ABSTRACT
Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) have emerged as the solid-state alternative to the vacuum tube photomultiplier tube in a number of scintillation detection applications ranging from medical imaging to radiation detection and isotope identification. The basic theory of the SiPM will be developed from the theory of Geiger-mode operation of single microcells, to arrays of microcells that form the model for the SiPM. The SiPM provides the ability to detect individual photons and provides an output current that is proportional to the number of incident photons. This is a key factor for the read out of the light emission from a scintillation crystal. For the SiPM to be able to detect the photons emitted from scintillation crystals and output current pulses, the following processes must occur: Photon capture and Amplification. The chapter discusses the major sensor parameters that impact the performance characteristics of the SiPM.
