Silicon photomultiplier current and prospective applications in biological and radiological photonics

This research mainly focused on using the Silicon Photo-Multiplier (SiPM), a miniaturized light solid-state detector, for nuclear measurements and dosimetry applications. SiPMs are very low intensity light sensors, and they are the evolution of the traditional Photo-Multiplier Tubes (PMTs). The aim of this research was exploring the potential of SiPM for application in various nuclear fields. The project consisted in developing two compact readers based on SIPMs for the detection of the signals produced by radiation interactions in luminescent materials. The first application was the realization of a detector based on the use of a plastic scintillator optically coupled with a SiPM. The second application was the realization of a luminescence reader for passive dosimeters based on LED stimulation and on SiPM for detection.