SPIE - Education Photodetectors €“ A Practical Selection Guide SC1277

Many new and trending photonics applications (PET for medical imaging, LiDAR for autonomous vehicles, flow cytometry for medical point-of-care) require the use of photodetectors. This course discusses the selection process of an optimal photodetector from a pool of four (photomultiplier tube, photodiode, avalanche photodiode, and silicon photomultiplier) using the WITS$ methodology. The approach is based on four fundamental properties of light − wavelength (W), intensity (I), temporal behavior (T), and spatial characteristics (S) − and cost ($). After reviewing the basic concepts of the detectors’ optoelectronic characteristics, operation, and noise, the course presents realistic case studies of the selection process for a wide range of experimental setups. Anyone who wants to answer questions such as, “Should I switch from PMT to SiPM?” or “What are the advantages and weaknesses of each photodetector technology?” will benefit from taking this course.