Time-gated operation as an effective method to reduce the threshold event of SiPMs

• A CMOS SiPM detector with a total sensitive area of 1 mm2 is presented.
• The SiPM is operated in the time-gated mode to reduce the sensed noise.
• The number of cells available for detection is increased with short gated-on periods.
• The threshold event is reduced with short gated-on periods.

The silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) is a novel detector technology that has undergone a fast development in the last few years owing to its notable advantages, which comprise single-photon resolution and ultra-fast response time. However, the typical high dark count rates of the sensor may prevent the detection of low-intensity radiation fluxes. In this article, the time-gated operation with short active periods in the nanosecond range is proposed as a solution to reduce the number of cells fired due to noise in those application fields that function under a trigger command, such as gated fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy.