Characterization of a light fiber tracker prototype with SiPM array readout

One of the goals of the new generation satellite-borne experiments is the detection of low-energy cosmic rays. This kind of measurements can help to understand the mechanisms behind solar flares and other space weather phenomena, which can affect satellite communications and power grids on Earth. A tracker based on plastic scintillating fibers equipped with silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) represents a viable option for this kind of detectors. We designed a tracker prototype to investigate the performance of fibers with different diameters, readout with SiPMs with different strip pitches and equipped with a custom front-end board. We report on the characterization of the prototype and we discuss the efficiency measurements performed with the fiber tracker prototype and their implications in the design of the tracker of space borne satellites.