Towards the development of a SiPM-based camera for the Cherenkov Telescope Array

The Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) is involved in the development of a prototype for a camera based on Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), a new generation of telescopes for ground-based gamma-ray astronomy. In this framework, an R&D program within the 'Progetto Premiale TElescopi CHErenkov made in Italy (TECHE.it)' for the development of SiPMs suitable for Cherenkov light detection in the Near-Ultraviolet (NUV) has been carried out. The developed device is a NUV High-Density (NUV-HD) SiPM based on a micro cell of 30 μm × 30 μm and an area of 6 mm × 6 mm, produced by Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK). A full characterization of the single NUV-HD SiPM will be presented. A matrix of 8 × 8 single NUV-HD SiPMs will be part of the focal plane of the Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope prototype (pSCT) for CTA. An update on recent tests on the detectors arranged in this matrix configuration and on the front-end electronics will be given.