Abstract
Background Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are emerging as promising photodetectors for bathymetric Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) because of their high photon detection efficiency (PDE), single-photon sensitivity, and low operating voltage. However, the limited fill factor of conventional surface-pixel SiPMs reduces their detection efficiency. This study evaluates the performance of a newly developed buried-pixel SiPM for bathymetric LIDAR applications. Methods The electrical and optical characteristics of the buried-pixel MAPD-3NM-II were experimentally investigated and compared with those of the commercial surface-pixel MPPC S12572-010P. Breakdown voltage, internal gain, and photon detection efficiency were measured using a pulsed single-photon counting technique with a 530 nm pulsed laser under identical overvoltage and equal-gain conditions. Results The MAPD-3NM-II exhibited a breakdown voltage of 52.3 V, compared with 68 V for the MPPC S12572-010P. At an overvoltage of 4 V, the MAPD-3NM-II achieved an internal gain of 1.2 × 10
5
, whereas the MPPC reached 8.5 × 10
4
. Under identical operating conditions, the MAPD-3NM-II demonstrated a photon detection efficiency of 32%, compared with 8% for the commercial detector. At equal internal gain, the MAPD-3NM-II maintained a PDE of 32%, while the MPPC reached 9.5%. The improved performance is attributed to the buried-pixel architecture with a 100% fill factor, which increases the effective photosensitive area and enhances photon collection. Conclusions The buried-pixel MAPD-3NM-II demonstrated superior photon detection efficiency and internal gain compared with the commercial surface-pixel MPPC S12572-010P. These results indicate that buried-pixel SiPM technology is a promising candidate for bathymetric LiDAR systems and other applications requiring highly sensitive photon detection.