Scintillation and Cherenkov light detection with a 3 mm × 3mm Silicon PhotoMultiplier

Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM), known also as Multi Pixel Photon Counters (MPPC) are very promising solid-state photodetectors, working in the Geiger regime, with single photoelectron sensitivity. Low-light-level detection was investigated with a 3 mm × 3 mm MPPC by Hamamatsu, optically coupled with scintillators and Cherenkov acrylic radiators. Its performances were studied with a β-source, under different operating conditions. During the tests, the MPPC gain was stabilized using a temperature dependent feed-back loop on the operating voltage. The results of the tests are discussed.