Silicon Photomultiplier characterization and radiation damage investigation for high energy particle physics applications

Within the framework of the CALICE collaboration, our group has characterized Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) from various producers, in order to enhance the single cell performances of a highly granular analog hadron calorimeter, with particular emphasis on improving the linearity of the response, ensuring environmental stability, calibration portability and reducing the parameters spread among the different channels. As an outcome, new plastic scintillator tiles coupled to KETEK PM1125 SMD SiPM have been commissioned, characterized and mounted on calorimeter modules: details and results of the characterization procedure, together with the performances of the new tile and SiPM design will be discussed. The radiation tolerance to X-rays of KETEK PM1125 is also under investigation. The amount and type of damage caused by irradiation of the devices exposed to 3 kGy and 20 MGy doses will be presented