SSPM Detector for Polarized Target Scintillator Readout

Nuclear and high-energy physics experiments often require detectors to face harsh environments, such as milli-Kelvin temperatures of a helium dilution refrigerator in high magnetic field of a few Tesla. Photomultipliers will not function in these magnetic fields, and existing silicon photomultipliers lack the integrated electronics and packaging to tolerate these extreme environments; other silicon devices are poorly matched to the detection and readout of these experiments. This project will develop a solid state photomultiplier (SSPM) detector package, based on Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology, that is tolerant of milli-Kelvin temperatures. The detector will be designed for the background suppression of recoil protons by readout of a scintillation material in a polarized target scattering experiment. Phase I will focus on establishing the SSPM detector design for the target application. Phase II will create packaged detectors, which will be tested for readout of polarized scintillation materials. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: Improvements to device packaging should allow application of the SSPM detector concept to a host of nuclear and high-energy experiments, and then to various commercial applications for monitoring radiation.