Development of a multipurpose light source for SiPM characterization

This thesis deals with the development and initial operation of a multipurpose light source for silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) characterizations. SiPMs are light-detectors for the detection of smallest amounts of light down to single photons. The presented light source is optimized for the measurement of the photon detection efficiency over a broad spectrum even in the UV-range. For this the light source has to provide a constant light flux as well as extremely short light pulses with a length of a few nanoseconds. In order to cover the whole dynamic range of a typical SiPM the light intensity should be adjustable from single photons up to serveral thousand photons perapproximately10 ns and square millimetre. The thesis describes design,operation and performance of the light source and its components. The latter is documented on the basis of several measurements with a reference detector. To take these meas- urements the reference detector has been comprehensively characterized, too.