Jie's Abstract

Abstract

Temperature could be a important factor in determining the suitability of the new solid-state photon detectors in replacing the older photomultiplier tubes in the GlueX particle physics Lab. This experiment tests the dark rate and the signal strength of the SSPM - 0606BG4MM - PCB SiPM (Silicon Photomultiplier) to find out the range of the temperatures that it could function at and find its optimal operating temperature. Photons from a blue-green LED were filtered and the signal was picked up by the detector. The temperature was then adjusted to test the ability of the SiPM to function under different circumstances. The resulting data was then de-convoluted and it can be determined that lower temperatures cause significantly lower dark rates.

(Should I mention anything about the SiPM's ability to detect single photons and the peaks that we were trying to find when I was working in your lab this summer?)

• appeal to a broader physics context.

THEORY!!

• seeing the thermal excitations "1 at a time"