Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy and Imaging with SiPMs Readout of Scintillators: Front-End Electronics and Position Sensitivity Algorithms

Abstract

AbstractThis is an introductory article to the topics more widely discussed in the PhD thesis from the same author. Following a short introduction and the motivations for researching innovative gamma-ray detector systems, this article describes a novel 85 dB dynamic range per channel integrated circuit for SiPM charge signal readout, named GAMMA, and the custom FPGA-based readout system. Experimental results presented in this article, obtained using a planar array of NUV-HD SiPMs, encompass the single-photon sensitivity achieved by GAMMA ASIC and the 2.6% resolution at the 137Cs peak emission energy of 662 keV, when using GAMMA ASIC to collect current signal from a detector array that is coupled to a LaBr3 scintillation crystal. Pixellation of the detector matrix allows for coarse position of interaction sensitivity in the scintillation crystal using machine learning reconstruction algorithms.