High-Time Resolved Two-Dimensional Tetra-Lateral Position-Sensitive Silicon Photomultiplier

A 2D tetra-lateral position-sensitive silicon photomultiplier (PS-SiPM) has the advantages of high position and photon-number resolutions and only four readout channels for imaging application. However, its time resolution is limited by the position-dependent transmission time-delay effect. In this letter, we report a method to deduct the time jitter caused by transmission time delay and to significantly improve the time resolution of PS-SiPM. Instrument response function of as low as 177.6 ps (full width at half maximum) and position measured error of 44.5 ± 34.5 μm were obtained at a mean photoelectron number (MPEN) of approximately 14 for the device with active area of 2.77 mm × 2.77 mm and micro-APD cell number of 277 x 277. The single photon position resolution was ~240.7 μm. The position resolution was improved from 214.9 to 19.3 μm when the MPEN increased from 2.3 to 42. Thus, a PS-SiPM with simultaneous high time, position, and photon-number resolutions is realized.