Amplifier circuit for a silicon-photomultiplier-coupled plastic scintillator detector

Abstract

BackgroundThe silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) is sensitive to environmental noise, its performance is greatly affected by ambient noise.PurposeThis study aims to design a negative-feedback selective amplifier circuit for SiPM coupled plastic scintillator detector to reduce the noise and improve the overall performance of SiPM.MethodsIt is compared with the traditional OPA657 transimpedance feedback amplifier circuit. The circuit consisted of an RC filter input and an integrated operational amplifier AD8014 with advantages of a high gain and low input noise. The CR high-pass filter circuit was used as the comparator signal input to further filter out signal noise and prevent signal reflection from interfering with the amplifier. The experimental circuit is simulated using Micro-cap12 to obtain the relevant circuit parameters. Finally, the dark noise level and signal consistency of a 137Cs source at room temperature was record, and performance of this amplifier circuit for SiPM coupled plastic scintillator detector was compared with that of the traditional OPA657 transimpedance feedback amplifier circuit. [Results and Conclusions] Comparison results show that the proposed circuit effectively filters out ambient noise and exhibits a fast rise time. The output pulse rise time is found to be less than 12 ns, and the dark noise level is observed to be less than 30 mV, which are better than those of the transimpedance amplifier circuit.

Keywords

• sipm
• plastic scintillator
• circuit signal simulation
• dark noise and consistency measurements