Silicon Photomultiplier characterization on board a satellite in Low Earth Orbit

LEVY; M.BARELLA, F.GOLMAR, P.LEVY ET AL.

Bari, Italia, October 2019, 2019.

Workshop; SiPM workshop: from fundamental research to industrial applications; 2019

INFN

AbstractThe LabOSat collaboration (acronym for ?Laboratory On a Satellite?) aims to increase the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) ofelectronic devices and components for space-borne applications. We have developed a single-board electronic platform which isable to operate in space conditions. This board harbors Devices Under Test and performs electric experiments on them. Since 2014,we have participated in six satellite missions (Satellogic small satellites) in Low Earth Orbits, in which we studied the performanceof electronic devices such as resistive switching memories and dosimeters based on field-effect transistors.In this work we present our efforts to increase the TRL of Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). In early 2019 we have integrated four6-mm SiPMs into a 40-kg satellite to study their performance in space. Each SiPM was encapsulated into individual light-tightaluminum housings, which included LEDs for excitation. The SiPMs and the LEDs are operated in DC current mode. Besidesthe SiPMs current and voltage measurements, the experiment also collects telemetry parameters like temperature, timestamp andorbital position.