Novel Silicon Photomultipliers for PET Application

Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) with quantum efficiency maximized for a wavelength between 420 and 470 nm have been developed at ITC-irst Trento (Italy), and are being tested for their application in the construction of a ultra high resolution small animal PET tomograph. The devices have an area of 1 mm times 1 mm and 625 microcells. The breakdown voltage is around 30 V, and the gain of the order of 10
⁶
. The intrinsic timing resolution is 70 ps rms at the single photoelectron level. The first tests as readout for scintillators show an energy resolution of 21 % FWHM with Na-22 employing LSO crystals. The first matrices of SiPMs have been produced and are being tested.