Compact Back-End Electronics with Temperature Compensation and Efficient Data Management for In Situ SiPM-Based...

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Instrumentation
• Radiation Detection Technology
• Embedded Systems

Background:

• Remote radiation detection requires compact, stable, and efficient systems.
• Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) offer high sensitivity but require precise signal processing and temperature management.
• Existing systems may lack integrated data management and wireless capabilities for in situ applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a compact back-end interface for SiPMs enabling remote beta and gamma radiation detection.
• To implement Zener diode-based temperature compensation for stable SiPM performance.
• To create an efficient data management system for wireless data access and in situ characterization.

Main Methods:

• Developed a compact (46 mm diameter) back-end interface for SiPMs with Zener diode temperature compensation.
• Implemented a trapezoidal peak shaping algorithm on an FPGA for pulse processing.
• Utilized MySQL database storage for periodic spectra data and wireless access via Wi-Fi.
• Optimized shaper coefficients using LED blink tests for improved spectral resolution.
• Tested the system with NaI(Tl) scintillators and various sealed radioactive sources (Co-60, Cs-137, Na-22, Am-241).

Main Results:

• Achieved a peak efficiency of 27.09 ± 0.13% for Am-241 (59.54 keV gamma peak).
• Obtained a minimum energy resolution (Delta E/E) of 4.27 ± 1.16% for Co-60 (1332.5 keV gamma peak).
• Demonstrated successful remote data acquisition and in situ characterization capabilities.

Conclusions:

• The developed compact system effectively enables remote detection of beta and gamma radiation with SiPMs.
• Zener diode temperature compensation and FPGA-based signal processing ensure reliable performance.
• The integrated data management system facilitates efficient wireless data access for in situ applications.