Silicon photomultipliers embedded in scintillator

A method for manufacturing a solid scintillator having a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) embedded therein, the method comprising:

• heating an organic glass scintillator (OGS) material to a temperature above a glass transition temperature of the OGS material above which the OGS material is in a supercooled or stable liquid state and below which the OGS material is in an amorphous solid state;
• positioning an SiPM with a lead coupled thereto in an interior cavity of a mold, the SiPM having a temperature tolerance above the glass transition temperature of the OGS material;
• flowing liquid OGS material into the mold;
• and
• cooling the OGS material until solid with the SiPM and at least a portion of the lead embedded therein.

A system for manufacturing a solid scintillator with a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) embedded therein, the system comprising:

• a heat source that applies heat to an organic glass scintillator (OGS) material to maintain the OGS material in a liquid state above a glass transition temperature of the OGS material;
• a computing system that controls the heat source;
• a temperature monitor that monitors a temperature of the OGS material and which provides OGS material temperature information to the computing system;
• a mold having an interior cavity that receives amorphous OGS material;
• and
• a SiPM that is placed in the mold and is coupled to a lead that protrudes from the mold and the amorphous OGS material, wherein the SiPM has a temperature tolerance that is higher than the glass transition temperature.