Silicon photomultipliers are semiconductor light detectors, capable of detecting single photons. They are made of a matrix of single-photon avalanche diodes connected in parallel. They are a lot smaller than normal photomultiplier tubes, insensitive to magnetic field, have lower production prices and can be operated at lower voltages. There is a tendency for silicon photomultipliers to be used in radiation environments such as high energy physics experiments. In the field of the influence of radiation damage on the detection of individual photons with silicon photomultipliers, not many studies have been done yet. In this masters thesis, I investigated the influence of irradiation of silicon photomultipliers with neutrons and the influence of heating silicon photomultipliers on the elimination of radiation damage. I investigated the effect of radiation on the breakdown voltage and on the bility to detect an individual photon. After irradiation, each cell was heated at 100 °C for five consecutive weeks and monitored the recovery of silicon photomultipliers after each week.
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