrin, Switzerland.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 11, 2022
Summary
Digital silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) offer advanced functionality but face efficiency losses. Optimization of pixel architecture is key to maximizing photon detection efficiency, with an 8% optimum found.
Area of Science:
- Photon detection technologies
- Semiconductor device physics
- Advanced imaging sensors
Background:
- Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) integrate single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs).
- Analog SiPMs prioritize detection efficiency, while digital SiPMs use CMOS technology for added functionality like energy, timestamp, and spatial location detection.
- Digital SiPMs incorporate quenching circuits, pulse logic, and time-to-digital converters, reducing the light-sensitive area and introducing efficiency losses due to pulse pile-up.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key variables affecting photon detection efficiency in digital SiPMs.
- To analyze the impact of SPAD yield, fill factor loss, and spatial/temporal pile-up.
- To explore the benefits of optimized digital SiPMs for applications like molecular imaging.
Main Methods:
- Investigated the relationship between pixel architecture variables and photon detection efficiency.
- Quantified the effects of SPAD yield, fill factor, and pulse pile-up.
- Evaluated optimized small-sized pixels with independent timestamping for molecular imaging.
Main Results:
- Identified critical variables influencing photon detection efficiency in digital SiPMs.
- Determined an optimal pixel design yielding an 8% improvement in photon detection efficiency across various pixel sizes.
- Demonstrated the potential of optimized digital SiPMs for molecular imaging applications.
Conclusions:
- Pixel architecture optimization is crucial for maximizing digital SiPM sensitivity.
- An 8% optimum in photon detection efficiency was identified for digital SiPMs.
- Optimized digital SiPMs with timestamping capabilities show promise for advanced imaging applications.
