Dark Current in Silicon Photomultiplier Pixels: Data and Model

The dark current behavior of the pixels forming the Si photomultiplier as a function of the applied overvoltage and operation temperature is studied. The data are modeled by assuming that dark current is caused by current pulses triggered by events of diffusion of single minority carriers injected from the peripheral boundaries of the active area depletion layer and by thermal emission of carriers from Shockley-Read-Hall defects in the active area depletion layer.