Abstract

The novel Hamamatsu Multi-Pixel Photon Counter (MPPC) 512045(X) is an array of 16 individual 3 x 3 mm(2) MPPC devices each with 3600 Geiger-mode Avalanche Photodiode pixels of 50 x 50 mu m(2). Each MPPC in the array operates at a reverse bias of approximately 70 V. This paper summarizes our characterization of MPPC arrays used in the GlueX experiment in Hall D at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab). We studied the main features of each of the 16 MPPC array channels for 2800 MPPC arrays at several different temperatures. Two measurement stations were built to extract gain, breakdown voltage, photon detection efficiency, optical crosstalk and dark rate for each of the 44 800 MPPC array channels at each temperature setting. The hardware and the data analysis are described, and new analytical expressions for the mean number of photoelectrons and optical crosstalk are presented, as well as systematic trends of the performance parameters. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved