Characterization of blue sensitive 3 × 3 mm2 SiPMs and their use in PET

Three types of SiPMs (Silicon Photomultiplier) with an active area of 3 ? 3?mm2 manufactured by KETEK with cell sizes of 50 ?m (PM3350), 60 ?m (PM3360) and 75 ?m (PM3375) have been investigated. All devices have optical trenches in between the cells to suppress direct crosstalk. Their breakdown voltage at room temperature is about 23 V and the gain at an overvoltage Uover = 3.4 V is > 6?106. The temperature variation of the breakdown voltage is 1.7 V. The photodetection efficiency (PDE) at 420 nm and Uover = 3.4 V is 51% for PM3350, 55% for PM3360 and 58% for PM3375. At Uover = 3.4 V, the dark count rates are < 470 kHz/mm2 at 20?C and the afterpulse probability is < 9% at ?20?C. Single photon timing of 230 ps FWHM for PM3350, 320 ps for PM3360 and 375 ps for PM3375 have been achieved. To test their performance in PET (Positron Emission Tomography), energy spectra of 22Na with LYSO (Lutetium Yttrium Oxyorthosilicate, Lu1.8Y.2SiO5:Ce) and GAGG (Gadolinium Aluminum Gallium Garnet, Gd3(Ga,Al)5O15:Ce) scintillators with a size of 2 ? 2?6?mm3 have been acquired. The saturation corrected energy resolution (FHWM) at 511 keV was with LYSO 12.3% for PM3350, 13.4% for PM3360, 12.4% for PM3375 and with GAGG 10.8% for PM3350. Coincidence timing (FWHM) at Uover = 3.4 V was with LYSO 174 ps for PM3350, 178 ps for PM3360, 157 ps for PM3375 and with GAGG 430 ps for PM3350.