We present a generic framework for the simulation of Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) which enables detailed modelling of the SiPM response using basic SiPM parameters and geometry as an input. Depending on the specified SiPM properties which can be
determined from basic characterisation measurements, the simulation generates the signal charge and pulse shape for arbitrary incident light pulse distributions. The simulation has been validated in the whole dynamic range for a Hamamatsu S10362-11-100C MPPC and was used to study the effect of different noise sources like optical cross-talk and after-pulsing on the response curve and the photon-counting resolution.
This paper describes an experimental setup that has been developed to measure and characterise properties of Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM). The measured SiPM properties are of general interest for a multitude of potential applications and comprise
the Photon Detection Efficiency (PDE), the voltage dependent cross-talk and the after-pulse probabilities. With the described setup the absolute PDE can be determined as a function of wavelength covering a spectral range from 350 to 1000nm. In addition, a method is presented which allows to study the pixel uniformity in terms of the spatial variations of sensitivity and gain. The results from various commercially available SiPMs - three HAMAMATSU MPPCs and one SensL SPM - are presented and compared.
