The Light-Trap: A novel concept for a large SiPM-based pixel for Very High Energy gamma-ray astronomy and beyond

Among the main disadvantages of using silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) in large experiments are their limited physical area (increasing the cost and the complexity of the readout of a camera) and their sensitivity to unwanted wavelengths. This explains why photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are still selected for the largest cameras of present and future Very High Energy (VHE) gamma-ray telescopes. These telescopes require photosensors that are sensitive to the fast and dim optical/near-UV Cherenkov radiation emitted due to the interaction of gamma rays with the atmosphere. Here we introduce a low-cost pixel consisting of a SiPM attached to a PMMA disk doped with a wavelength-shifting material, which collects light over a much larger area than standard SiPMs, increases sensitivity to near-UV light and improves background rejection. We also show the measurements performed in the laboratory with a proof-of-concept Light-Trap pixel that is equipped with a 3 × 3 mm2 SiPM collecting light only in the 300–400 nm band, covering an area ∼20 times larger than that of the same SiPM itself. We also present results from simulations performed with Geant4 to evaluate its performance. In addition to VHE astronomy, this pixel could have other applications in fields where detection area and cost are critical.