High resolution distributed time-to-digital converter (TDC) in a White Rabbit network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Weibin; Gong, Guanghua; Du, Qiang; Li, Hongming; Li, Jianmin

2014-02-01

The Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) project consists of a complex detector array with over 6000 detector nodes spreading over 1.2 km2 areas. The arrival times of shower particles are captured by time-to-digital converters (TDCs) in the detectors' frontend electronics, the arrival direction of the high energy cosmic ray are then to be reconstructed from the space-time information of all detector nodes. To guarantee the angular resolution of 0.5°, a time synchronization of 500 ps (RMS) accuracy and 100 ps precision must be achieved among all TDC nodes. A technology enhancing Gigabit Ethernet, called the White Rabbit (WR), has shown the capability of delivering sub-nanosecond accuracy and picoseconds precision of synchronization over the standard data packet transfer. In this paper we demonstrate a distributed TDC prototype system combining the FPGA based TDC and the WR technology. With the time synchronization and data transfer services from a compact WR node, separate FPGA-TDC nodes can be combined to provide uniform time measurement information for correlated events. The design detail and test performance will be described in the paper.

Performance Analysis of a Hardware Implemented Complex Signal Kurtosis Radio-Frequency Interference Detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoenwald, Adam J.; Bradley, Damon C.; Mohammed, Priscilla N.; Piepmeier, Jeffrey R.; Wong, Mark

2016-01-01

In the field of microwave radiometry, Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) consistently degrades the value of scientific results. Through the use of digital receivers and signal processing, the effects of RFI on scientific measurements can be reduced depending on certain circumstances. As technology allows us to implement wider band digital receivers for radiometry, the problem of RFI mitigation changes. Our work focuses on finding a detector that outperforms real kurtosis in wide band scenarios. The algorithm implemented is a complex signal kurtosis detector which was modeled and simulated. The performance of both complex and real signal kurtosis is evaluated for continuous wave, pulsed continuous wave, and wide band quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulations. The use of complex signal kurtosis increased the detectability of interference.

Design and theoretical investigation of a digital x-ray detector with large area and high spatial resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gui, Jianbao; Guo, Jinchuan; Yang, Qinlao; Liu, Xin; Niu, Hanben

2007-05-01

X-ray phase contrast imaging is a promising new technology today, but the requirements of a digital detector with large area, high spatial resolution and high sensitivity bring forward a large challenge to researchers. This paper is related to the design and theoretical investigation of an x-ray direct conversion digital detector based on mercuric iodide photoconductive layer with the latent charge image readout by photoinduced discharge (PID). Mercuric iodide has been verified having a good imaging performance (high sensitivity, low dark current, low voltage operation and good lag characteristics) compared with the other competitive materials (α-Se,PbI II,CdTe,CdZnTe) and can be easily deposited on large substrates in the manner of polycrystalline. By use of line scanning laser beam and parallel multi-electrode readout make the system have high spatial resolution and fast readout speed suitable for instant general radiography and even rapid sequence radiography.

A single chip 2 Gbit/s clock recovery subsystem for digital communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hickling, Ronald M.

A self-contained clock recovery/data resynchronizer phase locked loop (PLL) for use in microwave and fiber optic digital communications has been fabricated using GaAs integrated circuit technology. The IC contains the analog and digital components for the PLL: an edge-triggered phase detector based on a 1.2 GHz phase/frequency comparator, an op amp for creating the loop filter, and a VCO based on a differential source-coupled pair amplifier.

High-performance MCT and QWIP IR detectors at Sofradir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reibel, Yann; Rubaldo, Laurent; Manissadjian, Alain; Billon-Lanfrey, David; Rothman, Johan; de Borniol, Eric; Destéfanis, Gérard; Costard, E.

2012-11-01

Cooled IR technologies are challenged for answering new system needs like compactness and reduction of cryo-power which is key feature for the SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) requirements. This paper describes the status of MCT IR technology in France at Leti and Sofradir. A focus will be made on hot detector technology for SWAP applications. Sofradir has improved its HgCdTe technology to open the way for High Operating Temperature systems that release the Stirling cooler engine power consumption. Solutions for high performance detectors such as dual bands, much smaller pixel pitch or megapixels will also be discussed. In the meantime, the development of avalanche photodiodes or TV format with digital interface is key to bringing customers cutting-edge functionalities. Since 1997, Sofradir has been working with Thales and Research Technologies (TRT) to develop and produce Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIP) as a complementary offer with MCT, to provide large LW staring arrays. A dualband MW-LW QWIP detector (25μm pitch 384×288 IDDCA) is currently under development. We will present in this paper its latest results.

An evaluation of the impact of digital imaging on radiographic practice and patient doses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horrocks, J.; Violaki, K.

2015-09-01

Direct digital imaging technology was implemented in all areas in general and mobile radiology at Barts and the Royal London Hospitals in 2012. Evidence from recent radiation incident investigations indicates optimum exposure factors are not consistently selected, with the greater dynamic range of the digital detectors allowing sub-optimal practice. To investigate further patient dose data were extracted from the Radiology Information System for adult chest X-ray examinations in 2014, covering over 50,000 studies in the Trust. Chest X-ray examinations were selected as they are low dose but frequent examinations. The patient dose data were evaluated taking into account X-ray system type and detector performance measurements, and individual cases studies were used to highlight where practice can be improved.

Low Power Camera-on-a-Chip Using CMOS Active Pixel Sensor Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fossum, E. R.

1995-01-01

A second generation image sensor technology has been developed at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a result of the continuing need to miniaturize space science imaging instruments. Implemented using standard CMOS, the active pixel sensor (APS) technology permits the integration of the detector array with on-chip timing, control and signal chain electronics, including analog-to-digital conversion.

A comparison of the performance of modern screen-film and digital mammography systems.

PubMed

Monnin, P; Gutierrez, D; Bulling, S; Lepori, D; Valley, J-F; Verdun, F R

2005-06-07

This work compares the detector performance and image quality of the new Kodak Min-R EV mammography screen-film system with the Fuji CR Profect detector and with other current mammography screen-film systems from Agfa, Fuji and Kodak. Basic image quality parameters (MTF, NPS, NEQ and DQE) were evaluated for a 28 kV Mo/Mo (HVL = 0.646 mm Al) beam using different mAs exposure settings. Compared with other screen-film systems, the new Kodak Min-R EV detector has the highest contrast and a low intrinsic noise level, giving better NEQ and DQE results, especially at high optical density. Thus, the properties of the new mammography film approach those of a fine mammography detector, especially at low frequency range. Screen-film systems provide the best resolution. The presampling MTF of the digital detector has a value of 15% at the Nyquist frequency and, due to the spread size of the laser beam, the use of a smaller pixel size would not permit a significant improvement of the detector resolution. The dual collection reading technology increases significantly the low frequency DQE of the Fuji CR system that can at present compete with the most efficient mammography screen-film systems.

Evaluation of the dark signal performance of different SiPM-technologies under irradiation with cold neutrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durini, Daniel; Degenhardt, Carsten; Rongen, Heinz; Feoktystov, Artem; Schlösser, Mario; Palomino-Razo, Alejandro; Frielinghaus, Henrich; van Waasen, Stefan

2016-11-01

In this paper we report the results of the assessment of changes in the dark signal delivered by three silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) detector arrays, fabricated by three different manufacturers, when irradiated with cold neutrons (wavelength λn=5 Å or neutron energy of En=3.27 meV) up to a neutron dose of 6×1012 n/cm2. The dark signals as well as the breakdown voltages (Vbr) of the SiPM detectors were monitored during the irradiation. The system was characterized at room temperature. The analog SiPM detectors, with and without a 1 mm thick Cerium doped 6Li-glass scintillator material located in front of them, were operated using a bias voltage recommended by the respective manufacturer for a proper detector performance. Iout-Vbias measurements, used to determine the breakdown voltage of the devices, were repeated every 30 s during the first hour and every 300 s during the rest of the irradiation time. The digital SiPM detectors were held at the advised bias voltage between the respective breakdown voltage and dark count mappings repeated every 4 min. The measurements were performed on the KWS-1 instrument of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) in Garching, Germany. The two analog and one digital SiPM detector modules under investigation were respectively fabricated by SensL (Ireland), Hamamatsu Photonics (Japan), and Philips Digital Photon Counting (Germany).

Fast, High-Precision Readout Circuit for Detector Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rider, David M.; Hancock, Bruce R.; Key, Richard W.; Cunningham, Thomas J.; Wrigley, Chris J.; Seshadri, Suresh; Sander, Stanley P.; Blavier, Jean-Francois L.

2013-01-01

The GEO-CAPE mission described in NASA's Earth Science and Applications Decadal Survey requires high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution measurements to monitor and characterize the rapidly changing chemistry of the troposphere over North and South Americas. High-frame-rate focal plane arrays (FPAs) with many pixels are needed to enable such measurements. A high-throughput digital detector readout integrated circuit (ROIC) that meets the GEO-CAPE FPA needs has been developed, fabricated, and tested. The ROIC is based on an innovative charge integrating, fast, high-precision analog-to-digital circuit that is built into each pixel. The 128×128-pixel ROIC digitizes all 16,384 pixels simultaneously at frame rates up to 16 kHz to provide a completely digital output on a single integrated circuit at an unprecedented rate of 262 million pixels per second. The approach eliminates the need for off focal plane electronics, greatly reducing volume, mass, and power compared to conventional FPA implementations. A focal plane based on this ROIC will require less than 2 W of power on a 1×1-cm integrated circuit. The ROIC is fabricated of silicon using CMOS technology. It is designed to be indium bump bonded to a variety of detector materials including silicon PIN diodes, indium antimonide (InSb), indium gallium arsenide (In- GaAs), and mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) detector arrays to provide coverage over a broad spectral range in the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet spectral ranges.

CMOS-TDI detector technology for reconnaissance application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eckardt, Andreas; Reulke, Ralf; Jung, Melanie; Sengebusch, Karsten

2014-10-01

The Institute of Optical Sensor Systems (OS) at the Robotics and Mechatronics Center of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has more than 30 years of experience with high-resolution imaging technology. This paper shows the institute's scientific results of the leading-edge detector design CMOS in a TDI (Time Delay and Integration) architecture. This project includes the technological design of future high or multi-spectral resolution spaceborne instruments and the possibility of higher integration. DLR OS and the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems (IMS) in Duisburg were driving the technology of new detectors and the FPA design for future projects, new manufacturing accuracy and on-chip processing capability in order to keep pace with the ambitious scientific and user requirements. In combination with the engineering research, the current generation of space borne sensor systems is focusing on VIS/NIR high spectral resolution to meet the requirements on earth and planetary observation systems. The combination of large-swath and high-spectral resolution with intelligent synchronization control, fast-readout ADC (analog digital converter) chains and new focal-plane concepts opens the door to new remote-sensing and smart deep-space instruments. The paper gives an overview of the detector development status and verification program at DLR, as well as of new control possibilities for CMOS-TDI detectors in synchronization control mode.

First results of the front-end ASIC for the strip detector of the PANDA MVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quagli, T.; Brinkmann, K.-T.; Calvo, D.; Di Pietro, V.; Lai, A.; Riccardi, A.; Ritman, J.; Rivetti, A.; Rolo, M. D.; Stockmanns, T.; Wheadon, R.; Zambanini, A.

2017-03-01

PANDA is a key experiment of the future FAIR facility and the Micro Vertex Detector (MVD) is the innermost part of its tracking system. PASTA (PAnda STrip ASIC) is the readout chip for the strip part of the MVD. The chip is designed to provide high resolution timestamp and charge information with the Time over Threshold (ToT) technique. Its architecture is based on Time to Digital Converters with analog interpolators, with a time bin width of 50 ps. The chip implements Single Event Upset (SEU) protection techniques for its digital parts. A first full-size prototype with 64 channels was produced in a commercial 110 nm CMOS technology and the first characterizations of the prototype were performed.

Wide-band gas leak imaging detection system using UFPA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Wei-qi; Li, Jia-kun; Dun, Xiong; Jin, Minglei; Wang, Xia

2014-11-01

The leakage of toxic or hazardous gases not only pollutes the environment, but also threatens people's lives and property safety. Many countries attach great importance to the rapid and effective gas leak detection technology and instrument development. However, the gas leak imaging detection systems currently existing are generally limited to a narrow-band in Medium Wavelength Infrared (MWIR) or Long Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) cooled focal plane imaging, which is difficult to detect the common kinds of the leaking gases. Besides the costly cooled focal plane array is utilized, the application promotion is severely limited. To address this issue, a wide-band gas leak IR imaging detection system using Uncooled Focal Plane Array (UFPA) detector is proposed, which is composed of wide-band IR optical lens, sub-band filters and switching device, wide-band UFPA detector, video processing and system control circuit. A wide-band (3µm~12µm) UFPA detector is obtained by replacing the protection window and optimizing the structural parameters of the detector. A large relative aperture (F#=0.75) wide-band (3μm~12μm) multispectral IR lens is developed by using the focus compensation method, which combining the thickness of the narrow-band filters. The gas leak IR image quality and the detection sensitivity are improved by using the IR image Non-Uniformity Correction (NUC) technology and Digital Detail Enhancement (DDE) technology. The wide-band gas leak IR imaging detection system using UFPA detector takes full advantage of the wide-band (MWIR&LWIR) response characteristic of the UFPA detector and the digital image processing technology to provide the resulting gas leak video easy to be observed for the human eyes. Many kinds of gases, which are not visible to the naked eyes, can be sensitively detected and visualized. The designed system has many commendable advantages, such as scanning a wide range simultaneously, locating the leaking source quickly, visualizing the gas plume intuitively and so on. The simulation experiment shows that the gas IR imaging detection has great advantages and widely promotion space compared with the traditional techniques, such as point-contact or line-contactless detection.

A low-power small-area ADC array for IRFPA readout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Shengyou; Yao, Libin

2013-09-01

The readout integrated circuit (ROIC) is a bridge between the infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) and image processing circuit in an infrared imaging system. The ROIC is the first part of signal processing circuit and connected to detectors directly, so its performance will greatly affect the detector or even the whole imaging system performance. With the development of CMOS technologies, it's possible to digitalize the signal inside the ROIC and develop the digital ROIC. Digital ROIC can reduce complexity of the whole system and improve the system reliability. More importantly, it can accommodate variety of digital signal processing techniques which the traditional analog ROIC cannot achieve. The analog to digital converter (ADC) is the most important building block in the digital ROIC. The requirements for ADCs inside the ROIC are low power, high dynamic range and small area. In this paper we propose an RC hybrid Successive Approximation Register (SAR) ADC as the column ADC for digital ROIC. In our proposed ADC structure, a resistor ladder is used to generate several voltages. The proposed RC hybrid structure not only reduces the area of capacitor array but also releases requirement for capacitor array matching. Theory analysis and simulation show RC hybrid SAR ADC is suitable for ADC array applications

High-energy X-ray diffraction using the Pixium 4700 flat-panel detector.

PubMed

Daniels, J E; Drakopoulos, M

2009-07-01

The Pixium 4700 detector represents a significant step forward in detector technology for high-energy X-ray diffraction. The detector design is based on digital flat-panel technology, combining an amorphous Si panel with a CsI scintillator. The detector has a useful pixel array of 1910 x 2480 pixels with a pixel size of 154 microm x 154 microm, and thus it covers an effective area of 294 mm x 379 mm. Designed for medical imaging, the detector has good efficiency at high X-ray energies. Furthermore, it is capable of acquiring sequences of images at 7.5 frames per second in full image mode, and up to 60 frames per second in binned region of interest modes. Here, the basic properties of this detector applied to high-energy X-ray diffraction are presented. Quantitative comparisons with a widespread high-energy detector, the MAR345 image plate scanner, are shown. Other properties of the Pixium 4700 detector, including a narrow point-spread function and distortion-free image, allows for the acquisition of high-quality diffraction data at high X-ray energies. In addition, high frame rates and shutterless operation open new experimental possibilities. Also provided are the necessary data for the correction of images collected using the Pixium 4700 for diffraction purposes.

Development of a High Dynamic Range Pixel Array Detector for Synchrotrons and XFELs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Joel Todd

Advances in synchrotron radiation light source technology have opened new lines of inquiry in material science, biology, and everything in between. However, x-ray detector capabilities must advance in concert with light source technology to fully realize experimental possibilities. X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) place particularly large demands on the capabilities of detectors, and developments towards diffraction-limited storage ring sources also necessitate detectors capable of measuring very high flux [1-3]. The detector described herein builds on the Mixed Mode Pixel Array Detector (MM-PAD) framework, developed previously by our group to perform high dynamic range imaging, and the Adaptive Gain Integrating Pixel Detector (AGIPD) developed for the European XFEL by a collaboration between Deustsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), the Paul-Scherrer-Institute (PSI), the University of Hamburg, and the University of Bonn, led by Heinz Graafsma [4, 5]. The feasibility of combining adaptive gain with charge removal techniques to increase dynamic range in XFEL experiments is assessed by simulating XFEL scatter with a pulsed infrared laser. The strategy is incorporated into pixel prototypes which are evaluated with direct current injection to simulate very high incident x-ray flux. A fully functional 16x16 pixel hybrid integrating x-ray detector featuring several different pixel architectures based on the prototypes was developed. This dissertation describes its operation and characterization. To extend dynamic range, charge is removed from the integration node of the front-end amplifier without interrupting integration. The number of times this process occurs is recorded by a digital counter in the pixel. The parameter limiting full well is thereby shifted from the size of an integration capacitor to the depth of a digital counter. The result is similar to that achieved by counting pixel array detectors, but the integrators presented here are designed to tolerate a sustained flux >1011 x-rays/pixel/second. In addition, digitization of residual analog signals allows sensitivity for single x-rays or low flux signals. Pixel high flux linearity is evaluated by direct exposure to an unattenuated synchrotron source x-ray beam and flux measurements of more than 1010 9.52 keV x-rays/pixel/s are made. Detector sensitivity to small signals is evaluated and dominant sources of error are identified. These new pixels boast multiple orders of magnitude improvement in maximum sustained flux over the MM-PAD, which is capable of measuring a sustained flux in excess of 108 x-rays/pixel/second while maintaining sensitivity to smaller signals, down to single x-rays.

MO-F-CAMPUS-J-03: Development of a Human Brain PET for On-Line Proton Beam-Range Verification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shao, Yiping

Purpose: To develop a prototype PET for verifying proton beam-range before each fractionated therapy that will enable on-line re-planning proton therapy. Methods: Latest “edge-less” silicon photomultiplier arrays and customized ASIC readout electronics were used to develop PET detectors with depth-of-interaction (DOI) measurement capability. Each detector consists of one LYSO array with each end coupled to a SiPM array. Multiple detectors can be seamlessly tiled together to form a large detector panel. Detectors with 1.5×1.5 and 2.0×2.0 mm crystals at 20 or 30 mm lengths were studied. Readout of individual SiPM or signal multiplexing was used to transfer 3D interaction position-codedmore » analog signals through flexible-print-circuit cables or PCB board to dedicated ASIC front-end electronics to output digital timing pulses that encode interaction information. These digital pulses can be transferred to, through standard LVDS cables, and decoded by a FPGA-based data acquisition of coincidence events and data transfer. The modular detector and scalable electronics/data acquisition will enable flexible PET system configuration for different imaging geometry. Results: Initial detector performance measurement shows excellent crystal identification even with 30 mm long crystals, ∼18% and 2.8 ns energy and timing resolutions, and around 2–3 mm DOI resolution. A small prototype PET scanner with one detector ring has been built and evaluated, validating the technology and design. A large size detector panel has been fabricated by scaling up from modular detectors. Different designs of resistor and capacitor based signal multiplexing boards were tested and selected based on optimal crystal identification and timing performance. Stackable readout electronics boards and FPGA-based data acquisition boards were developed and tested. A brain PET is under construction. Conclusion: Technology of large-size DOI detector based on SiPM array and advanced readout has been developed. PET imaging performance and initial phantom studies of on-line proton beam-range measurement will be conducted and reported. NIH grant R21CA187717; Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas grant RP120326.« less

Cross strip anode readouts for microchannel plate detectors: developing flight qualified prototypes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallerga, John; Cooney, M.; Raffanti, R.; Varner, G.; Siegmund, O.; McPhate, J. B.; Tremsin, A.

2014-01-01

Photon counting microchannel plate (MCP) imagers have been the detector of choice for most UV astronomical missions over the last two decades (eg. EUVE, FUSE, COS on Hubble etc.). Over this duration, improvements in the MCP laboratory readout technology have resulted in better spatial resolution (x10), temporal resolution (x 1000) and output event rate (x100), all the while operating at lower gain (x 10) resulting in lower high voltage requirements and longer MCP lifetimes. One such technology is the parallel cross strip (PXS) readout. The PXS anode is a set of orthogonal conducting strips (80 x 80), typically spaced at a 635 micron pitch onto which charge clouds from MCP amplified events land. Each strip has its own charge sensitive amplifier that is sampled continuously by a dedicated analog to digital (ADC) converter at 50MHz. All of the 160 ADC digital output lines are fed into a field programmable gate array (FGPA) which can detect charge events landing on the strips, measure the peak amplitudes of those charge events and calculate their spatial centroid along with their time of arrival (X,Y,T). Laboratory versions of these electronics have demonstrated < 20 microns FWHM spatial resolution, count rates on the order of 2 MHz, and temporal resolution of ~ 1ns. In 2012 the our group at U.C. Berkeley, along with our partners at the U. Hawaii, received a Strategic Astrophysics Technology grant to raise the TRL of the PXS detector from 4 to 6 by replacing most of the 19" rack mounted, high powered electronics with application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) which will lower the power, mass and volume requirements of the PXS detector. We were also tasked to design and fabricate a "standard" 50mm square active area MCP detector incorporating these electronics that can be environmentally qualified for flight (temperature, vacuum, vibration). This detector design could then be modified for individual flight opportunities with a higher level of confidence than starting from scratch. We will present the latest progress on the ASIC designs, fabrication and performance and show imaging results from the 50mm XS detector using our current laboratory PXS electronics.

Design and Test of a 65nm CMOS Front-End with Zero Dead Time for Next Generation Pixel Detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gaioni, L.; Braga, D.; Christian, D.

This work is concerned with the experimental characterization of a synchronous analog processor with zero dead time developed in a 65 nm CMOS technology, conceived for pixel detectors at the HL-LHC experiment upgrades. It includes a low noise, fast charge sensitive amplifier with detector leakage compensation circuit, and a compact, single ended comparator able to correctly process hits belonging to two consecutive bunch crossing periods. A 2-bit Flash ADC is exploited for digital conversion immediately after the preamplifier. A description of the circuits integrated in the front-end processor and the initial characterization results are provided

The SIRIUS mixed analog-digital ASIC developed for the LOFT LAD and WFM instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cros, A.; Rambaud, D.; Moutaye, E.; Ravera, L.; Barret, D.; Caïs, P.; Clédassou, R.; Bodin, P.; Seyler, J. Y.; Bonzo, A.; Feroci, M.; Labanti, C.; Evangelista, Y.; Favre, Y.

2014-07-01

We report on the development and characterization of the low-noise, low power, mixed analog-digital SIRIUS ASICs for both the LAD and WFM X-ray instruments of LOFT. The ASICs we developed are reading out large area silicon drift detectors (SDD). Stringent requirements in terms of noise (ENC of 17 e- to achieve an energy resolution on the LAD of 200 eV FWHM at 6 keV) and power consumption (650 μW per channel) were basis for the ASICs design. These SIRIUS ASICs are developed to match SDD detectors characteristics: 16 channels ASICs adapted for the LAD (970 microns pitch) and 64 channels for the WFM (145 microns pitch) will be fabricated. The ASICs were developed with the 180nm mixed technology of TSMC.

Integrated readout electronics for Belle II pixel detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanco, R.; Leys, R.; Perić, I.

2018-03-01

This paper describes the readout components for Belle II that have been designed as integrated circuits. The ICs are connected to DEPFET sensor by bump bonding. Three types of ICs have been developed: SWITCHER for pixel matrix control, DCD for readout and digitizing of sensor signals and DHP for digital data processing. The ICs are radiation tolerant and use several novel features, such as the multiple-input differential amplifiers and the fast and radiation hard high-voltage drivers. SWITCHER and DCD have been developed at University of Heidelberg, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and DHP at Bonn University. The IC-development started in 2009 and was accomplished in 2016 with the submissions of final designs. The final ICs for Belle II pixel detector and the related measurement results will be presented in this contribution.

Non-Invasive Detection of CH-46 AFT Gearbox Faults Using Digital Pattern Recognition and Classification Techniques

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-05-05

processing and artificial neural network (ANN) technology. The detector will classify incipient faults based on real-tine vibration data taken from the...provided the vibration data necessary to develop and test the feasibility of en artificial neural network for fault classification. This research

DynAMITe: a prototype large area CMOS APS for breast cancer diagnosis using x-ray diffraction measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konstantinidis, A.; Anaxagoras, T.; Esposito, M.; Allinson, N.; Speller, R.

2012-03-01

X-ray diffraction studies are used to identify specific materials. Several laboratory-based x-ray diffraction studies were made for breast cancer diagnosis. Ideally a large area, low noise, linear and wide dynamic range digital x-ray detector is required to perform x-ray diffraction measurements. Recently, digital detectors based on Complementary Metal-Oxide- Semiconductor (CMOS) Active Pixel Sensor (APS) technology have been used in x-ray diffraction studies. Two APS detectors, namely Vanilla and Large Area Sensor (LAS), were developed by the Multidimensional Integrated Intelligent Imaging (MI-3) consortium to cover a range of scientific applications including x-ray diffraction. The MI-3 Plus consortium developed a novel large area APS, named as Dynamically Adjustable Medical Imaging Technology (DynAMITe), to combine the key characteristics of Vanilla and LAS with a number of extra features. The active area (12.8 × 13.1 cm2) of DynaMITe offers the ability of angle dispersive x-ray diffraction (ADXRD). The current study demonstrates the feasibility of using DynaMITe for breast cancer diagnosis by identifying six breast-equivalent plastics. Further work will be done to optimize the system in order to perform ADXRD for identification of suspicious areas of breast tissue following a conventional mammogram taken with the same sensor.

Digital gamma-gamma coincidence HPGe system for environmental analysis.

PubMed

Marković, Nikola; Roos, Per; Nielsen, Sven Poul

2017-08-01

The performance of a new gamma-gamma coincidence spectrometer system for environmental samples analysis at the Center for Nuclear Technologies of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) is reported. Nutech Coincidence Low Energy Germanium Sandwich (NUCLeGeS) system consists of two HPGe detectors in a surface laboratory with a digital acquisition system used to collect the data in time-stamped list mode with 10ns time resolution. The spectrometer is used in both anticoincidence and coincidence modes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review of Fusion Systems and Contributing Technologies for SIHS-TD (Examen des Systemes de Fusion et des Technologies d’Appui pour la DT SIHS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-31

Unlimited, Nivisys, Insight technology, Elcan, FLIR Systems, Stanford photonics Hardware Sensor fusion processors Video processing boards Image, video...Engineering The SPIE Digital Library is a resource for optics and photonics information. It contains more than 70,000 full-text papers from SPIE...conditions Top row: Stanford Photonics XR-Mega-10 Extreme 1400 x 1024 pixels ICCD detector, 33 msec exposure, no binning. Middle row: Andor EEV iXon

Wireless networking for the dental office: current wireless standards and security protocols.

PubMed

Mupparapu, Muralidhar; Arora, Sarika

2004-11-15

Digital radiography has gained immense popularity in dentistry today in spite of the early difficulty for the profession to embrace the technology. The transition from film to digital has been happening at a faster pace in the fields of Orthodontics, Oral Surgery, Endodontics, Periodontics, and other specialties where the radiographic images (periapical, bitewing, panoramic, cephalometric, and skull radiographs) are being acquired digitally, stored within a server locally, and eventually accessed for diagnostic purposes, along with the rest of the patient data via the patient management software (PMS). A review of the literature shows the diagnostic performance of digital radiography is at least comparable to or even better than that of conventional radiography. Similarly, other digital diagnostic tools like caries detectors, cephalometric analysis software, and digital scanners were used for many years for the diagnosis and treatment planning purposes. The introduction of wireless charged-coupled device (CCD) sensors in early 2004 (Schick Technologies, Long Island City, NY) has moved digital radiography a step further into the wireless era. As with any emerging technology, there are concerns that should be looked into before adapting to the wireless environment. Foremost is the network security involved in the installation and usage of these wireless networks. This article deals with the existing standards and choices in wireless technologies that are available for implementation within a contemporary dental office. The network security protocols that protect the patient data and boost the efficiency of modern day dental clinics are enumerated.

Taking digital imaging to the next level: challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Hobbs, W Cecyl

2004-01-01

New medical imaging technology, such as multi-detector computed tomography (CT) scanners and positron emission tomography (PET) scanners, are creating new possibilities for non-invasive diagnosis that are leading providers to invest heavily in these new technologies. The volume of data produced by such technology is so large that it cannot be "read" using traditional film-based methods, and once in digital form, it creates a massive data integration and archiving challenge. Despite the benefits of digital imaging and archiving, there are several key challenges that healthcare organizations should consider in planning, selecting, and implementing the information technology (IT) infrastructure to support digital imaging. Decisions about storage and image distribution are essentially questions of "where" and "how fast." When planning the digital archiving infrastructure, organizations should think about where they want to store and distribute their images. This is similar to decisions that organizations have to make in regard to physical film storage and distribution, except the portability of images is even greater in a digital environment. The principle of "network effects" seems like a simple concept, yet the effect is not always considered when implementing a technology plan. To fully realize the benefits of digital imaging, the radiology department must integrate the archiving solutions throughout the department and, ultimately, with applications across other departments and enterprises. Medical institutions can derive a number of benefits from implementing digital imaging and archiving solutions like PACS. Hospitals and imaging centers can use the transition from film-based imaging as a foundational opportunity to reduce costs, increase competitive advantage, attract talent, and improve service to patients. The key factors in achieving these goals include attention to the means of data storage, distribution and protection.

A nanocryotron comparator can connect single-flux-quantum circuits to conventional electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Qing-Yuan; McCaughan, Adam N.; Dane, Andrew E.; Berggren, Karl K.; Ortlepp, Thomas

2017-04-01

Integration with conventional electronics offers a straightforward and economical approach to upgrading existing superconducting technologies, such as scaling up superconducting detectors into large arrays and combining single flux quantum (SFQ) digital circuits with semiconductor logic gates and memories. However, direct output signals from superconducting devices (e.g., Josephson junctions) are usually not compatible with the input requirements of conventional devices (e.g., transistors). Here, we demonstrate the use of a single three-terminal superconducting-nanowire device, called the nanocryotron (nTron), as a digital comparator to combine SFQ circuits with mature semiconductor circuits such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuits. Since SFQ circuits can digitize output signals from general superconducting devices and CMOS circuits can interface existing CMOS-compatible electronics, our results demonstrate the feasibility of a general architecture that uses an nTron as an interface to realize a ‘super-hybrid’ system consisting of superconducting detectors, superconducting quantum electronics, CMOS logic gates and memories, and other conventional electronics.

A highly accurate wireless digital sun sensor based on profile detecting and detector multiplexing technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Minsong; Xing, Fei; You, Zheng

2017-01-01

The advancing growth of micro- and nano-satellites requires miniaturized sun sensors which could be conveniently applied in the attitude determination subsystem. In this work, a profile detecting technology based high accurate wireless digital sun sensor was proposed, which could transform a two-dimensional image into two-linear profile output so that it can realize a high update rate under a very low power consumption. A multiple spots recovery approach with an asymmetric mask pattern design principle was introduced to fit the multiplexing image detector method for accuracy improvement of the sun sensor within a large Field of View (FOV). A FOV determination principle based on the concept of FOV region was also proposed to facilitate both sub-FOV analysis and the whole FOV determination. A RF MCU, together with solar cells, was utilized to achieve the wireless and self-powered functionality. The prototype of the sun sensor is approximately 10 times lower in size and weight compared with the conventional digital sun sensor (DSS). Test results indicated that the accuracy of the prototype was 0.01° within a cone FOV of 100°. Such an autonomous DSS could be equipped flexibly on a micro- or nano-satellite, especially for highly accurate remote sensing applications.

Three-dimensional cascaded system analysis of a 50 µm pixel pitch wafer-scale CMOS active pixel sensor x-ray detector for digital breast tomosynthesis.

PubMed

Zhao, C; Vassiljev, N; Konstantinidis, A C; Speller, R D; Kanicki, J

2017-03-07

High-resolution, low-noise x-ray detectors based on the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel sensor (APS) technology have been developed and proposed for digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). In this study, we evaluated the three-dimensional (3D) imaging performance of a 50 µm pixel pitch CMOS APS x-ray detector named DynAMITe (Dynamic Range Adjustable for Medical Imaging Technology). The two-dimensional (2D) angle-dependent modulation transfer function (MTF), normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) were experimentally characterized and modeled using the cascaded system analysis at oblique incident angles up to 30°. The cascaded system model was extended to the 3D spatial frequency space in combination with the filtered back-projection (FBP) reconstruction method to calculate the 3D and in-plane MTF, NNPS and DQE parameters. The results demonstrate that the beam obliquity blurs the 2D MTF and DQE in the high spatial frequency range. However, this effect can be eliminated after FBP image reconstruction. In addition, impacts of the image acquisition geometry and detector parameters were evaluated using the 3D cascaded system analysis for DBT. The result shows that a wider projection angle range (e.g.  ±30°) improves the low spatial frequency (below 5 mm -1 ) performance of the CMOS APS detector. In addition, to maintain a high spatial resolution for DBT, a focal spot size of smaller than 0.3 mm should be used. Theoretical analysis suggests that a pixelated scintillator in combination with the 50 µm pixel pitch CMOS APS detector could further improve the 3D image resolution. Finally, the 3D imaging performance of the CMOS APS and an indirect amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin-film transistor (TFT) passive pixel sensor (PPS) detector was simulated and compared.

Three-dimensional cascaded system analysis of a 50 µm pixel pitch wafer-scale CMOS active pixel sensor x-ray detector for digital breast tomosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, C.; Vassiljev, N.; Konstantinidis, A. C.; Speller, R. D.; Kanicki, J.

2017-03-01

High-resolution, low-noise x-ray detectors based on the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel sensor (APS) technology have been developed and proposed for digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). In this study, we evaluated the three-dimensional (3D) imaging performance of a 50 µm pixel pitch CMOS APS x-ray detector named DynAMITe (Dynamic Range Adjustable for Medical Imaging Technology). The two-dimensional (2D) angle-dependent modulation transfer function (MTF), normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) were experimentally characterized and modeled using the cascaded system analysis at oblique incident angles up to 30°. The cascaded system model was extended to the 3D spatial frequency space in combination with the filtered back-projection (FBP) reconstruction method to calculate the 3D and in-plane MTF, NNPS and DQE parameters. The results demonstrate that the beam obliquity blurs the 2D MTF and DQE in the high spatial frequency range. However, this effect can be eliminated after FBP image reconstruction. In addition, impacts of the image acquisition geometry and detector parameters were evaluated using the 3D cascaded system analysis for DBT. The result shows that a wider projection angle range (e.g.  ±30°) improves the low spatial frequency (below 5 mm-1) performance of the CMOS APS detector. In addition, to maintain a high spatial resolution for DBT, a focal spot size of smaller than 0.3 mm should be used. Theoretical analysis suggests that a pixelated scintillator in combination with the 50 µm pixel pitch CMOS APS detector could further improve the 3D image resolution. Finally, the 3D imaging performance of the CMOS APS and an indirect amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin-film transistor (TFT) passive pixel sensor (PPS) detector was simulated and compared.

Frequency multiplexed superconducting quantum interference device readout of large bolometer arrays for cosmic microwave background measurements.

PubMed

Dobbs, M A; Lueker, M; Aird, K A; Bender, A N; Benson, B A; Bleem, L E; Carlstrom, J E; Chang, C L; Cho, H-M; Clarke, J; Crawford, T M; Crites, A T; Flanigan, D I; de Haan, T; George, E M; Halverson, N W; Holzapfel, W L; Hrubes, J D; Johnson, B R; Joseph, J; Keisler, R; Kennedy, J; Kermish, Z; Lanting, T M; Lee, A T; Leitch, E M; Luong-Van, D; McMahon, J J; Mehl, J; Meyer, S S; Montroy, T E; Padin, S; Plagge, T; Pryke, C; Richards, P L; Ruhl, J E; Schaffer, K K; Schwan, D; Shirokoff, E; Spieler, H G; Staniszewski, Z; Stark, A A; Vanderlinde, K; Vieira, J D; Vu, C; Westbrook, B; Williamson, R

2012-07-01

A technological milestone for experiments employing transition edge sensor bolometers operating at sub-Kelvin temperature is the deployment of detector arrays with 100s-1000s of bolometers. One key technology for such arrays is readout multiplexing: the ability to read out many sensors simultaneously on the same set of wires. This paper describes a frequency-domain multiplexed readout system which has been developed for and deployed on the APEX-SZ and South Pole Telescope millimeter wavelength receivers. In this system, the detector array is divided into modules of seven detectors, and each bolometer within the module is biased with a unique ∼MHz sinusoidal carrier such that the individual bolometer signals are well separated in frequency space. The currents from all bolometers in a module are summed together and pre-amplified with superconducting quantum interference devices operating at 4 K. Room temperature electronics demodulate the carriers to recover the bolometer signals, which are digitized separately and stored to disk. This readout system contributes little noise relative to the detectors themselves, is remarkably insensitive to unwanted microphonic excitations, and provides a technology pathway to multiplexing larger numbers of sensors.

Quantum efficiency performances of the NIR European Large Format Array detectors tested at ESTEC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crouzet, P.-E.; Duvet, L.; de Wit, F.; Beaufort, T.; Blommaert, S.; Butler, B.; Van Duinkerken, G.; ter Haar, J.; Heijnen, J.; van der Luijt, K.; Smit, H.

2015-10-01

Publisher's Note: This paper, originally published on 10/12/2015, was replaced with a corrected/revised version on 10/23/2015. If you downloaded the original PDF but are unable to access the revision, please contact SPIE Digital Library Customer Service for assistance. The Payload Technology Validation Section (SRE-FV) at ESTEC has the goal to validate new technology for future or on-going mission. In this framework, a test set up to characterize the quantum efficiency of near-infrared (NIR) detectors has been created. In the context of the NIR European Large Format Array ("LFA"), 3 deliverables detectors coming from SELEX-UK/ATC (UK) on one side, and CEA/LETI- CEA/IRFU-SOFRADIR (FR) on the other side were characterized. The quantum efficiency of an HAWAII-2RG detector from Teledyne was as well measured. The capability to compare on the same setup detectors from different manufacturers is a unique asset for the future mission preparation office. This publication will present the quantum efficiency results of a HAWAII-2RG detector from Teledyne with a 2.5um cut off compared to the LFA European detectors prototypes developed independently by SELEX-UK/ATC (UK) on one side, and CEA/LETI- CEA/IRFU-SOFRADIR (FR) on the other side.

Digital PCM bit synchronizer and detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moghazy, A. E.; Maral, G.; Blanchard, A.

1980-08-01

A theoretical analysis of a digital self-bit synchronizer and detector is presented and supported by the implementation of an experimental model that utilizes standard TTL logic circuits. This synchronizer is based on the generation of spectral line components by nonlinear filtering of the received bit stream, and extracting the line by a digital phase-locked loop (DPLL). The extracted reference signal instructs a digital matched filter (DMF) data detector. This realization features a short acquisition time and an all-digital structure.

DLP NIRscan Nano: an ultra-mobile DLP-based near-infrared Bluetooth spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelabert, Pedro; Pruett, Eric; Perrella, Gavin; Subramanian, Sreeram; Lakshminarayanan, Aravind

2016-02-01

The DLP NIRscan Nano is an ultra-portable spectrometer evaluation module utilizing DLP technology to meet lower cost, smaller size, and higher performance than traditional architectures. The replacement of a linear array detector with DLP digital micromirror device (DMD) in conjunction with a single point detector adds the functionality of programmable spectral filters and sampling techniques that were not previously available on NIR spectrometers. This paper presents the hardware, software, and optical systems of the DLP NIRscan Nano and its design considerations on the implementation of a DLP-based spectrometer.

Method and apparatus for data sampling

DOEpatents

Odell, Daniel M. C.

1994-01-01

A method and apparatus for sampling radiation detector outputs and determining event data from the collected samples. The method uses high speed sampling of the detector output, the conversion of the samples to digital values, and the discrimination of the digital values so that digital values representing detected events are determined. The high speed sampling and digital conversion is performed by an A/D sampler that samples the detector output at a rate high enough to produce numerous digital samples for each detected event. The digital discrimination identifies those digital samples that are not representative of detected events. The sampling and discrimination also provides for temporary or permanent storage, either serially or in parallel, to a digital storage medium.

Detection system for high-resolution gamma radiation spectroscopy with neutron time-of-flight filtering

DOEpatents

Dioszegi, Istvan; Salwen, Cynthia; Vanier, Peter

2014-12-30

A .gamma.-radiation detection system that includes at least one semiconductor detector such as HPGe-Detector, a position-sensitive .alpha.-Detector, a TOF Controller, and a Digitizer/Integrator. The Digitizer/Integrator starts to process the energy signals of a .gamma.-radiation sent from the HPGe-Detector instantly when the HPGe-Detector detects the .gamma.-radiation. Subsequently, it is determined whether a coincidence exists between the .alpha.-particles and .gamma.-radiation signal, based on a determination of the time-of-flight of neutrons obtained from the .alpha.-Detector and the HPGe-Detector. If it is determined that the time-of-flight falls within a predetermined coincidence window, the Digitizer/Integrator is allowed to continue and complete the energy signal processing. If, however, there is no coincidence, the Digitizer/Integrator is instructed to be clear and reset its operation instantly.

Superconducting Digital Multiplexers for Sensor Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kadin, Alan M.; Brock, Darren K.; Gupta, Deepnarayan

2004-01-01

Arrays of cryogenic microbolometers and other cryogenic detectors are being developed for infrared imaging. If the signal from each sensor is amplified, multiplexed, and digitized using superconducting electronics, then this data can be efficiently read out to ambient temperature with a minimum of noise and thermal load. HYPRES is developing an integrated system based on SQUID amplifiers, a high-resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC) based on RSFQ (rapid single flux quantum) logic, and a clocked RSFQ multiplexer. The ADC and SQUIDs have already been demonstrated for other projects, so this paper will focus on new results of a digital multiplexer. Several test circuits have been fabricated using Nb Josephson technology and are about to be tested at T = 4.2 K, with a more complete prototype in preparation.

Field evaluations of digital radon detectors.

PubMed

Chen, Jing; Falcomer, Renato; Walker, Bill

2007-11-01

Recently, digital radon detectors were made available on the market for homeowners at a cost comparable to that charged by some service providers for a single radon test. Digital radon detectors provide an easy and less expensive way for homeowners to monitor radon levels in their homes. In order to answer a frequently asked question regarding the performance of such low-cost electronic radon detectors, field evaluations were conducted. Evaluation results are reported here.

The TOFp/pVPD time-of-flight system for STAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llope, W. J.; Geurts, F.; Mitchell, J. W.; Liu, Z.; Adams, N.; Eppley, G.; Keane, D.; Li, J.; Liu, F.; Liu, L.; Mutchler, G. S.; Nussbaum, T.; Bonner, B.; Sappenfield, P.; Zhang, B.; Zhang, W.-M.

2004-04-01

A time-of-flight system was constructed for the STAR Experiment for the direct identification of hadrons produced in 197Au+ 197Au collisions at RHIC. The system consists of two separate detector subsystems, one called the Pseudo Vertex Position Detector (pVPD, the "start" detector) and the other called the Time of Flight Patch (TOFp, the "stop" detector). Each detector is based on conventional scintillator/phototube technology and includes custom high-performance front-end electronics and a common CAMAC-based digitization and read-out. The design of the system and its performance during the 2001 RHIC run will be described. The start resolution attained by the pVPD was 24 ps, implying a pVPD single-detector resolution of 58 ps. The total time resolution of the system averaged over all detector channels was 87 ps, allowing direct π/ K/ p discrimination for momenta up to ˜1.8 GeV/ c, and direct ( π+ K)/ p discrimination up to ˜3 GeV/ c.

Track analysis of laser-illuminated etched track detectors using an opto-digital imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eghan, Moses J.; Buah-Bassuah, Paul K.; Oppon, Osborne C.

2007-11-01

An opto-digital imaging system for counting and analysing tracks on a LR-115 detector is described. One batch of LR-115 track detectors was irradiated with Am-241 for a determined period and distance for linearity test and another batch was exposed to radon gas. The laser-illuminated etched track detector area was imaged, digitized and analysed by the system. The tracks that were counted on the opto-digital system with the aid of media cybernetics software as well as spark gap counter showed comparable track density results ranging between 1500 and 2750 tracks cm-2 and 65 tracks cm-2 in the two different batch detector samples with 0.5% and 1% track counts, respectively. Track sizes of the incident alpha particles from the radon gas on the LR-115 detector demonstrating different track energies are statistically and graphically represented. The opto-digital imaging system counts and measures other track parameters at an average process time of 3-5 s.

Method and apparatus for data sampling

DOEpatents

Odell, D.M.C.

1994-04-19

A method and apparatus for sampling radiation detector outputs and determining event data from the collected samples is described. The method uses high speed sampling of the detector output, the conversion of the samples to digital values, and the discrimination of the digital values so that digital values representing detected events are determined. The high speed sampling and digital conversion is performed by an A/D sampler that samples the detector output at a rate high enough to produce numerous digital samples for each detected event. The digital discrimination identifies those digital samples that are not representative of detected events. The sampling and discrimination also provides for temporary or permanent storage, either serially or in parallel, to a digital storage medium. 6 figures.

Digital pulse processing for planar TlBr detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakhostin, M.; Hitomi, K.; Ishii, K.; Kikuchi, Y.

2010-04-01

We report on a digital pulse processing algorithm for correction of charge trapping in the planar TlBr detectors. The algorithm is performed on the signals digitized at the preamplifier stage. The algorithm is very simple and is implemented with little computational effort. By using a digitizer with a sampling rate of 250 MSample/s and 8 bit resolution, an energy resolution of 6.5% is achieved at 511 keV with a 0.7 mm thick detector.

Digital front end electronics design for the EUSO photon detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musico, P.; Pallavicini, M.; Petrolini, A.; Pratolongo, F.

2003-09-01

In this paper we will present the design status of the Digital Front End Electronic system (DFEE), that will be used for the EUSO photon detector. The DFEE is able to count the single photoelectrons coming form the detector for a given time period, store the numbers in a memory buffer and read them out after a trigger, using a serial communication line. Because of space, mass and power consumption constraints, the system will be implemented in an ASIC using a deep submicron technology. The actual design follows the original ideas of the system, though adding several new functionalities. A fully functional prototype chip has been submitted for fabrication in fall 2002. Extensive tests will be performed on it both with bench instrumentations and with the real sensor (the multi anode photomultiplier Hamamatsu R7600-M64), expecting significant results by early Summer 2003. Future work is needed to convert the design into a more robust RAD-hard technology, suitable for space applications and to include in the final die an additional circuit used to optimize the performances at high photons rates: the Analog Front End Electronics (AFEE). Moreover the base board used to house the multi anode photomultipliers is presented: it is the back-bone of the microcell and will be the basic block used to build up the EUSO focal surface.

Simulation of digital mammography images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Workman, Adam

2005-04-01

A number of different technologies are available for digital mammography. However, it is not clear how differences in the physical performance aspects of the different imaging technologies affect clinical performance. Randomised controlled trials provide a means of gaining information on clinical performance however do not provide direct comparison of the different digital imaging technologies. This work describes a method of simulating the performance of different digital mammography systems. The method involves modifying the imaging performance parameters of images from a small field of view (SFDM), high resolution digital imaging system used for spot imaging. Under normal operating conditions this system produces images with higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) over a wide spatial frequency range than current full field digital mammography (FFDM) systems. The SFDM images can be 'degraded" by computer processing to simulate the characteristics of a FFDM system. Initial work characterised the physical performance (MTF, NPS) of the SFDM detector and developed a model and method for simulating signal transfer and noise properties of a FFDM system. It was found that the SNR properties of the simulated FFDM images were very similar to those measured from an actual FFDM system verifying the methodology used. The application of this technique to clinical images from the small field system will allow the clinical performance of different FFDM systems to be simulated and directly compared using the same clinical image datasets.

System to quantify gamma-ray radial energy deposition in semiconductor detectors

DOEpatents

Kammeraad, Judith E.; Blair, Jerome J.

2001-01-01

A system for measuring gamma-ray radial energy deposition is provided for use in conjunction with a semiconductor detector. The detector comprises two electrodes and a detector material, and defines a plurality of zones within the detecting material in parallel with the two electrodes. The detector produces a charge signal E(t) when a gamma-ray interacts with the detector. Digitizing means are provided for converting the charge signal E(t) into a digitized signal. A computational means receives the digitized signal and calculates in which of the plurality of zones the gamma-ray deposited energy when interacting with the detector. The computational means produces an output indicating the amount of energy deposited by the gamma-ray in each of the plurality of zones.

Psychophysical evaluation of the image quality of a dynamic flat-panel digital x-ray image detector using the threshold contrast detail detectability (TCDD) technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Andrew G.; Cowen, Arnold R.; Bruijns, Tom J. C.

1999-05-01

We are currently in an era of active development of the digital X-ray imaging detectors that will serve the radiological communities in the new millennium. The rigorous comparative physical evaluations of such devices are therefore becoming increasingly important from both the technical and clinical perspectives. The authors have been actively involved in the evaluation of a clinical demonstration version of a flat-panel dynamic digital X-ray image detector (or FDXD). Results of objective physical evaluation of this device have been presented elsewhere at this conference. The imaging performance of FDXD under radiographic exposure conditions have been previously reported, and in this paper a psychophysical evaluation of the FDXD detector operating under continuous fluoroscopic conditions is presented. The evaluation technique employed was the threshold contrast detail detectability (TCDD) technique, which enables image quality to be measured on devices operating in the clinical environment. This approach addresses image quality in the context of both the image acquisition and display processes, and uses human observers to measure performance. The Leeds test objects TO[10] and TO[10+] were used to obtain comparative measurements of performance on the FDXD and two digital spot fluorography (DSF) systems, one utilizing a Plumbicon camera and the other a state of the art CCD camera. Measurements were taken at a range of detector entrance exposure rates, namely 6, 12, 25 and 50 (mu) R/s. In order to facilitate comparisons between the systems, all fluoroscopic image processing such as noise reduction algorithms, were disabled during the experiments. At the highest dose rate FDXD significantly outperformed the DSF comparison systems in the TCDD comparisons. At 25 and 12 (mu) R/s all three-systems performed in an equivalent manner and at the lowest exposure rate FDXD was inferior to the two DSF systems. At standard fluoroscopic exposures, FDXD performed in an equivalent manner to the DSF systems for the TCDD comparisons. This would suggest that FDXD would therefore perform adequately in a clinical fluoroscopic environment and our initial clinical experiences support this. Noise reduction processing of the fluoroscopic data acquired on FDXD was also found to further improve TCDD performance for FDXD. FDXD therefore combines acceptable fluoroscopic performance with excellent radiographic (snap shot) imaging fidelity, allowing the possibility of a universal x-ray detector to be developed, based on FDXD's technology. It is also envisaged that fluoroscopic performance will be improved by the development of digital image enhancement techniques specifically tailored to the characteristics of the FDXD detector.

A 32-channel front-end ASIC for GEM detectors used in beam monitoring applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciciriello, F.; Altieri, P. R.; Corsi, F.; De Robertis, G.; Felici, G.; Loddo, F.; Lorusso, L.; Marzocca, C.; Matarrese, G.; Ranieri, A.; Stamerra, A.

2017-11-01

A multichannel, mixed-signal, front-end ASIC for GEM detectors, intended for beam monitoring in hadron therapy applications, has been designed and prototyped in a standard 0.35 μm CMOS technology. The analog channels are based on the classic CSA + shaper processing chain, followed by a peak detector which can work as an analog memory, to simplifiy the analog-to-digital conversion of the peak voltage of the output pulse, proportional to the energy of the detected event. The available hardware resources include an 8-bit A/D converter and a standard-cell digital part, which manages the read-out procedure, in sparse or serial mode. The ASIC is self-triggered and transfers energy and address data to the external DAQ via a fast 100 MHz LVDS link. Preliminary characterization results show that the non-linearity error is limited to 5% for a maximum input charge of about 70 fC, the measured ENC is about 1400e- and the time jitter of the trigger signal generated in response to an injected charge of 60 fC is close to 200 ps.

EROIC: a BiCMOS pseudo-gaussian shaping amplifier for high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buzzetti, Siro; Guazzoni, Chiara; Longoni, Antonio

2003-10-01

We present the design and complete characterization of a fifth-order pseudo-gaussian shaping amplifier with 1 μs shaping time. The circuit is optimized for the read-out of signals coming from Silicon Drift Detectors for high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy. The novelty of the designed chip stands in the use of a current feedback loop to place the poles in the desired position on the s-plane. The amplifier has been designed in 0.8 μm BiCMOS technology and fully tested. The EROIC chip comprises also the peak stretcher, the peak detector, the output buffer to drive the external ADC and the pile-up rejection system. The circuit needs a single +5 V power supply and the dissipated power is 5 mW per channel. The digital outputs can be directly coupled to standard digital CMOS ICs. The measured integral-non-linearity of the whole chip is below 0.05% and the achieved energy resolution at the Mn Kα line detected by a 5 mm 2 Peltier-cooled Silicon Drift Detector is 167 eV FWHM.

High-performance IR detectors at SCD present and future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nesher, O.; Klipstein, P. C.

2005-09-01

For over 27 years, SCD has been manufacturing and developing a wide range of high performance infra-red detectors, designed to operate in either the mid-wave (MWIR) or the long-wave (LWIR) atmospheric windows. These detectors have been integrated successfully into many different types of system including missile seekers, Time Delay Integration scanning systems, Hand-Held cameras, Missile Warning Systems and many others. SCD's technology for the MWIR wavelength range is based on its well established 2-D arrays of InSb photodiodes. The arrays are flip-chip bonded to SCD's analogue or digital signal processors, all of which have been designed in-house. The 2-D Focal Plane Array (FPA) detectors have a format of 320×256 elements for a 30 μm pitch and 480×384 or 640×512 elements for a 20 μm pitch. Typical operating temperatures are around 77-85K. Five years ago SCD began to develop a new generation of MWIR detectors based on the epitaxial growth of Antimonide Based Compound Semiconductors (ABCS). This ABCS technology allows band-gap engineering of the detection material which enables higher operating temperatures and multi-spectral detection. This year SCD presented its first prototype FPA from this program, an InAlSb based detector operating at a temperature of 100 K. By the end of this year SCD will introduce the first prototype MWIR detector with a 640×512 element format and a pitch of 15 μm. For the LWIR wave-length range SCD manufactures both linear Hg1-xCdxTe (MCT) detectors with a line of 250 elements and Time Delay and Integration (TDI) detectors with formats of 288×4 and 480×6. Recently, SCD has demonstrated its first prototype un-cooled detector which is based on VOx technology and which has a format of 384×288 elements, a pitch of 25 μm and a typical NETD of 50mK at F/1. In this paper we describe the present technologies and products of SCD and the future evolution of our detectors for the MWIR and LWIR detection.

High-performance IR detectors at SCD present and future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nesher, O.; Klipstein, P. C.

2006-03-01

For over 27 years, SCD has been manufacturing and developing a wide range of high performance infrared detectors, designed to operate in either the mid-wave (MWIR) or the long-wave (LWIR) atmospheric windows. These detectors have been integrated successfully into many different types of system including missile seekers, time delay integration scanning systems, hand-held cameras, missile warning systems and many others. SCD's technology for the MWIR wavelength range is based on its well established 2D arrays of InSb photodiodes. The arrays are flip-chip bonded to SCD's analogue or digital signal processors, all of which have been designed in-house. The 2D focal plane array (FPA) detectors have a format of 320×256 elements for a 30-μm pitch and 480×384 or 640×512 elements for a 20-μm pitch. Typical operating temperatures are around 77-85 K. Five years ago SCD began to develop a new generation of MWIR detectors based on the epitaxial growth of antimonide based compound semiconductors (ABCS). This ABCS technology allows band-gap engineering of the detection material which enables higher operating temperatures and multi-spectral detection. This year SCD presented its first prototype FPA from this program, an InAlSb based detector operating at a temperature of 100 K. By the end of this year SCD will introduce the first prototype MWIR detector with a 640×512 element format and a pitch of 15 μm. For the LWIR wavelength range SCD manufactures both linear Hg1-xCdxTe (MCT) detectors with a line of 250 elements and time delay and integration (TDI) detectors with formats of 288×4 and 480×6. Recently, SCD has demonstrated its first prototype uncooled detector which is based on VOx technology and which has a format of 384×288 elements, a pitch of 25 μm, and a typical NETD of 50 mK at F/1. In this paper, we describe the present technologies and products of SCD and the future evolution of our detectors for the MWIR and LWIR detection.

Low dose digital X-ray imaging with avalanche amorphous selenium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheuermann, James R.; Goldan, Amir H.; Tousignant, Olivier; Léveillé, Sébastien; Zhao, Wei

2015-03-01

Active Matrix Flat Panel Imagers (AMFPI) based on an array of thin film transistors (TFT) have become the dominant technology for digital x-ray imaging. In low dose applications, the performance of both direct and indirect conversion detectors are limited by the electronic noise associated with the TFT array. New concepts of direct and indirect detectors have been proposed using avalanche amorphous selenium (a-Se), referred to as high gain avalanche rushing photoconductor (HARP). The indirect detector utilizes a planar layer of HARP to detect light from an x-ray scintillator and amplify the photogenerated charge. The direct detector utilizes separate interaction (non-avalanche) and amplification (avalanche) regions within the a-Se to achieve depth-independent signal gain. Both detectors require the development of large area, solid state HARP. We have previously reported the first avalanche gain in a-Se with deposition techniques scalable to large area detectors. The goal of the present work is to demonstrate the feasibility of large area HARP fabrication in an a-Se deposition facility established for commercial large area AMFPI. We also examine the effect of alternative pixel electrode materials on avalanche gain. The results show that avalanche gain > 50 is achievable in the HARP layers developed in large area coaters, which is sufficient to achieve x-ray quantum noise limited performance down to a single x-ray photon per pixel. Both chromium (Cr) and indium tin oxide (ITO) have been successfully tested as pixel electrodes.

New technologies for HWIL testing of WFOV, large-format FPA sensor systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fink, Christopher

2016-05-01

Advancements in FPA density and associated wide-field-of-view infrared sensors (>=4000x4000 detectors) have outpaced the current-art HWIL technology. Whether testing in optical projection or digital signal injection modes, current-art technologies for infrared scene projection, digital injection interfaces, and scene generation systems simply lack the required resolution and bandwidth. For example, the L3 Cincinnati Electronics ultra-high resolution MWIR Camera deployed in some UAV reconnaissance systems features 16MP resolution at 60Hz, while the current upper limit of IR emitter arrays is ~1MP, and single-channel dual-link DVI throughput of COTs graphics cards is limited to 2560x1580 pixels at 60Hz. Moreover, there are significant challenges in real-time, closed-loop, physics-based IR scene generation for large format FPAs, including the size and spatial detail required for very large area terrains, and multi - channel low-latency synchronization to achieve the required bandwidth. In this paper, the author's team presents some of their ongoing research and technical approaches toward HWIL testing of large-format FPAs with wide-FOV optics. One approach presented is a hybrid projection/injection design, where digital signal injection is used to augment the resolution of current-art IRSPs, utilizing a multi-channel, high-fidelity physics-based IR scene simulator in conjunction with a novel image composition hardware unit, to allow projection in the foveal region of the sensor, while non-foveal regions of the sensor array are simultaneously stimulated via direct injection into the post-detector electronics.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Graf, Norman A.; /SLAC

Maximizing the physics performance of detectors being designed for the International Linear Collider, while remaining sensitive to cost constraints, requires a powerful, efficient, and flexible simulation, reconstruction and analysis environment to study the capabilities of a large number of different detector designs. The preparation of Letters Of Intent for the International Linear Collider involved the detailed study of dozens of detector options, layouts and readout technologies; the final physics benchmarking studies required the reconstruction and analysis of hundreds of millions of events. We describe the Java-based software toolkit (org.lcsim) which was used for full event reconstruction and analysis. The componentsmore » are fully modular and are available for tasks from digitization of tracking detector signals through to cluster finding, pattern recognition, track-fitting, calorimeter clustering, individual particle reconstruction, jet-finding, and analysis. The detector is defined by the same xml input files used for the detector response simulation, ensuring the simulation and reconstruction geometries are always commensurate by construction. We discuss the architecture as well as the performance.« less

MuTRiG: a mixed signal Silicon Photomultiplier readout ASIC with high timing resolution and gigabit data link

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, H.; Briggl, K.; Eckert, P.; Harion, T.; Munwes, Y.; Shen, W.; Stankova, V.; Schultz-Coulon, H. C.

2017-01-01

MuTRiG is a mixed signal Silicon Photomultiplier readout ASIC designed in UMC 180 nm CMOS technology for precise timing and high event rate applications in high energy physics experiments and medical imaging. It is dedicated to the readout of the scintillating fiber detector and the scintillating tile detector of the Mu3e experiment. The MuTRiG chip extends the excellent timing performance of the STiCv3 chip with a fast digital readout for high rate applications. The high timing performance of the fully differential SiPM readout channels and 50 ps time binning TDCs are complemented by an upgraded digital readout logic and a 1.28 Gbps LVDS serial data link. The design of the chip and the characterization results of the analog front-end, TDC and the LVDS data link are presented.

Camera Concepts for the Advanced Gamma-Ray Imaging System (AGIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nepomuk Otte, Adam

2009-05-01

The Advanced Gamma-Ray Imaging System (AGIS) is a concept for the next generation observatory in ground-based very high energy gamma-ray astronomy. Design goals are ten times better sensitivity, higher angular resolution, and a lower energy threshold than existing Cherenkov telescopes. Each telescope is equipped with a camera that detects and records the Cherenkov-light flashes from air showers. The camera is comprised of a pixelated focal plane of blue sensitive and fast (nanosecond) photon detectors that detect the photon signal and convert it into an electrical one. The incorporation of trigger electronics and signal digitization into the camera are under study. Given the size of AGIS, the camera must be reliable, robust, and cost effective. We are investigating several directions that include innovative technologies such as Geiger-mode avalanche-photodiodes as a possible detector and switched capacitor arrays for the digitization.

JFET preamplifiers with different reset techniques on detector-grade high-resistivity silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalla Betta, G. F.; Manghisoni, M.; Ratti, L.; Re, V.; Speziali, V.

2003-10-01

This paper presents the experimental results relevant to JFET charge preamplifiers fabricated in a detector-compatible technology. This fabrication process, developed at the Istituto per la Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica (ITC-IRST), Trento, Italy, is being tuned with the aim of integrating a multichannel mixed analog-digital circuit together with semiconductor detectors in a high-resistivity substrate. Possible applications are in the field of medical and industrial imaging, in space and high energy physics experiments. An all-NJFET charge sensitive amplifier, which can use either a resistive or a nonresistive reset in the feedback network, has been tested. The two configurations have been studied, paying particular attention to noise performances, in view of the design of the complete readout channel.

Digital phase-locked loop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cliff, R. A. (Inventor)

1975-01-01

An digital phase-locked loop is provided for deriving a loop output signal from an accumulator output terminal. A phase detecting exclusive OR gate is fed by the loop digital input and output signals. The output of the phase detector is a bi-level digital signal having a duty cycle indicative of the relative phase of the input and output signals. The accumulator is incremented at a first rate in response to a first output level of the phase detector and at a second rate in response to a second output level of the phase detector.

Performance of mobile digital X-ray fluoroscopy using a novel flat panel detector for intraoperative use.

PubMed

Jeong, Chang-Won; Ryu, Jong-Hyun; Joo, Su-Chong; Jun, Hong-Young; Heo, Dong-Woon; Lee, Jinseok; Kim, Kyong-Woo; Yoon, Kwon-Ha

2015-01-01

Technologies employing digital X-ray devices are developed for mobile settings. To develop a mobile digital X-ray fluoroscopy (MDF) for intraoperative guidance, using a novel flat panel detector to focus on diagnostics in outpatient clinics, operating and emergency rooms. An MDF for small-scale field diagnostics was configured using an X-ray source and a novel flat panel detector. The imager enabled frame rates reaching 30 fps in full resolution fluoroscopy with maximal running time of 5 minutes. Signal-to-noise (SNR), contrast-to-noise (CNR), and spatial resolution were analyzed. Stray radiation, exposure radiation dose, and effective absorption dose were measured for patients. The system was suitable for small-scale field diagnostics. SNR and CNR were 62.4 and 72.0. Performance at 10% of MTF was 9.6 lp/mm (53 μ m) in the no binned mode. Stray radiation at 100 cm and 150 cm from the source was below 0.2 μ Gy and 0.1 μ Gy. Exposure radiation in radiography and fluoroscopy (5 min) was 10.2 μ Gy and 82.6 mGy. The effective doses during 5-min-long fluoroscopy were 0.26 mSv (wrist), 0.28 mSv (elbow), 0.29 mSv (ankle), and 0.31 mSv (knee). The proposed MDF is suitable for imaging in operating rooms.

The Unseen Companion of HD 114762

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latham, David W.

2014-01-01

I have told the story of the discovery of the unseen companion of HD114762 (Latham et al. 1989, Nature, 389, 38-40) in a recent publication (Latham 2012, New Astronomy Reviews 56, 16-18). The discovery was enabled by a happy combination of some thinking outside the box by Tsevi Mazeh at Tel Aviv University and the development of new technology for measuring stellar spectra at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Tsevi's unconventional idea was that giant exoplanets might be found much closer to their host stars than Jupiter and Saturn are to the Sun, well inside the snow line. Our instrument was a high-resolution echelle spectrograph optimized for measuring radial velocities of stars similar to the Sun. The key technological developments were an intensified Reticon photon-counting detector under computer control combined with sophisticated analysis of the digital spectra. The detector signal-processing electronics eliminated persistence, which had plagued other intensified systems. This allowed bright Th-Ar calibration exposures before and after every stellar observation, which in turn enabled careful correction for spectrograph drifts. We built three of these systems for telescopes in Massachusetts and Arizona and christened them the "CfA Digital Speedometers". The discovery of HD 114762-b was serendipitous, but not accidental.

An exposure indicator for digital radiography: AAPM Task Group 116 (executive summary).

PubMed

Shepard, S Jeff; Wang, Jihong; Flynn, Michael; Gingold, Eric; Goldman, Lee; Krugh, Kerry; Leong, David L; Mah, Eugene; Ogden, Kent; Peck, Donald; Samei, Ehsan; Wang, Jihong; Willis, Charles E

2009-07-01

Digital radiographic imaging systems, such as those using photostimulable storage phosphor, amorphous selenium, amorphous silicon, CCD, and MOSFET technology, can produce adequate image quality over a much broader range of exposure levels than that of screen/film imaging systems. In screen/film imaging, the final image brightness and contrast are indicative of over- and underexposure. In digital imaging, brightness and contrast are often determined entirely by digital postprocessing of the acquired image data. Overexposure and underexposures are not readily recognizable. As a result, patient dose has a tendency to gradually increase over time after a department converts from screen/film-based imaging to digital radiographic imaging. The purpose of this report is to recommend a standard indicator which reflects the radiation exposure that is incident on a detector after every exposure event and that reflects the noise levels present in the image data. The intent is to facilitate the production of consistent, high quality digital radiographic images at acceptable patient doses. This should be based not on image optical density or brightness but on feedback regarding the detector exposure provided and actively monitored by the imaging system. A standard beam calibration condition is recommended that is based on RQA5 but uses filtration materials that are commonly available and simple to use. Recommendations on clinical implementation of the indices to control image quality and patient dose are derived from historical tolerance limits and presented as guidelines.

An exposure indicator for digital radiography: AAPM Task Group 116 (Executive Summary)

PubMed Central

Shepard, S. Jeff; Wang, Jihong; Flynn, Michael; Gingold, Eric; Goldman, Lee; Krugh, Kerry; Leong, David L.; Mah, Eugene; Ogden, Kent; Peck, Donald; Samei, Ehsan; Wang, Jihong; Willis, Charles E.

2009-01-01

Digital radiographic imaging systems, such as those using photostimulable storage phosphor, amorphous selenium, amorphous silicon, CCD, and MOSFET technology, can produce adequate image quality over a much broader range of exposure levels than that of screen/film imaging systems. In screen/film imaging, the final image brightness and contrast are indicative of over- and underexposure. In digital imaging, brightness and contrast are often determined entirely by digital postprocessing of the acquired image data. Overexposure and underexposures are not readily recognizable. As a result, patient dose has a tendency to gradually increase over time after a department converts from screen/film-based imaging to digital radiographic imaging. The purpose of this report is to recommend a standard indicator which reflects the radiation exposure that is incident on a detector after every exposure event and that reflects the noise levels present in the image data. The intent is to facilitate the production of consistent, high quality digital radiographic images at acceptable patient doses. This should be based not on image optical density or brightness but on feedback regarding the detector exposure provided and actively monitored by the imaging system. A standard beam calibration condition is recommended that is based on RQA5 but uses filtration materials that are commonly available and simple to use. Recommendations on clinical implementation of the indices to control image quality and patient dose are derived from historical tolerance limits and presented as guidelines. PMID:19673189

Advanced ROICs design for cooled IR detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zécri, Michel; Maillart, Patrick; Sanson, Eric; Decaens, Gilbert; Lefoul, Xavier; Baud, Laurent

2008-04-01

The CMOS silicon focal plan array technologies hybridized with infrared detectors materials allow to cover a wide range of applications in the field of space, airborne and grounded-based imaging. Regarding other industries which are also using embedded systems, the requirements of such sensor assembly can be seen as very similar; high reliability, low weight, low power, radiation hardness for space applications and cost reduction. Comparing to CCDs technology, excepted the fact that CMOS fabrication uses standard commercial semiconductor foundry, the interest of this technology used in cooled IR sensors is its capability to operate in a wide range of temperature from 300K to cryogenic with a high density of integration and keeping at the same time good performances in term of frequency, noise and power consumption. The CMOS technology roadmap predict aggressive scaling down of device size, transistor threshold voltage, oxide and metal thicknesses to meet the growing demands for higher levels of integration and performance. At the same time infrared detectors manufacturing process is developing IR materials with a tunable cut-off wavelength capable to cover bandwidths from visible to 20μm. The requirements of third generation IR detectors are driving to scaling down the pixel pitch, to develop IR materials with high uniformity on larger formats, to develop Avalanche Photo Diodes (APD) and dual band technologies. These needs in IR detectors technologies developments associated to CMOS technology, used as a readout element, are offering new capabilities and new opportunities for cooled infrared FPAs. The exponential increase of new functionalities on chip, like the active 2D and 3D imaging, the on chip analog to digital conversion, the signal processing on chip, the bicolor, the dual band and DTI (Double Time Integration) mode ...is aiming to enlarge the field of application for cooled IR FPAs challenging by the way the design activity.

Advanced Detector and Waveform Digitizer for Water Vapor DIAL Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Refaat, Tamer F.; Luck, William S., Jr.; DeYoung, Russell J.

1998-01-01

Measurement of atmospheric water vapor has become a major requirement for understanding moist-air processes. Differential absorption lidar (DIAL) is a technique best suited for the measurement of atmospheric water vapor. NASA Langley Research Center is continually developing improved DIAL systems. One aspect of current development is focused on the enhancement of a DIAL receiver by applying state-of-the-art technology in building a new compact detection system that will be placed directly on the DIAL receiver telescope. The newly developed detection system has the capability of being digitally interfaced with a simple personal computer, using a discrete input/output interface. This has the potential of transmitting digital data over relatively long distances instead of analog signals, which greatly reduces measurement noise. In this paper, we discuss some results from the new compact water vapor DIAL detection system which includes a silicon based avalanche photodiode (APD) detector, a 14-bit, 10-MHz waveform digitizer, a microcontroller and other auxiliary electronics. All of which are contained on a small printed-circuit-board. This will significantly reduce the weight and volume over the current CAMAC system and eventually will be used in a water vapor DIAL system on an unpiloted atmospheric vehicle (UAV) aircraft, or alternatively on an orbiting spacecraft.

Plural-wavelength flame detector that discriminates between direct and reflected radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Gregory H. (Inventor); Barnes, Heidi L. (Inventor); Medelius, Pedro J. (Inventor); Simpson, Howard J. (Inventor); Smith, Harvey S. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

A flame detector employs a plurality of wavelength selective radiation detectors and a digital signal processor programmed to analyze each of the detector signals, and determine whether radiation is received directly from a small flame source that warrants generation of an alarm. The processor's algorithm employs a normalized cross-correlation analysis of the detector signals to discriminate between radiation received directly from a flame and radiation received from a reflection of a flame to insure that reflections will not trigger an alarm. In addition, the algorithm employs a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) frequency spectrum analysis of one of the detector signals to discriminate between flames of different sizes. In a specific application, the detector incorporates two infrared (IR) detectors and one ultraviolet (UV) detector for discriminating between a directly sensed small hydrogen flame, and reflections from a large hydrogen flame. The signals generated by each of the detectors are sampled and digitized for analysis by the digital signal processor, preferably 250 times a second. A sliding time window of approximately 30 seconds of detector data is created using FIFO memories.

Photodetection Characterization of SiPM Technologies for their Application in Scintillator based Neutron Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, S.; Durini, D.; Degenhardt, C.; van Waasen, S.

2018-01-01

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments have become one of the most important techniques in the investigation of the properties of material on the atomic scale. Until 2001, nearly exclusively 3He-based detectors were used for neutron detection in these experiments, but due to the scarcity of 3He and its steeply rising price, researchers started to look for suitable alternatives. Scintillation based solid state detectors appeared as a prominent alternative. Silicon photomultipliers (SiPM), having single photon resolution, lower bias voltages compared to photomultiplier tubes (PMT), insensitivity to magnetic fields, low cost, possibility of modular design and higher readout rates, have the potential of becoming a photon detector of choice in scintillator based neutron detectors. The major concerns for utilizing the SiPM technology in this kind of applications are the increase in their noise performance and the decrease in their photon detection efficiency (PDE) due to direct exposure to neutrons. Here, a detailed comparative analysis of the PDE performance in the range between UV and NIR parts of the spectra for three different SiPM technologies, before and after irradiation with cold neutrons, has been carried out. For this investigation, one digital and two analog SiPM arrays were irradiated with 5Å wavelength cold neutrons and up to a dose of 6×1012 n/cm2 at the KWS-1 instrument of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) in Garching, Germany.

A new generation of small pixel pitch/SWaP cooled infrared detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Espuno, L.; Pacaud, O.; Reibel, Y.; Rubaldo, L.; Kerlain, A.; Péré-Laperne, N.; Dariel, A.; Roumegoux, J.; Brunner, A.; Kessler, A.; Gravrand, O.; Castelein, P.

2015-10-01

Following clear technological trends, the cooled IR detectors market is now in demand for smaller, more efficient and higher performance products. This demand pushes products developments towards constant innovations on detectors, read-out circuits, proximity electronics boards, and coolers. Sofradir was first to show a 10μm focal plane array (FPA) at DSS 2012, and announced the DAPHNIS 10μm product line back in 2014. This pixel pitch is a key enabler for infrared detectors with increased resolution. Sofradir recently achieved outstanding products demonstrations at this pixel pitch, which clearly demonstrate the benefits of adopting 10μm pixel pitch focal plane array-based detectors. Both HD and XGA Daphnis 10μm products also benefit from a global video datapath efficiency improvement by transitioning to digital video interfaces. Moreover, innovative smart pixels functionalities drastically increase product versatility. In addition to this strong push towards a higher pixels density, Sofradir acknowledges the need for smaller and lower power cooled infrared detector. Together with straightforward system interfaces and better overall performances, latest technological advances on SWAP-C (Size, Weight, Power and Cost) Sofradir products enable the advent of a new generation of high performance portable and agile systems (handheld thermal imagers, unmanned aerial vehicles, light gimbals etc...). This paper focuses on those features and performances that can make an actual difference in the field.

Multi-channel photon counting DOT system based on digital lock-in detection technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tingting; Zhao, Huijuan; Wang, Zhichao; Hou, Shaohua; Gao, Feng

2011-02-01

Relying on deeper penetration of light in the tissue, Diffuse Optical Tomography (DOT) achieves organ-level tomography diagnosis, which can provide information on anatomical and physiological features. DOT has been widely used in imaging of breast, neonatal cerebral oxygen status and blood oxygen kinetics observed by its non-invasive, security and other advantages. Continuous wave DOT image reconstruction algorithms need the measurement of the surface distribution of the output photon flow inspired by more than one driving source, which means that source coding is necessary. The most currently used source coding in DOT is time-division multiplexing (TDM) technology, which utilizes the optical switch to switch light into optical fiber of different locations. However, in case of large amounts of the source locations or using the multi-wavelength, the measurement time with TDM and the measurement interval between different locations within the same measurement period will therefore become too long to capture the dynamic changes in real-time. In this paper, a frequency division multiplexing source coding technology is developed, which uses light sources modulated by sine waves with different frequencies incident to the imaging chamber simultaneously. Signal corresponding to an individual source is obtained from the mixed output light using digital phase-locked detection technology at the detection end. A digital lock-in detection circuit for photon counting measurement system is implemented on a FPGA development platform. A dual-channel DOT photon counting experimental system is preliminary established, including the two continuous lasers, photon counting detectors, digital lock-in detection control circuit, and codes to control the hardware and display the results. A series of experimental measurements are taken to validate the feasibility of the system. This method developed in this paper greatly accelerates the DOT system measurement, and can also obtain the multiple measurements in different source-detector locations.

Digital pulse processing and electronic noise analysis for improving energy resolutions in planar TlBr detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tada, Tsutomu; Hitomi, Keitaro; Tanaka, Tomonobu; Wu, Yan; Kim, Seong-Yun; Yamazaki, Hiromichi; Ishii, Keizo

2011-05-01

Digital pulse processing and electronic noise analysis are proposed for improving energy resolution in planar thallium bromide (TlBr) detectors. An energy resolution of 5.8% FWHM at 662 keV was obtained from a 0.5 mm thick planar TlBr detector at room temperature using a digitizer with a sampling rate of 100 MS/s and 8 bit resolution. The electronic noise in the detector-preamplifier system was measured as a function of pulse shaping time in order to investigate the optimum shaping time for the detector. The depth of interaction (DOI) in TlBr detectors for incident gamma-rays was determined by taking the ratio of pulse heights for fast-shaped to slow-shaped signals. FWHM energy resolution of the detector was improved from 5.8% to 4.2% by implementing depth correction and by using the obtained optimum shaping time.

The spatial resolution of silicon-based electron detectors in beta-autoradiography.

PubMed

Cabello, Jorge; Wells, Kevin

2010-03-21

Thin tissue autoradiography is an imaging modality where ex-vivo tissue sections are placed in direct contact with autoradiographic film. These tissue sections contain a radiolabelled ligand bound to a specific biomolecule under study. This radioligand emits beta - or beta+ particles ionizing silver halide crystals in the film. High spatial resolution autoradiograms are obtained using low energy radioisotopes, such as (3)H where an intrinsic 0.1-1 microm spatial resolution can be achieved. Several digital alternatives have been presented over the past few years to replace conventional film but their spatial resolution has yet to equal film, although silicon-based imaging technologies have demonstrated higher sensitivity compared to conventional film. It will be shown in this work how pixel size is a critical parameter for achieving high spatial resolution for low energy uncollimated beta imaging. In this work we also examine the confounding factors impeding silicon-based technologies with respect to spatial resolution. The study considers charge diffusion in silicon and detector noise, and this is applied to a range of radioisotopes typically used in autoradiography. Finally an optimal detector geometry to obtain the best possible spatial resolution for a specific technology and a specific radioisotope is suggested.

Signal processing for a single detector MOEMS based NIR micro spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heberer, Andreas; Grüger, Heinrich; Zimmer, Fabian; Schenk, Harald; Kenda, Andreas; Frank, Albert; Scherf, Werner

2005-10-01

The examination of spectra in the NIR range is necessary for applications like process control, element analysis or medical systems. Typically integrated NIR spectrometers are based on optical setups with diffraction grating and detector arrays. The main disadvantage is price and availability of NIR array InGaAs-based detectors. The implementation of a scanning grating chip realized in a MOEMS technology which integrates the diffractive element makes it possible to detect spectra with single detectors time resolved. Either simple InGaAs photodiodes or cooled detectors may be used. The set up is a shrinked Czerny-Turner spectrometer. The light is coupled in by an optical fibre. After focussing the light passes the scanning grating moving at 150-500 Hz in a sinusoidal way. There it is split off in the different wavelength, the monochrome intensity is caught by a second mirror and led to the detector. The detector signal is amplified by a transimpedance stage and converted to digital with 12 bit resolution. The main part of the signal processing is done by a digital signal processor, which is used to unfold the sinusoidal position and calculate the final spectra. The data rate can be up to 3 MHz, then a spectrum is acquired every 2ms by using a 500Hz Mirror. Using the DSP, the spectrometer can operate autarkic without any PC. Then the spectrum is display on a 160 x 80 pixel graphic LCD. A keypad is used to control the functions. For communication a USB port is included, additional interfaces can be realized by a 16-pin expansion port, which is freely programmable, by the system firmware.

Clinical performance of a prototype flat-panel digital detector for general radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huda, Walter; Scalzetti, Ernest M.; Roskopf, Marsha L.; Geiger, Robert

2001-08-01

Digital radiographs obtained using a prototype Digital Radiography System (Stingray) were compared with those obtained using conventional screen-film. Forty adult volunteers each had two identical radiographs taken at the same level of radiation exposure, one using screen-film and the other the digital detector. Each digital image was processed by hand to ensure that the printed quality was optimal. Ten radiologists compared the diagnostic image quality of the digital images with the corresponding film radiographs using a seven point ranking scheme.

50 μm pixel pitch wafer-scale CMOS active pixel sensor x-ray detector for digital breast tomosynthesis.

PubMed

Zhao, C; Konstantinidis, A C; Zheng, Y; Anaxagoras, T; Speller, R D; Kanicki, J

2015-12-07

Wafer-scale CMOS active pixel sensors (APSs) have been developed recently for x-ray imaging applications. The small pixel pitch and low noise are very promising properties for medical imaging applications such as digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). In this work, we evaluated experimentally and through modeling the imaging properties of a 50 μm pixel pitch CMOS APS x-ray detector named DynAMITe (Dynamic Range Adjustable for Medical Imaging Technology). A modified cascaded system model was developed for CMOS APS x-ray detectors by taking into account the device nonlinear signal and noise properties. The imaging properties such as modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum (NPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) were extracted from both measurements and the nonlinear cascaded system analysis. The results show that the DynAMITe x-ray detector achieves a high spatial resolution of 10 mm(-1) and a DQE of around 0.5 at spatial frequencies  <1 mm(-1). In addition, the modeling results were used to calculate the image signal-to-noise ratio (SNRi) of microcalcifications at various mean glandular dose (MGD). For an average breast (5 cm thickness, 50% glandular fraction), 165 μm microcalcifications can be distinguished at a MGD of 27% lower than the clinical value (~1.3 mGy). To detect 100 μm microcalcifications, further optimizations of the CMOS APS x-ray detector, image aquisition geometry and image reconstruction techniques should be considered.

MO-G-18A-01: Radiation Dose Reducing Strategies in CT, Fluoroscopy and Radiography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mahesh, M; Gingold, E; Jones, A

2014-06-15

Advances in medical x-ray imaging have provided significant benefits to patient care. According to NCRP 160, there are more than 400 million x-ray procedures performed annually in the United States alone that contributes to nearly half of all the radiation exposure to the US population. Similar growth trends in medical x-ray imaging are observed worldwide. Apparent increase in number of medical x-ray imaging procedures, new protocols and the associated radiation dose and risk has drawn considerable attention. This has led to a number of technological innovations such as tube current modulation, iterative reconstruction algorithms, dose alerts, dose displays, flat panelmore » digital detectors, high efficient digital detectors, storage phosphor radiography, variable filters, etc. that are enabling users to acquire medical x-ray images at a much lower radiation dose. Along with these, there are number of radiation dose optimization strategies that users can adapt to effectively lower radiation dose in medical x-ray procedures. The main objectives of this SAM course are to provide information and how to implement the various radiation dose optimization strategies in CT, Fluoroscopy and Radiography. Learning Objectives: To update impact of technological advances on dose optimization in medical imaging. To identify radiation optimization strategies in computed tomography. To describe strategies for configuring fluoroscopic equipment that yields optimal images at reasonable radiation dose. To assess ways to configure digital radiography systems and recommend ways to improve image quality at optimal dose.« less

Technical Note: A novel interdigital transparent thin-film detector for medical dosimetry.

PubMed

Brivio, Davide; Sajo, Erno; Zygmanski, Piotr

2017-05-01

A new type of thin-film interdigital detector (TFID) for medical dosimetry is investigated. The focus of this study was to characterize the detector response as a function of detector geometry in an attempt to optimize it and to understand the underlying radio-electrical effects leading to signal formation. We characterize the detector response to kilovoltage x-ray beams used in fluoroscopy and computed tomography. Each element (pixel) of the detector is composed of conductive intercombing digits deposited on a thin-film dielectric substrate by nanofabrication or using a printing process. The detector is practically transparent to x-ray radiation, yet it generates sufficient signal for many types of medical dosimetry and quality assurance tasks. The thin-film detector has negligible surface mass density (about 2.5 mg/cm 2 for a 1-μm-thick Cu TFID on 12.5-μm-thick Kapton substrate) and it is conformable to curved geometries found in the medical x-ray equipment or on patient skin surface. The prototype detectors were made using glass and Kapton substrates with copper-copper and copper-aluminum interdigits. Although in principle the detector can be operated without any external bias voltage when the digits are made of disparate materials (e.g., Cu-Al), we also characterized the detector properties under small electric fields via its current-voltage curve (IV curve). Using 120 kVp, 25 mA x-ray beam with 10V external bias, the Cu-Cu detector response was about 0.2 nA/cm 2 . We also measured a one-dimensional transmitted dose profile for a phantom under fluoroscopic x-rays and found relatively good agreement with a commercial photodiode (XR R12-0191, IBA Dosimetry). We demonstrated the potential of TFID detectors for kilovoltage dosimetry and we defined its optimal geometry. For digits made of the same material and for digit width equal to the separation between them, we found that the thin-film detector has optimal performance when the distance between the digit centers is about 1 mm, while in the fixed digit width cases we observed that the signal is higher when their edge-to-edge separation is as small as possible. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

A Compton suppressed detector multiplicity trigger based digital DAQ for gamma-ray spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, S.; Samanta, S.; Banik, R.; Bhattacharjee, R.; Basu, K.; Raut, R.; Ghugre, S. S.; Sinha, A. K.; Bhattacharya, S.; Imran, S.; Mukherjee, G.; Bhattacharyya, S.; Goswami, A.; Palit, R.; Tan, H.

2018-06-01

The development of a digitizer based pulse processing and data acquisition system for γ-ray spectroscopy with large detector arrays is presented. The system is based on 250 MHz 12-bit digitizers, and is triggered by a user chosen multiplicity of Compton suppressed detectors. The logic for trigger generation is similar to the one practised for analog (NIM/CAMAC) pulse processing electronics, while retaining the fast processing merits of the digitizer system. Codes for reduction of data acquired from the system have also been developed. The system has been tested with offline studies using radioactive sources as well as in the in-beam experiments with an array of Compton suppressed Clover detectors. The results obtained therefrom validate its use in spectroscopic efforts for nuclear structure investigations.

Advances in detector technologies for visible and infrared wavefront sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feautrier, Philippe; Gach, Jean-Luc; Downing, Mark; Jorden, Paul; Kolb, Johann; Rothman, Johan; Fusco, Thierry; Balard, Philippe; Stadler, Eric; Guillaume, Christian; Boutolleau, David; Destefanis, Gérard; Lhermet, Nicolas; Pacaud, Olivier; Vuillermet, Michel; Kerlain, Alexandre; Hubin, Norbert; Reyes, Javier; Kasper, Markus; Ivert, Olaf; Suske, Wolfgang; Walker, Andrew; Skegg, Michael; Derelle, Sophie; Deschamps, Joel; Robert, Clélia; Vedrenne, Nicolas; Chazalet, Frédéric; Tanchon, Julien; Trollier, Thierry; Ravex, Alain; Zins, Gérard; Kern, Pierre; Moulin, Thibaut; Preis, Olivier

2012-07-01

The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the state of the art wavefront sensor detectors developments held in Europe for the last decade. The success of the next generation of instruments for 8 to 40-m class telescopes will depend on the ability of Adaptive Optics (AO) systems to provide excellent image quality and stability. This will be achieved by increasing the sampling, wavelength range and correction quality of the wave front error in both spatial and time domains. The modern generation of AO wavefront sensor detectors development started in the late nineties with the CCD50 detector fabricated by e2v technologies under ESO contract for the ESO NACO AO system. With a 128x128 pixels format, this 8 outputs CCD offered a 500 Hz frame rate with a readout noise of 7e-. A major breakthrough has been achieved with the recent development by e2v technologies of the CCD220. This 240x240 pixels 8 outputs EMCCD (CCD with internal multiplication) has been jointly funded by ESO and Europe under the FP6 programme. The CCD220 and the OCAM2 camera that operates the detector are now the most sensitive system in the world for advanced adaptive optics systems, offering less than 0.2 e readout noise at a frame rate of 1500 Hz with negligible dark current. Extremely easy to operate, OCAM2 only needs a 24 V power supply and a modest water cooling circuit. This system, commercialized by First Light Imaging, is extensively described in this paper. An upgrade of OCAM2 is foreseen to boost its frame rate to 2 kHz, opening the window of XAO wavefront sensing for the ELT using 4 synchronized cameras and pyramid wavefront sensing. Since this major success, new developments started in Europe. One is fully dedicated to Natural and Laser Guide Star AO for the E-ELT with ESO involvement. The spot elongation from a LGS Shack Hartman wavefront sensor necessitates an increase of the pixel format. Two detectors are currently developed by e2v. The NGSD will be a 880x840 pixels CMOS detector with a readout noise of 3 e (goal 1e) at 700 Hz frame rate. The LGSD is a scaling of the NGSD with 1760x1680 pixels and 3 e readout noise (goal 1e) at 700 Hz (goal 1000 Hz) frame rate. New technologies will be developed for that purpose: advanced CMOS pixel architecture, CMOS back thinned and back illuminated device for very high QE, full digital outputs with signal digital conversion on chip. In addition, the CMOS technology is extremely robust in a telescope environment. Both detectors will be used on the European ELT but also interest potentially all giant telescopes under development. Additional developments also started for wavefront sensing in the infrared based on a new technological breakthrough using ultra low noise Avalanche Photodiode (APD) arrays within the RAPID project. Developed by the SOFRADIR and CEA/LETI manufacturers, the latter will offer a 320x240 8 outputs 30 microns IR array, sensitive from 0.4 to 3.2 microns, with 2 e readout noise at 1500 Hz frame rate. The high QE response is almost flat over this wavelength range. Advanced packaging with miniature cryostat using liquid nitrogen free pulse tube cryocoolers is currently developed for this programme in order to allow use on this detector in any type of environment. First results of this project are detailed here. These programs are held with several partners, among them are the French astronomical laboratories (LAM, OHP, IPAG), the detector manufacturers (e2v technologies, Sofradir, CEA/LETI) and other partners (ESO, ONERA, IAC, GTC). Funding is: Opticon FP6 and FP7 from European Commission, ESO, CNRS and Université de Provence, Sofradir, ONERA, CEA/LETI and the French FUI (DGCIS).

Artifacts in Digital Coincidence Timing

PubMed Central

Moses, W. W.; Peng, Q.

2014-01-01

Digital methods are becoming increasingly popular for measuring time differences, and are the de facto standard in PET cameras. These methods usually include a master system clock and a (digital) arrival time estimate for each detector that is obtained by comparing the detector output signal to some reference portion of this clock (such as the rising edge). Time differences between detector signals are then obtained by subtracting the digitized estimates from a detector pair. A number of different methods can be used to generate the digitized arrival time of the detector output, such as sending a discriminator output into a time to digital converter (TDC) or digitizing the waveform and applying a more sophisticated algorithm to extract a timing estimator. All measurement methods are subject to error, and one generally wants to minimize these errors and so optimize the timing resolution. A common method for optimizing timing methods is to measure the coincidence timing resolution between two timing signals whose time difference should be constant (such as detecting gammas from positron annihilation) and selecting the method that minimizes the width of the distribution (i.e., the timing resolution). Unfortunately, a common form of error (a nonlinear transfer function) leads to artifacts that artificially narrow this resolution, which can lead to erroneous selection of the “optimal” method. The purpose of this note is to demonstrate the origin of this artifact and suggest that caution should be used when optimizing time digitization systems solely on timing resolution minimization. PMID:25321885

Artifacts in digital coincidence timing

DOE PAGES

Moses, W. W.; Peng, Q.

2014-10-16

Digital methods are becoming increasingly popular for measuring time differences, and are the de facto standard in PET cameras. These methods usually include a master system clock and a (digital) arrival time estimate for each detector that is obtained by comparing the detector output signal to some reference portion of this clock (such as the rising edge). Time differences between detector signals are then obtained by subtracting the digitized estimates from a detector pair. A number of different methods can be used to generate the digitized arrival time of the detector output, such as sending a discriminator output into amore » time to digital converter (TDC) or digitizing the waveform and applying a more sophisticated algorithm to extract a timing estimator.All measurement methods are subject to error, and one generally wants to minimize these errors and so optimize the timing resolution. A common method for optimizing timing methods is to measure the coincidence timing resolution between two timing signals whose time difference should be constant (such as detecting gammas from positron annihilation) and selecting the method that minimizes the width of the distribution (i.e. the timing resolution). Unfortunately, a common form of error (a nonlinear transfer function) leads to artifacts that artificially narrow this resolution, which can lead to erroneous selection of the 'optimal' method. In conclusion, the purpose of this note is to demonstrate the origin of this artifact and suggest that caution should be used when optimizing time digitization systems solely on timing resolution minimization.« less

Artifacts in digital coincidence timing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moses, W. W.; Peng, Q.

Digital methods are becoming increasingly popular for measuring time differences, and are the de facto standard in PET cameras. These methods usually include a master system clock and a (digital) arrival time estimate for each detector that is obtained by comparing the detector output signal to some reference portion of this clock (such as the rising edge). Time differences between detector signals are then obtained by subtracting the digitized estimates from a detector pair. A number of different methods can be used to generate the digitized arrival time of the detector output, such as sending a discriminator output into amore » time to digital converter (TDC) or digitizing the waveform and applying a more sophisticated algorithm to extract a timing estimator.All measurement methods are subject to error, and one generally wants to minimize these errors and so optimize the timing resolution. A common method for optimizing timing methods is to measure the coincidence timing resolution between two timing signals whose time difference should be constant (such as detecting gammas from positron annihilation) and selecting the method that minimizes the width of the distribution (i.e. the timing resolution). Unfortunately, a common form of error (a nonlinear transfer function) leads to artifacts that artificially narrow this resolution, which can lead to erroneous selection of the 'optimal' method. In conclusion, the purpose of this note is to demonstrate the origin of this artifact and suggest that caution should be used when optimizing time digitization systems solely on timing resolution minimization.« less

Implementation of a 4x8 NIR and CCD Mosaic Focal Plane Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jelinsky, Patrick; Bebek, C. J.; Besuner, R. W.; Haller, G. M.; Harris, S. E.; Hart, P. A.; Heetderks, H. D.; Levi, M. E.; Maldonado, S. E.; Roe, N. A.; Roodman, A. J.; Sapozhnikov, L.

2011-01-01

Mission concepts for NASA's Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), ESA's EUCLID mission, as well as for ground based observations, have requirements for large mosaic focal planes to image visible and near infrared (NIR) wavelengths. We have developed detectors, readout electronics and focal plane design techniques that can be used to create very large scalable focal plane mosaic cameras. In our technology, CCDs and HgCdTe detectors can be intermingled on a single, silicon carbide (SiC) cold plate. This enables optimized, wideband observing strategies. The CCDs, developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, are fully-depleted, p-channel devices that are backside illuminated capable of operating at temperatures as low as 110K and have been optimized for the weak lensing dark energy technique. The NIR detectors are 1.7µm and 2.0µm wavelength cutoff H2RG® HgCdTe, manufactured by Teledyne Imaging Sensors under contract to LBL. Both the CCDs and NIR detectors are packaged on 4-side abuttable SiC pedestals with a common mounting footprint supporting a 44.16mm mosaic pitch and are coplanar. Both types of detectors have direct-attached, readout electronics that convert the detector signal directly to serial, digital data streams and allow a flexible, low cost data acquisition strategy, despite the large data volume. A mosaic of these detectors can be operated at a common temperature that achieves the required dark current and read noise performance in both types of detectors necessary for dark energy observations. We report here the design and integration for a focal plane designed to accommodate a 4x8 heterogeneous array of CCDs and HgCdTe detectors. Our current implementation contains over 1/4-billion pixels.

Construction of a technological semi-digital hadronic calorimeter using GRPC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laktineh, I.

2011-04-01

A high-granularity semi-digital Hadronic calorimeter using GRPC as sensitive medium is one of the two HCAL options considered by the ILD collaboration to be proposed for the detector of the future International Linear Collider project. A prototype of 1m3 has been conceived within the CALICE collaboration in order to validate this option. The prototype intends to be as close as possible to the one proposed in the ILD Letter Of Intent. Few units made of 1m2 GRPC fully equipped with semi-digital readout electronics and new gas distribution design were produced and successfully tested. In 2010 we intend to produce 40 similar units to be inserted in a self-supporting mechanical structure. The prototype will then be exposed to TestBeams at CERN for final validation.

Multi-channel detector readout method and integrated circuit

DOEpatents

Moses, William W.; Beuville, Eric; Pedrali-Noy, Marzio

2006-12-12

An integrated circuit which provides multi-channel detector readout from a detector array. The circuit receives multiple signals from the elements of a detector array and compares the sampled amplitudes of these signals against a noise-floor threshold and against one another. A digital signal is generated which corresponds to the location of the highest of these signal amplitudes which exceeds the noise floor threshold. The digital signal is received by a multiplexing circuit which outputs an analog signal corresponding the highest of the input signal amplitudes. In addition a digital control section provides for programmatic control of the multiplexer circuit, amplifier gain, amplifier reset, masking selection, and test circuit functionality on each input thereof.

Multi-channel detector readout method and integrated circuit

DOEpatents

Moses, William W.; Beuville, Eric; Pedrali-Noy, Marzio

2004-05-18

An integrated circuit which provides multi-channel detector readout from a detector array. The circuit receives multiple signals from the elements of a detector array and compares the sampled amplitudes of these signals against a noise-floor threshold and against one another. A digital signal is generated which corresponds to the location of the highest of these signal amplitudes which exceeds the noise floor threshold. The digital signal is received by a multiplexing circuit which outputs an analog signal corresponding the highest of the input signal amplitudes. In addition a digital control section provides for programmatic control of the multiplexer circuit, amplifier gain, amplifier reset, masking selection, and test circuit functionality on each input thereof.

Dentists' use of digital radiographic techniques: Part I - intraoral X-ray: a questionnaire study of Swedish dentists.

PubMed

Svenson, Björn; Ståhlnacke, Katri; Karlsson, Reet; Fält, Anna

2018-03-01

The present study aims to gain knowledge about the dentist's use and choice of digital intraoral imaging methods. A questionnaire sent to 2481 dentists within the Swedish Dental Society contained questions about the type of X-ray technique used, problems experienced with digital radiography, and reasons for choosing digital technology, and about indications, clinic size and type of service. Response rate was 53%. Ninety-eight percent of the dentists had made the transition to digital radiography; only 2% used film technique, and solid-state detector (SSD) was the most used digital technique. More years in service decreases the likelihood of applying individual indications for performing a full mouth examination. More retakes were done with SSDs compared to storage phosphor plates. Reasons for choosing digital techniques were that work was easier and communication with the patients improved. However, dentists also experienced problems with digital techniques, such as exposure and projection errors and inadequate image quality. The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority states that all radiological examinations should be justified, something not always followed. This study showed that 98% of the respondents, Swedish dentists within the Swedish Dental Society, used digital techniques, and the most used was the solid-state technique.

Color camera computed tomography imaging spectrometer for improved spatial-spectral image accuracy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Daniel W. (Inventor); Bearman, Gregory H. (Inventor); Johnson, William R. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

Computed tomography imaging spectrometers ("CTIS"s) having color focal plane array detectors are provided. The color FPA detector may comprise a digital color camera including a digital image sensor, such as a Foveon X3.RTM. digital image sensor or a Bayer color filter mosaic. In another embodiment, the CTIS includes a pattern imposed either directly on the object scene being imaged or at the field stop aperture. The use of a color FPA detector and the pattern improves the accuracy of the captured spatial and spectral information.

Particle identification using digital pulse shape discrimination in a nTD silicon detector with a 1 GHz sampling digitizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahata, K.; Shrivastava, A.; Gore, J. A.; Pandit, S. K.; Parkar, V. V.; Ramachandran, K.; Kumar, A.; Gupta, S.; Patale, P.

2018-06-01

In beam test experiments have been carried out for particle identification using digital pulse shape analysis in a 500 μm thick Neutron Transmutation Doped (nTD) silicon detector with an indigenously developed FPGA based 12 bit resolution, 1 GHz sampling digitizer. The nTD Si detector was used in a low-field injection setup to detect light heavy-ions produced in reactions of ∼ 5 MeV/A 7Li and 12C beams on different targets. Pulse height, rise time and current maximum have been obtained from the digitized charge output of a high bandwidth charge and current sensitive pre-amplifier. Good isotopic separation have been achieved using only the digitized charge output in case of light heavy-ions. The setup can be used for charged particle spectroscopy in nuclear reactions involving light heavy-ions around the Coulomb barrier energies.

[Flat-panel detector technology -State-of-the-art and future prospects-].

PubMed

Yamazaki, Tatsuya

2002-01-01

A flat-panel detector (FPD) is a long-awaited technology to implement the digital X-ray imaging technology into the radiological department. This paper describes the state-of-the-art technology and future prospects on the FPD technology. State-of-the-art technology was reviewed taking the CXDI series as an example. Several FPD-based systems have been introduced into the Japanese market since CXDI-11 opened it in November 1998. Accompanying CXDI-C2 for control, CXDI-22 for table position and CXDI-31 for portable, the CXDI series fulfills the requirement of the radiography room being a fully digitalized room. The FPD on the CXDI series is comprised of a scintillator (Gd(2)O(2)S:Tb(3+)) as a primary sensor in which the X-ray is captured and an amorphous silicon detector (LANMIT) as a secondary sensor in which the fluorescent light is detected. Since the scintillator is identical to that of the screen-film systems, it can be said as proven, durable and chemically stable and it is expected to produce the same image quality as the screen-film systems. CXDI-31, a portable FPD-based system, was developed targeting thinner dimensions, lightweight, durability and high spatial resolution. Thoroughly re-designing the mechanical structure and reducing the power consumption at the readout IC realized thinner dimensions. Introducing the portable note PC technologies successfully combined lightweight with durability. Improving the sensor process and re-designing the layout made the sensor high resolution without compromising the signal-to-noise ratio. Future prospects were overviewed in the aspect of technology and applications. Sensitivity, spatial resolution, frame rate and portability were described as the upcoming technology. Increasing gain and reducing noise will realize higher sensitivity, especially by adopting the PbI(2), HgI(2) or such photoconductor materials as the primary sensor. Pixelized amplifier will also achieve higher sensitivity. Layered sensor designed such that TFT layer and sensitive layer are constructed separately will decrease the pixel pitch lower than 100 microm. The FPD has been applied in radiography, mammography and angiography. It will expand the applications into low-dose fluoroscopy to replace the X-ray image intensifiers and into cone-beam computer tomography. What the FPD brought was mainly the efficient workflow of the X-ray technologist. However, diagnosis efficiency and patient benefit must be improved further more by combining FPD technology into computer-aided diagnosis, tele-radiography or other IT-based technologies. Such prospect may come true in the near future.

A feasibility study of a data acquisition system for a silicon strip detector with a digital readout scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeda, Hirokazu; Ikeda, Mitsuo; Inaba, Susumu; Tanaka, Manobu

1993-06-01

We describe a prototype data acquisition system for a silicon strip detector, which has been developed in terms of a digital readout scheme. The system consists of a master timing generator, readout controller, and a detector emulator card on which we use custom VLSI shift registers with operating clock frequency of 30 MHz.

The IASI detection chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicol, Patrick; Fleury, Joel; Le Naour, Claire; Bernard, Frédéric

2017-11-01

IASI (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer) is an infrared atmospheric sounder. It will provide meteorologist and scientific community with atmospheric spectra. The instrument is composed of a Fourier transform spectrometer and an associated infrared imager. The presentation will describe the spectrometer detection chain architecture, composed by three different detectors cooled in a passive cryo-cooler (so called CBS : Cold Box Subsystem) and associated analog electronics up to digital conversion. It will mainly focus on design choices with regards to environment constraints, implemented technologies, and associated performances. CNES is leading the IASI program in collaboration with EUMETSAT. The instrument Prime is ALCATEL SPACE responsible, notably, of the detection chain architecture. SAGEM SA provides the detector package (so called CAU : Cold Acquisition Unit).

Complex Signal Kurtosis and Independent Component Analysis for Wideband Radio Frequency Interference Detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoenwald, Adam; Mohammed, Priscilla; Bradley, Damon; Piepmeier, Jeffrey; Wong, Englin; Gholian, Armen

2016-01-01

Radio-frequency interference (RFI) has negatively implicated scientific measurements across a wide variation passive remote sensing satellites. This has been observed in the L-band radiometers SMOS, Aquarius and more recently, SMAP [1, 2]. RFI has also been observed at higher frequencies such as K band [3]. Improvements in technology have allowed wider bandwidth digital back ends for passive microwave radiometry. A complex signal kurtosis radio frequency interference detector was developed to help identify corrupted measurements [4]. This work explores the use of ICA (Independent Component Analysis) as a blind source separation technique to pre-process radiometric signals for use with the previously developed real and complex signal kurtosis detectors.

RFI Detection and Mitigation using Independent Component Analysis as a Pre-Processor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoenwald, Adam J.; Gholian, Armen; Bradley, Damon C.; Wong, Mark; Mohammed, Priscilla N.; Piepmeier, Jeffrey R.

2016-01-01

Radio-frequency interference (RFI) has negatively impacted scientific measurements of passive remote sensing satellites. This has been observed in the L-band radiometers Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS), Aquarius and more recently, Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP). RFI has also been observed at higher frequencies such as K band. Improvements in technology have allowed wider bandwidth digital back ends for passive microwave radiometry. A complex signal kurtosis radio frequency interference detector was developed to help identify corrupted measurements. This work explores the use of Independent Component Analysis (ICA) as a blind source separation (BSS) technique to pre-process radiometric signals for use with the previously developed real and complex signal kurtosis detectors.

The IASI detection chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicol, Patrick; Fleury, Joel; Bernard, Frédéric

2004-06-01

IASI (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer) is an infrared atmospheric sounder. It will provide meteorologist and scientific community with atmospheric spectra. The instrument is composed of a Fourier transform spectrometer and an associated infrared imager. The presentation will describe the spectrometer detection chain architecture, composed by three different detectors cooled in a passive cryo-cooler (so called CBS : Cold Box Subsystem) and associated analog electronics up to digital conversion. It will mainly focus on design choices with regards to environment constraints, implemented technologies, and associated performances . CNES is leading the IASI program in collaboration with EUMETSAT. The instrument Prime is ALCATEL SPACE responsible, notably, of the detection chain architecture. SAGEM SA provides the detector package (so called CAU: Cold Acquisition Unit).

Latest generation of ASICs for photodetector readout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seguin-Moreau, N.

2013-08-01

The OMEGA microelectronics group has designed a new generation of multichannel integrated circuits, the "ROC" family, in AustrianMicroSystem (AMS) SiGe 0.35 μm technology to read out signals from various families of photodetectors. The chip named MAROC (standing for Multi Anode ReadOut Chip) has been designed to read out MultiAnode Photomultipliers (MAPMT), Photomultiplier ARray In SiGe ReadOut Chip (PARISROC) to read out Photomultipliers (PMTs) and SiPM Integrated ReadOut Chip (SPIROC) to readout Silicon PhotoMultiplier (SiPM) detectors and which was the first ASIC to do so. The three of them fulfill the stringent requirements of the future photodetectors, in particular in terms of low noise, radiation hardness, large dynamic range, high density and high speed while keeping low power thanks to the SiGe technology. These multi-channel ASICs are real System on Chip (SoC) as they provide charge, time and photon-counting information which are digitized internally. Their complexity and versatility enable innovative frontier detectors and also cover spin off of these detectors in adjacent fields such as medical or material imaging as well as smart detectors. In this presentation, the three ASIC architectures and test results will be described to give a general panorama of the "ROC" chips.

In-Vivo Real-Time X-ray μ-Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dammer, Jiri; Holy, Tomas; Jakubek, Jan; Jakubek, Martin; Pospisil, Stanislav; Vavrík, Daniel

2007-11-01

The technique of X-ray transmission imaging is available for more than 100 years and it is still one of the fastest and easiest ways how to study the internal structure of living biological samples. The advances in semiconductor technology in last years make possible to fabricate new types of X-ray detectors with direct conversion of interacting X-ray photon to an electric signal. Especially semiconductor pixel detectors seem to be very promising. Compared to the film technique they bring single-quantum and real-time digital information about the studied object with high resolution, high sensitivity and broad dynamic range. These pixel detector-based imaging stand promising as a new tool in the field of small animal imaging, for cancer research and for observation of dynamic processes inside organisms. These detectors open up for instance new possibilities for researchers to perform non-invasive studies of tissue for mutations or pathologies and to monitor disease progression or response to therapy.

Radiation dosimeter

DOEpatents

Fox, Richard J.

1983-01-01

A radiation detector readout circuit is provided which produces a radiation dose-rate readout from a detector even though the detector output may be highly energy dependent. A linear charge amplifier including an output charge pump circuit amplifies the charge signal pulses from the detector and pumps the charge into a charge storage capacitor. The discharge rate of the capacitor through a resistor is controlled to provide a time-dependent voltage which when integrated provides an output proportional to the dose-rate of radiation detected by the detector. This output may be converted to digital form for readout on a digital display.

Radiation dosimeter

DOEpatents

Fox, R.J.

1981-09-01

A radiation detector readout circuit is provided which produces a radiation dose-rate readout from a detector even through the detector output may be highly energy dependent. A linear charge amplifier including an output charge pump circuit amplifies the charge signal pulses from the detector and pumps the charge into a charge storage capacitor. The discharge rate of the capacitor through a resistor is controlled to provide a time-dependent voltage which when integrated provides an output proportional to the dose-rate of radiation detected by the detector. This output may be converted to digital form for readout on a digital display.

Stationary Digital Tomosynthesis System for Early Detection of Breast Tumors

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

selenium flat panel detector. Proc. SPIE 2005. 5745: p. 529-540 4. Kopans, D.B., Breast Imaging. 2 ed. 1997, New York Lippincott Williams and...same. 2005. 8. M. Bissonnette, et al. Digital breast tomosynthesis using an amorphous selenium flat panel detector. in Medical Imaging 2005...tomosynthesis system with selenium based flat panel detector. Proc of SPIE, Physics of Medical Imaging, 2005. 5745. 12

Toward VIP-PIX: A Low Noise Readout ASIC for Pixelated CdTe Gamma-Ray Detectors for Use in the Next Generation of PET Scanners.

PubMed

Macias-Montero, Jose-Gabriel; Sarraj, Maher; Chmeissani, Mokhtar; Puigdengoles, Carles; Lorenzo, Gianluca De; Martínez, Ricardo

2013-08-01

VIP-PIX will be a low noise and low power pixel readout electronics with digital output for pixelated Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) detectors. The proposed pixel will be part of a 2D pixel-array detector for various types of nuclear medicine imaging devices such as positron-emission tomography (PET) scanners, Compton gamma cameras, and positron-emission mammography (PEM) scanners. Each pixel will include a SAR ADC that provides the energy deposited with 10-bit resolution. Simultaneously, the self-triggered pixel which will be connected to a global time-to-digital converter (TDC) with 1 ns resolution will provide the event's time stamp. The analog part of the readout chain and the ADC have been fabricated with TSMC 0.25 μ m mixed-signal CMOS technology and characterized with an external test pulse. The power consumption of these parts is 200 μ W from a 2.5 V supply. It offers 4 switchable gains from ±10 mV/fC to ±40 mV/fC and an input charge dynamic range of up to ±70 fC for the minimum gain for both polarities. Based on noise measurements, the expected equivalent noise charge (ENC) is 65 e - RMS at room temperature.

A DSP equipped digitizer for online analysis of nuclear detector signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasquali, G.; Ciaranfi, R.; Bardelli, L.; Bini, M.; Boiano, A.; Giannelli, F.; Ordine, A.; Poggi, G.

2007-01-01

In the framework of the NUCL-EX collaboration, a DSP equipped fast digitizer has been implemented and it has now reached the production stage. Each sampling channel is implemented on a separate daughter-board to be plugged on a VME mother-board. Each channel features a 12-bit, 125 MSamples/s ADC and a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) for online analysis of detector signals. A few algorithms have been written and successfully tested on detectors of different types (scintillators, solid-state, gas-filled), implementing pulse shape discrimination, constant fraction timing, semi-Gaussian shaping, gated integration.

Rotary encoding device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leviton, Douglas B. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A device for position encoding of a rotating shaft in which a polygonal mirror having a number of facets is mounted to the shaft and a light beam is directed towards the facets is presented. The facets of the polygonal mirror reflect the light beam such that a light spot is created on a linear array detector. An analog-to-digital converter is connected to the linear array detector for reading the position of the spot on the linear array detector. A microprocessor with memory is connected to the analog-to-digital converter to hold and manipulate the data provided by the analog-to-digital converter on the position of the spot and to compute the position of the shaft based upon the data from the analog-to-digital converter.

Beam Position Monitoring in the CSU Accelerator Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Einstein, Joshua; Vankeuren, Max; Watras, Stephen

2014-03-01

A Beam Position Monitoring (BPM) system is an integral part of an accelerator beamline, and modern accelerators can take advantage of newer technologies and designs when creating a BPM system. The Colorado State University (CSU) Accelerator Facility will include four stripline detectors mounted around the beamline, a low-noise analog front-end, and digitization and interface circuitry. The design will support a sampling rate greater than 10 Hz and sub-100 μm accuracy.

X-ray radiation detectors of ``scintillator-photoreceiving device type'' for industrial digital radiography with improved spatial resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryzhykov, V. D.; Lysetska, O. K.; Opolonin, O. D.; Kozin, D. N.

2003-06-01

Main types of photoreceivers used in X-ray digital radiography systems are luminescent screens that transfer the optical image onto charge collection instruments, which require cooling, and semiconductor silicon detectors, which limit the contrast sensitivity. We have developed and produced X-ray radiation detectors of "scintillator-photoreceiving device" (S-PRD) type, which are integrally located on the inverse side of the photodiode (PD). The receiving-converting circuit (RCC) is designed for data conversion into digital form and their input into PC. Software is provided for RCC control and image visualization. Main advantages of these detectors are high industrial resolution (3-5 line pairs per mm), detecting activity up to 20 μm, controlled sensitivity, low weight and small size, imaging low (0.1-0.3 mrad) object dose in real time. In this work, main characteristics of 32-, 64- and 1024-channel detectors of S-PRD type were studied and compared for X-ray sensitivity with S-PD detectors. Images of the tested objects have been obtained. Recommendations are given on the use of different scintillation materials, depending upon the purpose of a digital radiographic system. The detectors operate in a broad energy range of ionizing radiation, hence the size of the controlled object is not limited. The system is sufficiently powerful to ensure frontal (through two walls) observation of pipelines with wall thickness up to 10 cm.

Towards fraud-proof ID documents using multiple data hiding technologies and biometrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picard, Justin; Vielhauer, Claus; Thorwirth, Niels

2004-06-01

Identity documents, such as ID cards, passports, and driver's licenses, contain textual information, a portrait of the legitimate holder, and eventually some other biometric characteristics such as a fingerprint or handwritten signature. As prices for digital imaging technologies fall, making them more widely available, we have seen an exponential increase in the ease and the number of counterfeiters that can effectively forge documents. Today, with only limited knowledge of technology and a small amount of money, a counterfeiter can effortlessly replace a photo or modify identity information on a legitimate document to the extent that it is very diffcult to differentiate from the original. This paper proposes a virtually fraud-proof ID document based on a combination of three different data hiding technologies: digital watermarking, 2-D bar codes, and Copy Detection Pattern, plus additional biometric protection. As will be shown, that combination of data hiding technologies protects the document against any forgery, in principle without any requirement for other security features. To prevent a genuine document to be used by an illegitimate user,biometric information is also covertly stored in the ID document, to be used for identification at the detector.

Maximum likelihood positioning and energy correction for scintillation detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lerche, Christoph W.; Salomon, André; Goldschmidt, Benjamin; Lodomez, Sarah; Weissler, Björn; Solf, Torsten

2016-02-01

An algorithm for determining the crystal pixel and the gamma ray energy with scintillation detectors for PET is presented. The algorithm uses Likelihood Maximisation (ML) and therefore is inherently robust to missing data caused by defect or paralysed photo detector pixels. We tested the algorithm on a highly integrated MRI compatible small animal PET insert. The scintillation detector blocks of the PET gantry were built with the newly developed digital Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) technology from Philips Digital Photon Counting and LYSO pixel arrays with a pitch of 1 mm and length of 12 mm. Light sharing was used to readout the scintillation light from the 30× 30 scintillator pixel array with an 8× 8 SiPM array. For the performance evaluation of the proposed algorithm, we measured the scanner’s spatial resolution, energy resolution, singles and prompt count rate performance, and image noise. These values were compared to corresponding values obtained with Center of Gravity (CoG) based positioning methods for different scintillation light trigger thresholds and also for different energy windows. While all positioning algorithms showed similar spatial resolution, a clear advantage for the ML method was observed when comparing the PET scanner’s overall single and prompt detection efficiency, image noise, and energy resolution to the CoG based methods. Further, ML positioning reduces the dependence of image quality on scanner configuration parameters and was the only method that allowed achieving highest energy resolution, count rate performance and spatial resolution at the same time.

Simulation and Digitization of a Gas Electron Multiplier Detector Using Geant4 and an Object-Oriented Digitization Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMullen, Timothy; Liyanage, Nilanga; Xiong, Weizhi; Zhao, Zhiwen

2017-01-01

Our research has focused on simulating the response of a Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detector using computational methods. GEM detectors provide a cost effective solution for radiation detection in high rate environments. A detailed simulation of GEM detector response to radiation is essential for the successful adaption of these detectors to different applications. Using Geant4 Monte Carlo (GEMC), a wrapper around Geant4 which has been successfully used to simulate the Solenoidal Large Intensity Device (SoLID) at Jefferson Lab, we are developing a simulation of a GEM chamber similar to the detectors currently used in our lab. We are also refining an object-oriented digitization program, which translates energy deposition information from GEMC into electronic readout which resembles the readout from our physical detectors. We have run the simulation with beta particles produced by the simulated decay of a 90Sr source, as well as with a simulated bremsstrahlung spectrum. Comparing the simulation data with real GEM data taken under similar conditions is used to refine the simulation parameters. Comparisons between results from the simulations and results from detector tests will be presented.

Selective photon counter for digital x-ray mammography tomosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldan, Amir H.; Karim, Karim S.; Rowlands, J. A.

2006-03-01

Photon counting is an emerging detection technique that is promising for mammography tomosynthesis imagers. In photon counting systems, the value of each image pixel is equal to the number of photons that interact with the detector. In this research, we introduce the design and implementation of a low noise, novel selective photon counting pixel for digital mammography tomosynthesis in crystalline silicon CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) 0.18 micron technology. The design comprises of a low noise charge amplifier (CA), two low offset voltage comparators, a decision-making unit (DMU), a mode selector, and a pseudo-random counter. Theoretical calculations and simulation results of linearity, gain, and noise of the photon counting pixel are presented.

The research on a novel type of the solar-blind UV head-mounted displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Shun-long

2011-08-01

Ultraviolet technology of detecting is playing a more and more important role in the field of civil application, especially in the corona discharge detection, in modern society. Now the UV imaging detector is one of the most important equipments in power equipment flaws detection. And the modern head-mounted displays (HMDs) have shown the applications in the fields of military, industry production, medical treatment, entertainment, 3D visualization, education and training. We applied the system of head-mounted displays to the UV image detection, and a novel type of head-mounted displays is presented: the solar-blind UV head-mounted displays. And the structure is given. By the solar-blind UV head-mounted displays, a real-time, isometric and visible image of the corona discharge is correctly displayed upon the background scene where it exists. The user will see the visible image of the corona discharge on the real scene rather than on a small screen. Then the user can easily find out the power equipment flaws and repair them. Compared with the traditional UV imaging detector, the introducing of the HMDs simplifies the structure of the whole system. The original visible spectrum optical system is replaced by the eye in the solar-blind UV head-mounted displays. And the optical image fusion technology would be used rather than the digital image fusion system which is necessary in traditional UV imaging detector. That means the visible spectrum optical system and digital image fusion system are not necessary. This makes the whole system cheaper than the traditional UV imaging detector. Another advantage of the solar-blind UV head-mounted displays is that the two hands of user will be free. So while observing the corona discharge the user can do some things about it. Therefore the solar-blind UV head-mounted displays can make the corona discharge expose itself to the user in a better way, and it will play an important role in corona detection in the future.

Smart CMOS image sensor for lightning detection and imaging.

PubMed

Rolando, Sébastien; Goiffon, Vincent; Magnan, Pierre; Corbière, Franck; Molina, Romain; Tulet, Michel; Bréart-de-Boisanger, Michel; Saint-Pé, Olivier; Guiry, Saïprasad; Larnaudie, Franck; Leone, Bruno; Perez-Cuevas, Leticia; Zayer, Igor

2013-03-01

We present a CMOS image sensor dedicated to lightning detection and imaging. The detector has been designed to evaluate the potentiality of an on-chip lightning detection solution based on a smart sensor. This evaluation is performed in the frame of the predevelopment phase of the lightning detector that will be implemented in the Meteosat Third Generation Imager satellite for the European Space Agency. The lightning detection process is performed by a smart detector combining an in-pixel frame-to-frame difference comparison with an adjustable threshold and on-chip digital processing allowing an efficient localization of a faint lightning pulse on the entire large format array at a frequency of 1 kHz. A CMOS prototype sensor with a 256×256 pixel array and a 60 μm pixel pitch has been fabricated using a 0.35 μm 2P 5M technology and tested to validate the selected detection approach.

A 300-mV 220-nW event-driven ADC with real-time QRS detection for wearable ECG sensors.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaoyang; Lian, Yong

2014-12-01

This paper presents an ultra-low-power event-driven analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with real-time QRS detection for wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors in wireless body sensor network (WBSN) applications. Two QRS detection algorithms, pulse-triggered (PUT) and time-assisted PUT (t-PUT), are proposed based on the level-crossing events generated from the ADC. The PUT detector achieves 97.63% sensitivity and 97.33% positive prediction in simulation on the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia Database. The t-PUT improves the sensitivity and positive prediction to 97.76% and 98.59% respectively. Fabricated in 0.13 μm CMOS technology, the ADC with QRS detector consumes only 220 nW measured under 300 mV power supply, making it the first nanoWatt compact analog-to-information (A2I) converter with embedded QRS detector.

Prototype readout system for a multi Mpixels UV single-photon imaging detector capable of space flight operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seljak, A.; Cumming, H. S.; Varner, G.; Vallerga, J.; Raffanti, R.; Virta, V.

2018-02-01

Our collaboration works on the development of a large aperture, high resolution, UV single-photon imaging detector, funded through NASA's Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program. The detector uses a microchannel plate for charge multiplication, and orthogonal cross strip (XS) anodes for charge readout. Our target is to make an advancement in the technology readiness level (TRL), which enables real scale prototypes to be tested for future NASA missions. The baseline detector has an aperture of 50×50 mm and requires 160 low-noise charge-sensitive channels, in order to extrapolate the incoming photon position with a spatial resolution of about 20 μm FWHM. Technologies involving space flight require highly integrated electronic systems operating at very low power. We have designed two ASICs which enable the construction of such readout system. First, a charge sensitive amplifier (CSAv3) ASIC provides an equivalent noise charge (ENC) of around 600 e-, and a baseline gain of 10 mV/fC. The second, a Giga Sample per Second (GSPS) ASIC, called HalfGRAPH, is a 12-bit analog to digital converter. Its architecture is based on waveform sampling capacitor arrays and has about 8 μs of analog storage memory per channel. Both chips encapsulate 16 measurement channels. Using these chips, a small scale prototype readout system has been constructed on a FPGA Mezzanine Board (FMC), equipped with 32 measurement channels for system evaluation. We describe the construction of HalfGRAPH ASIC, detector's readout system concept and obtained results from the prototype system. As part of the space flight qualification, these chips were irradiated with a Cobalt gamma-ray source, to verify functional operation under ionizing radiation exposure.

A digital transducer and digital microphone using an optical technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghelmansarai, F. A.

1996-09-01

A transducer is devised to measure pressure, displacements or angles by optical means. This transducer delivers a digital output without relying on interferometry techniques or analogue-to-digital converters. This device is based on an optical scanner and an optical detector. An inter-digital photoconductive detector (IDPC) is employed that delivers a series of pulses, whose number depends on the scan length. A pre-objective scanning configuration is used that allows for the possibility of a flat image plane. The optical scanner provides scanning of IDPC and the generated scan length is proportional to the measurand.

JSATS Detector Field Manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choi, Eric Y.; Flory, Adam E.; Lamarche, Brian L.

2014-06-01

The Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS) Detector is a software and hardware system that captures JSATS Acoustic Micro Transmitter (AMT) signals. The system uses hydrophones to capture acoustic signals in the water. This analog signal is then amplified and processed by the Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) and Digital Signal Processor (DSP) board in the computer. This board digitizes and processes the acoustic signal to determine if a possible JSATS tag is present. With this detection, the data will be saved to the computer for further analysis. This document details the features and functionality of the JSATS Detector software.more » The document covers how to install the software, setup and run the detector software. The document will also go over the raw binary waveform file format and CSV files containing RMS values« less

[Digital thoracic radiology: devices, image processing, limits].

PubMed

Frija, J; de Géry, S; Lallouet, F; Guermazi, A; Zagdanski, A M; De Kerviler, E

2001-09-01

In a first part, the different techniques of digital thoracic radiography are described. Since computed radiography with phosphore plates are the most commercialized it is more emphasized. But the other detectors are also described, as the drum coated with selenium and the direct digital radiography with selenium detectors. The other detectors are also studied in particular indirect flat panels detectors and the system with four high resolution CCD cameras. In a second step the most important image processing are discussed: the gradation curves, the unsharp mask processing, the system MUSICA, the dynamic range compression or reduction, the soustraction with dual energy. In the last part the advantages and the drawbacks of computed thoracic radiography are emphasized. The most important are the almost constant good quality of the pictures and the possibilities of image processing.

Digital pulse-shape analysis with a TRACE early silicon prototype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mengoni, D.; Dueñas, J. A.; Assié, M.; Boiano, C.; John, P. R.; Aliaga, R. J.; Beaumel, D.; Capra, S.; Gadea, A.; Gonzáles, V.; Gottardo, A.; Grassi, L.; Herrero-Bosch, V.; Houdy, T.; Martel, I.; Parkar, V. V.; Perez-Vidal, R.; Pullia, A.; Sanchis, E.; Triossi, A.; Valiente Dobón, J. J.

2014-11-01

A highly segmented silicon-pad detector prototype has been tested to explore the performance of the digital pulse shape analysis in the discrimination of the particles reaching the silicon detector. For the first time a 200 μm thin silicon detector, grown using an ordinary floating zone technique, has been shown to exhibit a level discrimination thanks to the fine segmentation. Light-charged particles down to few MeV have been separated, including their punch-through. A coaxial HPGe detector in time coincidence has further confirmed the quality of the particle discrimination.

Quantitative Secondary Electron Detector (QSED)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nayak, Subu; Joy, David C.

2013-12-31

Research is proposed to investigate the feasibility of applying recent advances in semiconductor technology to fabricate direct digital Quantitative Secondary Electron Detectors (QSED) for scanning electron microscopes (SEMs). If successful, commercial versions of the QSED would transform the SEM into a quantitative, metrological system with enhanced capabilities that, in turn, would broaden research horizons across industries. This project will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. David C Joy at the University of Tennessee, who has demonstrated limited (to the 1keV range) digital collection of the energy from backscattered signals in a SEM using a modified silicon drift detector. Several detectormore » configurations will be fabricated and tested for sensitivities, background noise reduction, DC offset elimination, and metrological capabilities (linearity, accuracy, etc.) against a set of commercially important performance criteria to ascertain concept feasibility. Once feasibility is proven, the solid state digital device array and its switching frequency will be scaled-up, in Phase II, to improve temporal resolution. If successful, this work will produce a crucial advancement in electron microscopy with wide-ranging applications. The following are key advantages anticipated from direct digital QSED: 1. High signal-to-noise ratio will improve SEM resolution in nano-scale, which is critical for dimensional metrology in any application. 2. Quantitative measurement will enhance process control and design validation in semiconductors, photo-voltaics, bio-medical devices and catalysts; and will improve accuracy in predicting the reliability and the lifecycle of materials across industries. 3. Video and dynamic-imaging capabilities will advance study in nano-scale phenomena in a variety of industries, including pharmaceutical and semiconductor materials. 4. Lower cost will make high-performing electron microscopes affordable to more researchers. 5. Compact size and ease of integration with imaging software will enable customers to retrofit and upgrade existing SEM equipment. ScienceTomorrow’s direct digital QSED concept has generated enthusiastic interest among a number of microscope makers, service companies, and microscope users. The company has offers of support from several companies. The roles these companies would play in supporting the project are described in the proposal. The proposed QSED advance sits squarely in the middle of ScienceTomorrow’s mission to provide next-generation technology solutions to today’s critical problems and, if successful, will further the company’s business strategy by launching an advanced, high-margin product that will enable the company and its partners to create at least 17 net-new jobs by the end of 2018.« less

Rotary encoding device with polygonal reflector and centroid detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leviton, Douglas B. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A device for positioning encoding of a rotating shaft in which a polygonal mirror having a number of facets is mounted to the shaft and a light beam is directed towards the facets. The facets of the polygonal mirror reflect the light beam such that a light spot is created on a linear array detector. An analog-to-digital converter is connected to the linear array detector for reading the position of the spot on the spots on the linear array detector. A microprocessor with memory is connected to the analog-to-digital converter to hold and manipulate the data provided by the analog-to-digital converter on the position of the spot and to compute the position of the shaft based upon the data from the analog-to-digital converter.

Digital pulse shape discrimination methods for n-γ separation in an EJ-301 liquid scintillation detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Bo; Zhang, Xue-Ying; Chen, Liang; Ge, Hong-Lin; Ma, Fei; Zhang, Hong-Bin; Ju, Yong-Qin; Zhang, Yan-Bin; Li, Yan-Yan; Xu, Xiao-Wei

2015-11-01

A digital pulse shape discrimination system based on a programmable module NI-5772 has been established and tested with an EJ-301 liquid scintillation detector. The module was operated by running programs developed in LabVIEW, with a sampling frequency up to 1.6 GS/s. Standard gamma sources 22Na, 137Cs and 60Co were used to calibrate the EJ-301 liquid scintillation detector, and the gamma response function was obtained. Digital algorithms for the charge comparison method and zero-crossing method have been developed. The experimental results show that both digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms can discriminate neutrons from γ-rays. Moreover, the zero-crossing method shows better n-γ discrimination at 80 keVee and lower, whereas the charge comparison method gives better results at higher thresholds. In addition, the figure-of-merit (FOM) for detectors of two different dimensions were extracted at 9 energy thresholds, and it was found that the smaller detector presented better n-γ separation for fission neutrons. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (91226107, 11305229) and the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA03030300)

Volumetric breast density measurement: sensitivity analysis of a relative physics approach

PubMed Central

Lau, Susie; Abdul Aziz, Yang Faridah

2016-01-01

Objective: To investigate the sensitivity and robustness of a volumetric breast density (VBD) measurement system to errors in the imaging physics parameters including compressed breast thickness (CBT), tube voltage (kVp), filter thickness, tube current-exposure time product (mAs), detector gain, detector offset and image noise. Methods: 3317 raw digital mammograms were processed with Volpara® (Matakina Technology Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand) to obtain fibroglandular tissue volume (FGV), breast volume (BV) and VBD. Errors in parameters including CBT, kVp, filter thickness and mAs were simulated by varying them in the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) tags of the images up to ±10% of the original values. Errors in detector gain and offset were simulated by varying them in the Volpara configuration file up to ±10% from their default values. For image noise, Gaussian noise was generated and introduced into the original images. Results: Errors in filter thickness, mAs, detector gain and offset had limited effects on FGV, BV and VBD. Significant effects in VBD were observed when CBT, kVp, detector offset and image noise were varied (p < 0.0001). Maximum shifts in the mean (1.2%) and median (1.1%) VBD of the study population occurred when CBT was varied. Conclusion: Volpara was robust to expected clinical variations, with errors in most investigated parameters giving limited changes in results, although extreme variations in CBT and kVp could lead to greater errors. Advances in knowledge: Despite Volpara's robustness, rigorous quality control is essential to keep the parameter errors within reasonable bounds. Volpara appears robust within those bounds, albeit for more advanced applications such as tracking density change over time, it remains to be seen how accurate the measures need to be. PMID:27452264

Volumetric breast density measurement: sensitivity analysis of a relative physics approach.

PubMed

Lau, Susie; Ng, Kwan Hoong; Abdul Aziz, Yang Faridah

2016-10-01

To investigate the sensitivity and robustness of a volumetric breast density (VBD) measurement system to errors in the imaging physics parameters including compressed breast thickness (CBT), tube voltage (kVp), filter thickness, tube current-exposure time product (mAs), detector gain, detector offset and image noise. 3317 raw digital mammograms were processed with Volpara(®) (Matakina Technology Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand) to obtain fibroglandular tissue volume (FGV), breast volume (BV) and VBD. Errors in parameters including CBT, kVp, filter thickness and mAs were simulated by varying them in the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) tags of the images up to ±10% of the original values. Errors in detector gain and offset were simulated by varying them in the Volpara configuration file up to ±10% from their default values. For image noise, Gaussian noise was generated and introduced into the original images. Errors in filter thickness, mAs, detector gain and offset had limited effects on FGV, BV and VBD. Significant effects in VBD were observed when CBT, kVp, detector offset and image noise were varied (p < 0.0001). Maximum shifts in the mean (1.2%) and median (1.1%) VBD of the study population occurred when CBT was varied. Volpara was robust to expected clinical variations, with errors in most investigated parameters giving limited changes in results, although extreme variations in CBT and kVp could lead to greater errors. Despite Volpara's robustness, rigorous quality control is essential to keep the parameter errors within reasonable bounds. Volpara appears robust within those bounds, albeit for more advanced applications such as tracking density change over time, it remains to be seen how accurate the measures need to be.

A-7 Airborne Light Optical Fiber Technology (ALOFT) Demonstration Project

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-02-03

emitting diode; the light detector was at PIN silicon phiotodiode. The cable consisted of "high loss," glass core, glass-clad fibers in a 0.045-inch...will emphasize low weight and lost cost. They will be made of’ composite , non-metalflic, structures which;i will uffem veiny little shielding. The...TSP) and fiber-optic systems have components which are similar to equipment presently in use for multiplexed digital-data transfer sys- Stents and

Programming a Detector Emulator on NI's FlexRIO Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gervais, Michelle; Crawford, Christopher; Sprow, Aaron; Nab Collaboration

2017-09-01

Recently digital detector emulators have been on the rise as a means to test data acquisition systems and analysis toolkits from a well understood data set. National Instruments' PXIe-7962R FPGA module and Active Technologies AT-1212 DAC module provide a customizable platform for analog output. Using a graphical programming language, we have developed a system capable of producing two time-correlated channels of analog output which sample unique amplitude spectra to mimic nuclear physics experiments. This system will be used to model the Nab experiment, in which a prompt beta decay electron is followed by a slow proton according to a defined time distribution. We will present the results of our work and discuss further development potential. DOE under Contract DE-SC0008107.

Unattended Sensor System With CLYC Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myjak, Mitchell J.; Becker, Eric M.; Gilbert, Andrew J.; Hoff, Jonathan E.; Knudson, Christa K.; Landgren, Peter C.; Lee, Samantha F.; McDonald, Benjamin S.; Pfund, David M.; Redding, Rebecca L.; Smart, John E.; Taubman, Matthew S.; Torres-Torres, Carlos R.; Wiseman, Clinton G.

2016-06-01

We have developed an unattended sensor for detecting anomalous radiation sources. The system combines several technologies to reduce size and weight, increase battery lifetime, and improve decision-making capabilities. Sixteen Cs2LiYCl6:Ce (CLYC) scintillators allow for gamma-ray spectroscopy and neutron detection in the same volume. Low-power electronics for readout, high voltage bias, and digital processing reduce the total operating power to 1.7 W. Computationally efficient analysis algorithms perform spectral anomaly detection and isotope identification. When an alarm occurs, the system transmits alarm information over a cellular modem. In this paper, we describe the overall design of the unattended sensor, present characterization results, and compare the performance to stock NaI:Tl and 3He detectors.

Unattended Sensor System With CLYC Detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Myjak, Mitchell J.; Becker, Eric M.; Gilbert, Andrew J.

2016-06-01

We have developed a next-generation unattended sensor for detecting anomalous radiation sources. The system combines several technologies to reduce size and weight, increase battery lifetime, and improve decision-making capabilities. Sixteen Cs2LiYCl6:Ce (CLYC) scintillators allow for gamma-ray spectroscopy and neutron detection in the same volume. Low-power electronics for readout, high voltage bias, and digital processing reduce the total operating power to 1.3 W. Computationally efficient analysis algorithms perform spectral anomaly detection and isotope identification. When an alarm occurs, the system transmits alarm information over a cellular modem. In this paper, we describe the overall design of the unattended sensor, present characterizationmore » results, and compare the performance to stock NaI:Tl and 3He detectors.« less

FERMI: a digital Front End and Readout MIcrosystem for high resolution calorimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexanian, H.; Appelquist, G.; Bailly, P.; Benetta, R.; Berglund, S.; Bezamat, J.; Blouzon, F.; Bohm, C.; Breveglieri, L.; Brigati, S.; Cattaneo, P. W.; Dadda, L.; David, J.; Engström, M.; Genat, J. F.; Givoletti, M.; Goggi, V. G.; Gong, S.; Grieco, G. M.; Hansen, M.; Hentzell, H.; Holmberg, T.; Höglund, I.; Inkinen, S. J.; Kerek, A.; Landi, C.; Ledortz, O.; Lippi, M.; Lofstedt, B.; Lund-Jensen, B.; Maloberti, F.; Mutz, S.; Nayman, P.; Piuri, V.; Polesello, G.; Sami, M.; Savoy-Navarro, A.; Schwemling, P.; Stefanelli, R.; Sundblad, R.; Svensson, C.; Torelli, G.; Vanuxem, J. P.; Yamdagni, N.; Yuan, J.; Ödmark, A.; Fermi Collaboration

1995-02-01

We present a digital solution for the front-end electronics of high resolution calorimeters at future colliders. It is based on analogue signal compression, high speed {A}/{D} converters, a fully programmable pipeline and a digital signal processing (DSP) chain with local intelligence and system supervision. This digital solution is aimed at providing maximal front-end processing power by performing waveform analysis using DSP methods. For the system integration of the multichannel device a multi-chip, silicon-on-silicon multi-chip module (MCM) has been adopted. This solution allows a high level of integration of complex analogue and digital functions, with excellent flexibility in mixing technologies for the different functional blocks. This type of multichip integration provides a high degree of reliability and programmability at both the function and the system level, with the additional possibility of customising the microsystem to detector-specific requirements. For enhanced reliability in high radiation environments, fault tolerance strategies, i.e. redundancy, reconfigurability, majority voting and coding for error detection and correction, are integrated into the design.

Photon counting detector for the personal radiography inspection system "SIBSCAN"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babichev, E. A.; Baru, S. E.; Grigoriev, D. N.; Leonov, V. V.; Oleynikov, V. P.; Porosev, V. V.; Savinov, G. A.

2017-02-01

X-ray detectors operating in the energy integrating mode are successfully used in many different applications. Nevertheless the direct photon counting detectors, having the superior parameters in comparison with the integrating ones, are rarely used yet. One of the reasons for this is the low value of the electrical signal generated by a detected photon. Silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) based scintillation counters have a high detection efficiency, high electronic gain and compact dimensions. This makes them a very attractive candidate to replace routinely used detectors in many fields. More than 10 years ago the digital scanning radiography system based on multistrip ionization chamber (MIC) was suggested at Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics. The detector demonstrates excellent radiation resistance and parameter stability after 5 year operations and an imaging of up to 1000 persons per day. Currently, the installations operate at several Russian airports and at subway stations in some cities. At the present time we design a new detector operating in the photon counting mode, having superior parameters than the gas one, based on scintillator - SiPM assemblies. This detector has close to zero noise, higher quantum efficiency and a count rate capability of more than 5 MHz per channel (20% losses), which leads to better image quality and improved detection capability. The suggested detector technology could be expanded to medical applications.

A digital optical phase-locked loop for diode lasers based on field programmable gate array.

PubMed

Xu, Zhouxiang; Zhang, Xian; Huang, Kaikai; Lu, Xuanhui

2012-09-01

We have designed and implemented a highly digital optical phase-locked loop (OPLL) for diode lasers in atom interferometry. The three parts of controlling circuit in this OPLL, including phase and frequency detector (PFD), loop filter and proportional integral derivative (PID) controller, are implemented in a single field programmable gate array chip. A structure type compatible with the model MAX9382∕MCH12140 is chosen for PFD and pipeline and parallelism technology have been adapted in PID controller. Especially, high speed clock and twisted ring counter have been integrated in the most crucial part, the loop filter. This OPLL has the narrow beat note line width below 1 Hz, residual mean-square phase error of 0.14 rad(2) and transition time of 100 μs under 10 MHz frequency step. A main innovation of this design is the completely digitalization of the whole controlling circuit in OPLL for diode lasers.

A digital optical phase-locked loop for diode lasers based on field programmable gate array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zhouxiang; Zhang, Xian; Huang, Kaikai; Lu, Xuanhui

2012-09-01

We have designed and implemented a highly digital optical phase-locked loop (OPLL) for diode lasers in atom interferometry. The three parts of controlling circuit in this OPLL, including phase and frequency detector (PFD), loop filter and proportional integral derivative (PID) controller, are implemented in a single field programmable gate array chip. A structure type compatible with the model MAX9382/MCH12140 is chosen for PFD and pipeline and parallelism technology have been adapted in PID controller. Especially, high speed clock and twisted ring counter have been integrated in the most crucial part, the loop filter. This OPLL has the narrow beat note line width below 1 Hz, residual mean-square phase error of 0.14 rad2 and transition time of 100 μs under 10 MHz frequency step. A main innovation of this design is the completely digitalization of the whole controlling circuit in OPLL for diode lasers.

14C autoradiography with an energy-sensitive silicon pixel detector.

PubMed

Esposito, M; Mettivier, G; Russo, P

2011-04-07

The first performance tests are presented of a carbon-14 ((14)C) beta-particle digital autoradiography system with an energy-sensitive hybrid silicon pixel detector based on the Timepix readout circuit. Timepix was developed by the Medipix2 Collaboration and it is similar to the photon-counting Medipix2 circuit, except for an added time-based synchronization logic which allows derivation of energy information from the time-over-threshold signal. This feature permits direct energy measurements in each pixel of the detector array. Timepix is bump-bonded to a 300 µm thick silicon detector with 256 × 256 pixels of 55 µm pitch. Since an energetic beta-particle could release its kinetic energy in more than one detector pixel as it slows down in the semiconductor detector, an off-line image analysis procedure was adopted in which the single-particle cluster of hit pixels is recognized; its total energy is calculated and the position of interaction on the detector surface is attributed to the centre of the charge cluster. Measurements reported are detector sensitivity, (4.11 ± 0.03) × 10(-3) cps mm(-2) kBq(-1) g, background level, (3.59 ± 0.01) × 10(-5) cps mm(-2), and minimum detectable activity, 0.0077 Bq. The spatial resolution is 76.9 µm full-width at half-maximum. These figures are compared with several digital imaging detectors for (14)C beta-particle digital autoradiography.

Development of a flight qualified 100 x 100 mm MCP UV detector using advanced cross strip anodes and associated ASIC electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallerga, John; McPhate, Jason; Tremsin, Anton; Siegmund, Oswald; Raffanti, Rick; Cumming, Harley; Seljak, Andrej; Virta, Vihtori; Varner, Gary

2016-07-01

Photon counting microchannel plate (MCP) imagers have been the detector of choice for most UV astronomical missions over the last three decades (e.g. EUVE, FUSE, COS on Hubble etc.) and been mentioned for instruments on future large telescopes in space such as LUVOIR14. Using cross strip anodes, improvements in the MCP laboratory readout technology have resulted in better spatial resolution (x10), temporal resolution (x 1000) and output event rate (x100), all the while operating at lower gain (x10) resulting in lower high voltage requirements and longer MCP lifetimes. A crossed strip anode MCP readout starts with a set of orthogonal conducting strips (e.g. 80 x 80), typically spaced at a 635 micron pitch onto which charge clouds from MCP amplified events land. Each strip has its own charge sensitive amplifier that is sampled continuously by a dedicated analog to digital converter (ADC). All of the ADC digital output lines are fed into a field programmable gate array (FGPA) which can detect charge events landing on the strips, measure the peak amplitudes of those charge events and calculate their spatial centroid along with their time of arrival (X,Y,T) and pass this information to a downstream computer. Laboratory versions of these electronics have demonstrated < 20 microns FWHM spatial resolution, count rates on the order of 2 MHz, and temporal resolution of 1ns. In 2012 our group at U.C. Berkeley, along with our partners at the U. Hawaii, received a NASA Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) grant to raise the TRL of a cross strip detector from 4 to 6 by replacing most of the 19" rack mounted, high powered electronics with application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) which will lower the power, mass, and volume requirements of the detector electronics. We were also tasked to design and fabricate a "standard" 50mm square active area MCP detector incorporating these electronics that can be environmentally qualified for flight (temperature, vacuum, vibration). ASICs designed for this program have been successfully fabricated and are undergoing extensive testing. We will present the latest progress on these ASIC designs and their performance. We will also show our preliminary work on scaling these designs (detector and electronics) to a flight qualified 100 x 100 mm cross strip detector, which has recently been funded through a follow on SAT grant.

A comparison of digital zero-crossing and charge-comparison methods for neutron/γ-ray discrimination with liquid scintillation detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakhostin, M.

2015-10-01

In this paper, we have compared the performances of the digital zero-crossing and charge-comparison methods for n/γ discrimination with liquid scintillation detectors at low light outputs. The measurements were performed with a 2″×2″ cylindrical liquid scintillation detector of type BC501A whose outputs were sampled by means of a fast waveform digitizer with 10-bit resolution, 4 GS/s sampling rate and one volt input range. Different light output ranges were measured by operating the photomultiplier tube at different voltages and a new recursive algorithm was developed to implement the digital zero-crossing method. The results of our study demonstrate the superior performance of the digital zero-crossing method at low light outputs when a large dynamic range is measured. However, when the input range of the digitizer is used to measure a narrow range of light outputs, the charge-comparison method slightly outperforms the zero-crossing method. The results are discussed in regard to the effects of the quantization noise and the noise filtration performance of the zero-crossing filter.

The x-ray light valve: a potentially low-cost, digital radiographic imaging system--a liquid crystal cell design for chest radiography.

PubMed

Szeto, Timothy C; Webster, Christie Ann; Koprinarov, Ivaylo; Rowlands, J A

2008-03-01

Digital x-ray radiographic systems are desirable as they offer high quality images which can be processed, transferred, and stored without secondary steps. However, current clinical systems are extraordinarily expensive in comparison to film-based systems. Thus, there is a need for an economical digital imaging system for general radiology. The x-ray light valve (XLV) is a novel digital x-ray detector concept with the potential for high image quality and low cost. The XLV is comprised of a photoconductive detector layer and liquid crystal (LC) cell physically coupled in a sandwich structure. Upon exposure to x rays, charge is collected at the surface of the photoconductor, causing a change in the reflective properties of the LC cell. The visible image so formed can subsequently be digitized with an optical scanner. By choosing the properties of the LC cell in combination with the appropriate photoconductor thickness and bias potentials, the XLV can be optimized for various diagnostic imaging tasks. Specifically for chest radiography, we identified three potentially practical reflective cell designs by selecting from those commonly used in LC display technology. The relationship between reflectance and x-ray exposure (i.e., the characteristic curve) was determined for all three cells using a theoretical model. The results indicate that the reflective electrically controlled birefringence (r-ECB) cell is the preferred choice for chest radiography, provided that the characteristic curve can be shifted towards lower exposures. The feasibility of the shift of the characteristic curve is shown experimentally. The experimental results thus demonstrate that an XLV based on the r-ECB cell design exhibits a characteristic curve suitable for chest radiography.

A 25μm pitch LWIR focal plane array with pixel-level 15-bit ADC providing high well capacity and targeting 2mK NETD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guellec, Fabrice; Peizerat, Arnaud; Tchagaspanian, Michael; de Borniol, Eric; Bisotto, Sylvette; Mollard, Laurent; Castelein, Pierre; Zanatta, Jean-Paul; Maillart, Patrick; Zecri, Michel; Peyrard, Jean-Christophe

2010-04-01

CEA Leti has recently developed a new readout IC (ROIC) with pixel-level ADC for cooled infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs). It operates at 50Hz frame rate in a snapshot Integrate-While-Read (IWR) mode. It targets applications that provide a large amount of integrated charge thanks to a long integration time. The pixel-level analog-to-digital conversion is based on charge packets counting. This technique offers a large well capacity that paves the way for a breakthrough in NETD performances. The 15 bits ADC resolution preserves the excellent detector SNR at full well (3Ge-). These characteristics are essential for LWIR FPAs as broad intra-scene dynamic range imaging requires high sensitivity. The ROIC, featuring a 320x256 array with 25μm pixel pitch, has been designed in a standard 0.18μm CMOS technology. The main design challenges for this digital pixel array (SNR, power consumption and layout density) are discussed. The IC has been hybridized to a LWIR detector fabricated using our in-house HgCdTe process. The first electro-optical test results of the detector dewar assembly are presented. They validate both the pixel-level ADC concept and its circuit implementation. Finally, the benefit of this LWIR FPA in terms of NETD performance is demonstrated.

A CMOS pixel sensor prototype for the outer layers of linear collider vertex detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Morel, F.; Hu-Guo, C.; Himmi, A.; Dorokhov, A.; Hu, Y.

2015-01-01

The International Linear Collider (ILC) expresses a stringent requirement for high precision vertex detectors (VXD). CMOS pixel sensors (CPS) have been considered as an option for the VXD of the International Large Detector (ILD), one of the detector concepts proposed for the ILC. MIMOSA-31 developed at IPHC-Strasbourg is the first CPS integrated with 4-bit column-level ADC for the outer layers of the VXD, adapted to an original concept minimizing the power consumption. It is composed of a matrix of 64 rows and 48 columns. The pixel concept combines in-pixel amplification with a correlated double sampling (CDS) operation in order to reduce the temporal noise and fixed pattern noise (FPN). At the bottom of the pixel array, each column is terminated with a self-triggered analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The ADC design was optimized for power saving at a sampling frequency of 6.25 MS/s. The prototype chip is fabricated in a 0.35 μm CMOS technology. This paper presents the details of the prototype chip and its test results.

Single photon detection using Geiger mode CMOS avalanche photodiodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrence, William G.; Stapels, Christopher; Augustine, Frank L.; Christian, James F.

2005-10-01

Geiger mode Avalanche Photodiodes fabricated using complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication technology combine high sensitivity detectors with pixel-level auxiliary circuitry. Radiation Monitoring Devices has successfully implemented CMOS manufacturing techniques to develop prototype detectors with active diameters ranging from 5 to 60 microns and measured detection efficiencies of up to 60%. CMOS active quenching circuits are included in the pixel layout. The actively quenched pixels have a quenching time less than 30 ns and a maximum count rate greater than 10 MHz. The actively quenched Geiger mode avalanche photodiode (GPD) has linear response at room temperature over six orders of magnitude. When operating in Geiger mode, these GPDs act as single photon-counting detectors that produce a digital output pulse for each photon with no associated read noise. Thermoelectrically cooled detectors have less than 1 Hz dark counts. The detection efficiency, dark count rate, and after-pulsing of two different pixel designs are measured and demonstrate the differences in the device operation. Additional applications for these devices include nuclear imaging and replacement of photomultiplier tubes in dosimeters.

JFET front-end circuits integrated in a detector-grade silicon substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manghisoni, M.; Ratti, L.; Re, V.; Speziali, V.; Traversi, G.; Dalla Betta, G. F.; Boscardin, M.; Batignani, G.; Giorgi, M.; Bosisio, L.

2003-08-01

This paper presents the design and experimental results relevant to front-end circuits integrated on detector-grade high resistivity silicon. The fabrication technology is made available by the Istituto per la Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica (ITC-IRST), Trento, Italy and allows using a common substrate for different kinds of active devices, such as N-channel JFETs and MOSFETs, and for pixel, microstrip, and PIN detectors. This research activity is being carried out in the framework of a project aiming at the fabrication of a multichannel mixed analog-digital chip for the readout of solid-state detectors integrated in the same substrate. Possible applications are in the field of medical and industrial imaging and space and high energy physics experiments. An all-JFET charge sensitive amplifier, which can use either a resistive or a nonresistive feedback network, has been characterized. The two configurations have been compared to each other, paying particular attention to noise performances, in view of the design of the complete readout channel. Operation capability in harsh radiation environment has been evaluated through exposure to /spl gamma/-rays from a /sup 60/Co source.

[Comparison of the image quality of conventional and digital radiography in lizards. Mammography technique versus digital detector system].

PubMed

Bochmann, Monika; Ludewig, E; Pees, M

2011-01-01

A conventional high-resolution screen-film system (Film Kodak MIN-R S, Kodak MIN-R 2000) was compared with an indirect digital detector system (Varian PaxScan 4030E) for use in radiography of lizards. A total of 20 bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps ) with body masses between 123 g and 487 g were investigated by using conventional and digital image acquisition techniques. The digital image was taken with the same dose as well as half the dose of the conventional radiograph. The study was conducted semi-blinded as the x-ray images were encoded and randomised. Five veterinarians with clinical experience in reptile medicine served as observers. Exactly defined structures in three anatomical regions were assessed using a three-step scale. Furthermore, the overall quality of the respective region was evaluated using a five-step scale. Evaluation of the data was done by visual grading analysis. None of the structures examined was assessed to be of significantly inferior quality on the digital images in comparison to the conventional radiographs. The majority of the results demonstrated an equal quality of both systems. For assessment of the lung tissue and the pulmonary vessels as well as the overall assessment of the lung, the digital radiographs with full dose were rated to be significantly superior in comparison to the film-screen system. Furthermore, the joint contours of the shoulder and cubital joints and the overall assessments of the humerus and the caudal coelomic cavity were rated significantly better on digital images with full dose compared to those with reduced dose. The digital flat panel detector technique examined in this study is equal or superior to the conventional high-resolution screen-film system used. Nevertheless, the practicability of a dose reduction is limited in bearded dragons. Digital imaging systems are progressively being used in veterinary practice. The results of the study demonstrate the useful application of the digital detector systems in lizards.

Compton suppression and event triggering in a commercial data acquisition system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabor, Samuel; Caussyn, D. D.; Tripathi, Vandana; Vonmoss, J.; Liddick, S. N.

2012-10-01

A number of groups are starting to use flash digitizer systems to directly convert the preamplifier signals of high-resolution Ge detectors to a stream of digital data. Some digitizers are also equipped with software constant fraction discriminator algorithms capable of operating on the resulting digital data stream to provide timing information. Because of the dropping cost per channel of these systems, it should now be possible to also connect outputs of the Bismuth Germanate (BGO) scintillators used for Compton suppression to other digitizer inputs so that BGO logic signals can also be available in the same system. This provides the possibility to perform all the Compton suppression and multiplicity trigger logic within the digital system, thus eliminating the need for separate timing filter amplifiers (TFA), constant fraction discriminators (CFD), logic units, and lots of cables. This talk will describe the performance of such a system based on Pixie16 modules from XIA LLC with custom field programmable gate array (FPGA) programming for an array of Compton suppressed single Ge crystal and 4-crystal ``Clover'' detector array along with optional particle detectors. Initial tests of the system have produced results comparable with the current traditional system of individual electronics and peak sensing analog to digital converters. The advantages of the all digital system will be discussed.

Safety and efficacy for new techniques and imaging using new equipment to support European legislation: an EU coordination action.

PubMed

Zoetelief, J; Faulkner, K

2008-01-01

The past two decades have witnessed a technologically driven revolution in radiology. At the centre of these developments has been the use of computing. These developments have also been driven by the introduction of new detector and imaging devices in radiology and nuclear medicine, as well as the widespread application of computing techniques to enhance and extract information within the images acquired. Further advances have been introduced into digital practice. These technological developments, however, have not been matched by justification and optimisation studies to ensure that these new imaging devices and techniques are as effective as they might be, or performed at the lowest possible dose. The work programme of the SENTINEL Coordination Action was subdivided into eight work packages: functional performance and standards; efficacy and safety in digital radiology, dentistry and nuclear medicine, cardiology, interventional radiology, population screening/sensitive groups; justification, ethics and efficacy; good practice guidance and training; and project management. The intention of the work programme was to underwrite the safety, efficacy and ethical aspects of digital practice as well as to protect and add value to the equipment used in radiology.

Investigation of digital timing resolution and further improvement by using constant fraction signal time marker slope for fast scintillator detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Kundan; Siwal, Davinder

2018-04-01

A digital timing algorithm is explored for fast scintillator detectors, viz. LaBr3, BaF2, and BC501A. Signals were collected with CAEN 250 mega samples per second (MSPS) and 500 MSPS digitizers. The zero crossing time markers (TM) were obtained with a standard digital constant fraction timing (DCF) method. Accurate timing information is obtained using cubic spline interpolation of a DCF transient region sample points. To get the best time-of-flight (TOF) resolution, an optimization of DCF parameters is performed (delay and constant fraction) for each pair of detectors: (BaF2-LaBr3), (BaF2-BC501A), and (LaBr3-BC501A). In addition, the slope information of an interpolated DCF signal is extracted at TM position. This information gives a new insight to understand the broadening in TOF, obtained for a given detector pair. For a pair of signals having small relative slope and interpolation deviations at TM, leads to minimum time broadening. However, the tailing in TOF spectra is dictated by the interplay between the interpolation error and slope variations. Best TOF resolution achieved at the optimum DCF parameters, can be further improved by using slope parameter. Guided by the relative slope parameter, events selection can be imposed which leads to reduction in TOF broadening. While the method sets a trade-off between timing response and coincidence efficiency, it provides an improvement in TOF. With the proposed method, the improved TOF resolution (FWHM) for the aforementioned detector pairs are; 25% (0.69 ns), 40% (0.74 ns), 53% (0.6 ns) respectively, obtained with 250 MSPS, and corresponds to 12% (0.37 ns), 33% (0.72 ns), 35% (0.69 ns) respectively with 500 MSPS digitizers. For the same detector pair, event survival probabilities are; 57%, 58%, 51% respectively with 250 MSPS and becomes 63%, 57%, 68% using 500 MSPS digitizers.

Method and apparatus for analog signal conditioner for high speed, digital x-ray spectrometer

DOEpatents

Warburton, William K.; Hubbard, Bradley

1999-01-01

A signal processing system which accepts input from an x-ray detector-preamplifier and produces a signal of reduced dynamic range for subsequent analog-to-digital conversion. The system conditions the input signal to reduce the number of bits required in the analog-to-digital converter by removing that part of the input signal which varies only slowly in time and retaining the amplitude of the pulses which carry information about the x-rays absorbed by the detector. The parameters controlling the signal conditioner's operation can be readily supplied in digital form, allowing it to be integrated into a feedback loop as part of a larger digital x-ray spectroscopy system.

Gamma ray spectroscopy employing divalent europium-doped alkaline earth halides and digital readout for accurate histogramming

DOEpatents

Cherepy, Nerine Jane; Payne, Stephen Anthony; Drury, Owen B.; Sturm, Benjamin W.

2016-02-09

According to one embodiment, a scintillator radiation detector system includes a scintillator, and a processing device for processing pulse traces corresponding to light pulses from the scintillator, where the processing device is configured to: process each pulse trace over at least two temporal windows and to use pulse digitization to improve energy resolution of the system. According to another embodiment, a scintillator radiation detector system includes a processing device configured to: fit digitized scintillation waveforms to an algorithm, perform a direct integration of fit parameters, process multiple integration windows for each digitized scintillation waveform to determine a correction factor, and apply the correction factor to each digitized scintillation waveform.

Rapid Optical Shutter, Chopper, Modulator and Deflector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danehy, Paul M. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

An optical device with a light source and a detector is provided. A digital micromirror device positioned between the detector and the light source may deflect light beams projected from the light source. An aperture in front of the detector may block an incoming light beam from the detector when the incoming light beam is incident on the detector outside of a passable incident range and including an aperture opening configured to pass the incoming light beam to the detector when the incoming light beam is incident on the detector within a passable incident range. The digital micromirror device may rotate between a first position causing the light beam to pass through the aperture opening and a second position causing the light beam to be blocked by the aperture. The optical device may be configured to operate as a shutter, chopper, modulator and/or deflector.

FITPix COMBO—Timepix detector with integrated analog signal spectrometric readout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holik, M.; Kraus, V.; Georgiev, V.; Granja, C.

2016-02-01

The hybrid semiconductor pixel detector Timepix has proven a powerful tool in radiation detection and imaging. Energy loss and directional sensitivity as well as particle type resolving power are possible by high resolution particle tracking and per-pixel energy and quantum-counting capability. The spectrometric resolving power of the detector can be further enhanced by analyzing the analog signal of the detector common sensor electrode (also called back-side pulse). In this work we present a new compact readout interface, based on the FITPix readout architecture, extended with integrated analog electronics for the detector's common sensor signal. Integrating simultaneous operation of the digital per-pixel information with the common sensor (called also back-side electrode) analog pulse processing circuitry into one device enhances the detector capabilities and opens new applications. Thanks to noise suppression and built-in electromagnetic interference shielding the common hardware platform enables parallel analog signal spectroscopy on the back side pulse signal with full operation and read-out of the pixelated digital part, the noise level is 600 keV and spectrometric resolution around 100 keV for 5.5 MeV alpha particles. Self-triggering is implemented with delay of few tens of ns making use of adjustable low-energy threshold of the particle analog signal amplitude. The digital pixelated full frame can be thus triggered and recorded together with the common sensor analog signal. The waveform, which is sampled with frequency 100 MHz, can be recorded in adjustable time window including time prior to the trigger level. An integrated software tool provides control, on-line display and read-out of both analog and digital channels. Both the pixelated digital record and the analog waveform are synchronized and written out by common time stamp.

Characterization of a clinical unit for digital radiography based on irradiation side sampling technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rivetti, Stefano; Lanconelli, Nico; Bertolini, Marco

2013-10-15

Purpose: A characterization of a clinical unit for digital radiography (FUJIFILM FDR D-EVO) is presented. This system is based on the irradiation side sampling (ISS) technology and can be equipped with two different scintillators: one traditional gadolinium-oxysulphide phosphor (GOS) and a needle structured cesium iodide (CsI) phosphor panel.Methods: The characterization was achieved in terms of response curve, modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectra (NPS), detective quantum efficiency (DQE), and psychophysical parameters (contrast-detail analysis with an automatic reading of CDRAD images). For both scintillation screens the authors accomplished the measurements with four standard beam conditions: RAQ3, RQA5, RQA7, and RQA9.Results:more » At the Nyquist frequency (3.33 lp/mm) the MTF is about 35% and 25% for CsI and GOS detectors, respectively. The CsI scintillator has better noise properties than the GOS screen in almost all the conditions. This is particularly true for low-energy beams, where the noise for the GOS system can go up to a factor 2 greater than that found for CsI. The DQE of the CsI detector reaches a peak of 60%, 60%, 58%, and 50% for the RQA3, RQA5, RQA7, and RQA9 beams, respectively, whereas for the GOS screen the maximum DQE is 40%, 44%, 44%, and 35%. The contrast-detail analysis confirms that in the majority of cases the CsI scintillator is able to provide improved outcomes to those obtained with the GOS screen.Conclusions: The limited diffusion of light produced by the ISS reading makes possible the achievement of very good spatial resolution. In fact, the MTF of the unit with the CsI panel is only slightly lower to that achieved with direct conversion detectors. The combination of very good spatial resolution, together with the good noise properties reached with the CsI screen, allows achieving DQE on average about 1.5 times greater than that obtained with GOS. In fact, the DQE of unit equipped with CsI is comparable to the best alternative methods available which are based on the same technology, and similar to others based on an a-Se direct conversion detectors.« less

Rotary encoding device using polygonal mirror with diffraction gratings on each facet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leviton, Douglas B. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A device for position encoding of a rotating shaft in which a polygonal mirror having a number of facets is mounted to the shaft and a monochromatic light beam is directed towards the facets. The facets of the polygonal mirror each have a low line density diffraction grating to diffract the monochromatic light beam into a number of diffracted light beams such that a number of light spots are created on a linear array detector. An analog-to-digital converter is connected to the linear array detector for reading the position of the spots on the linear array detector means. A microprocessor with memory is connected to the analog-to-digital converter to hold and manipulate the data provided by the analog-to-digital converter on the position of the spots and to compute the position of the shaft based upon the data from the analog-to-digital converter.

First characterization of a digital SiPM based time-of-flight PET detector with 1 mm spatial resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seifert, Stefan; van der Lei, Gerben; van Dam, Herman T.; Schaart, Dennis R.

2013-05-01

Monolithic scintillator detectors can offer a combination of spatial resolution, energy resolution, timing performance, depth-of-interaction information, and detection efficiency that make this type of detector a promising candidate for application in clinical, time-of-flight (TOF) positron emission tomography (PET). In such detectors the scintillation light is distributed over a relatively large number of photosensor pixels and the light intensity per pixel can be relatively low. Therefore, monolithic scintillator detectors are expected to benefit from the low readout noise offered by a novel photosensor called the digital silicon photomultiplier (dSiPM). Here, we present a first experimental characterization of a TOF PET detector comprising a 24 × 24 × 10 mm3 LSO:Ce,0.2%Ca scintillator read out by a dSiPM array (DPC-6400-44-22) developed by Philips Digital Photon Counting. A spatial resolution of ˜1 mm full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) averaged over the entire crystal was obtained (varying from just below 1 mm FWHM in the detector center to ˜1.2 mm FWHM close to the edges). Furthermore, the bias in the position estimation at the crystal edges that is typically found in monolithic scintillators is well below 1 mm even in the corners of the crystal.

Digital imaging mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Bamberger, Casimir; Renz, Uwe; Bamberger, Andreas

2011-06-01

Methods to visualize the two-dimensional (2D) distribution of molecules by mass spectrometric imaging evolve rapidly and yield novel applications in biology, medicine, and material surface sciences. Most mass spectrometric imagers acquire high mass resolution spectra spot-by-spot and thereby scan the object's surface. Thus, imaging is slow and image reconstruction remains cumbersome. Here we describe an imaging mass spectrometer that exploits the true imaging capabilities by ion optical means for the time of flight mass separation. The mass spectrometer is equipped with the ASIC Timepix chip as an array detector to acquire the position, mass, and intensity of ions that are imaged by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) directly from the target sample onto the detector. This imaging mass spectrometer has a spatial resolving power at the specimen of (84 ± 35) μm with a mass resolution of 45 and locates atoms or organic compounds on a surface area up to ~2 cm(2). Extended laser spots of ~5 mm(2) on structured specimens allows parallel imaging of selected masses. The digital imaging mass spectrometer proves high hit-multiplicity, straightforward image reconstruction, and potential for high-speed readout at 4 kHz or more. This device demonstrates a simple way of true image acquisition like a digital photographic camera. The technology may enable a fast analysis of biomolecular samples in near future.

Fast, Low-Power, Hysteretic Level-Detector Circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arditti, Mordechai

1993-01-01

Circuit for detection of preset levels of voltage or current intended to replace standard fast voltage comparator. Hysteretic analog/digital level detector operates at unusually low power with little sacrifice of speed. Comprises low-power analog circuit and complementary metal oxide/semiconductor (CMOS) digital circuit connected in overall closed feedback loop to decrease rise and fall times, provide hysteresis, and trip-level control. Contains multiple subloops combining linear and digital feedback. Levels of sensed signals and hysteresis level easily adjusted by selection of components to suit specific application.

Preliminary evaluation of a novel energy-resolved photon-counting gamma ray detector.

PubMed

Meng, L-J; Tan, J W; Spartiotis, K; Schulman, T

2009-06-11

In this paper, we present the design and preliminary performance evaluation of a novel energy-resolved photon-counting (ERPC) detector for gamma ray imaging applications. The prototype ERPC detector has an active area of 4.4 cm × 4.4 cm, which is pixelated into 128 × 128 square pixels with a pitch size of 350 µm × 350µm. The current detector consists of multiple detector hybrids, each with a CdTe crystal of 1.1 cm × 2.2 cm × 1 mm, bump-bonded onto a custom-designed application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ERPC ASIC has 2048 readout channels arranged in a 32 × 64 array. Each channel is equipped with pre- and shaping-amplifiers, a discriminator, peak/hold circuitry and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for digitizing the signal amplitude. In order to compensate for the pixel-to-pixel variation, two 8-bit digital-to-analog converters (DACs) are implemented into each channel for tuning the gain and offset. The ERPC detector is designed to offer a high spatial resolution, a wide dynamic range of 12-200 keV and a good energy resolution of 3-4 keV. The hybrid detector configuration provides a flexible detection area that can be easily tailored for different imaging applications. The intrinsic performance of a prototype ERPC detector was evaluated with various gamma ray sources, and the results are presented.

The x-ray light valve: a potentially low-cost, digital radiographic imaging system-concept and implementation considerations.

PubMed

Webster, Christie Ann; Koprinarov, Ivaylo; Germann, Stephen; Rowlands, J A

2008-03-01

New x-ray radiographic systems based on large-area flat-panel technology have revolutionized our capability to produce digital x-ray images. However, these imagers are extraordinarily expensive compared to the systems they are replacing. Hence, there is a need for a low-cost digital imaging system for general applications in radiology. A novel potentially low-cost radiographic imaging system based on established technologies is proposed-the X-Ray Light Valve (XLV). This is a potentially high-quality digital x-ray detector made of a photoconducting layer and a liquid-crystal cell, physically coupled in a sandwich structure. Upon exposure to x rays, charge is collected on the surface of the photoconductor. This causes a change in the optical properties of the liquid-crystal cell and a visible image is generated. Subsequently, it is digitized by a scanned optical imager. The image formation is based on controlled modulation of light from an external source. The operation and practical implementation of the XLV system are described. The potential performance of the complete system and issues related to sensitivity, spatial resolution, noise, and speed are discussed. The feasibility of clinical use of an XLV device based on amorphous selenium (a-Se) as the photoconductor and a reflective electrically controlled birefringence cell is analyzed. The results of our analysis indicate that the XLV can potentially be adapted to a wide variety of radiographic tasks.

Investigation of Self Triggered Cosmic Ray Detectors using Silicon Photomultiplier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knox, Adrian; Niduaza, Rommel; Hernandez, Victor; Ruiz, Daniel; Ramos, Daniel; Fan, Sewan; Fatuzzo, Laura; Ritt, Stefan

2015-04-01

The silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) is a highly sensitive light detector capable of measuring single photons. It costs a fraction of the photomultiplier tube and operates slightly above the breakdown voltage. At this conference we describe our investigation of SiPM, the multipixel photon counters (MPPC) from Hamamatsu as readout detectors for plastic scintillators working for detecting cosmic ray particles. Our setup consists of scintillator sheets embedded with blue to green wavelength shifting fibers optically coupled to MPPCs to detect scintillating light. Four detector assemblies would be constructed and arranged to work in self triggered mode. Using custom matching tee boxes, the amplified MPPC signals are fed to discriminators with threshold set to give a reasonable coincidence count rate. Moreover, the detector waveforms are digitized using a 5 Giga Samples per second waveform digitizer, the DRS4, and triggered with the coincidence logic to capture the MPPC waveforms. Offline analysis of the digitized waveforms is accomplished using the CERN package PAW and results of our experiments and the data analysis would also be discussed. US Department of Education Title V Grant Number PO31S090007.

Continued Data Acquisition Development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwellenbach, David

This task focused on improving techniques for integrating data acquisition of secondary particles correlated in time with detected cosmic-ray muons. Scintillation detectors with Pulse Shape Discrimination (PSD) capability show the most promise as a detector technology based on work in FY13. Typically PSD parameters are determined prior to an experiment and the results are based on these parameters. By saving data in list mode, including the fully digitized waveform, any experiment can effectively be replayed to adjust PSD and other parameters for the best data capture. List mode requires time synchronization of two independent data acquisitions (DAQ) systems: the muonmore » tracker and the particle detector system. Techniques to synchronize these systems were studied. Two basic techniques were identified: real time mode and sequential mode. Real time mode is the preferred system but has proven to be a significant challenge since two FPGA systems with different clocking parameters must be synchronized. Sequential processing is expected to work with virtually any DAQ but requires more post processing to extract the data.« less

Digital Electronics for Nuclear Physics Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skulski, Wojtek; Hunter, David; Druszkiewicz, Eryk; Khaitan, Dev Ashish; Yin, Jun; Wolfs, Frank; SkuTek Instrumentation Team; Department of Physics; Astronomy, University of Rochester Team

2015-10-01

Future detectors in nuclear physics will use signal sampling as one of primary techniques of data acquisition. Using the digitized waveforms, the electronics can select events based on pulse shape, total energy, multiplicity, and the hit pattern. The DAQ for the LZ Dark Matter detector, now under development in Rochester, is a good example of the power of digital signal processing. This system, designed around 32-channel, FPGA-based, digital signal processors collects data from more than one thousand channels. The solutions developed for this DAQ can be applied to nuclear physics experiments. Supported by the Department of Energy Office of Science under Grant DE-SC0009543.

AVIRIS onboard data handling and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinkraus, Ronald E.; Hickok, Roger W.

1987-01-01

The timing and flow of detector and ancillary data for the Airborne Visible/Infrared imaging spectrometer (AVIRIS) are controlled within the instrument by its digital electronics assembly. In addition to providing detector and signal chain timing, the digital electronics receives, formats, and rate-buffers digitized science data; collects and formats ancillary (calibration and engineering) data; and merges both into a single tape record. Overall AVIRIS data handling is effected by a combination of dedicated digital electronics to control instrument timing, image data flow, and data rate buffering and a microcomputer programmed to handle real-time control of instrument mechanisms and the coordinated preparation of ancillary data.

An X-Ray computed tomography/positron emission tomography system designed specifically for breast imaging.

PubMed

Boone, John M; Yang, Kai; Burkett, George W; Packard, Nathan J; Huang, Shih-ying; Bowen, Spencer; Badawi, Ramsey D; Lindfors, Karen K

2010-02-01

Mammography has served the population of women who are at-risk for breast cancer well over the past 30 years. While mammography has undergone a number of changes as digital detector technology has advanced, other modalities such as computed tomography have experienced technological sophistication over this same time frame as well. The advent of large field of view flat panel detector systems enable the development of breast CT and several other niche CT applications, which rely on cone beam geometry. The breast, it turns out, is well suited to cone beam CT imaging because the lack of bones reduces artifacts, and the natural tapering of the breast anteriorly reduces the x-ray path lengths through the breast at large cone angle, reducing cone beam artifacts as well. We are in the process of designing a third prototype system which will enable the use of breast CT for image guided interventional procedures. This system will have several copies fabricated so that several breast CT scanners can be used in a multi-institutional clinical trial to better understand the role that this technology can bring to breast imaging.

Multidetector system for nanosecond tagged neutron technology based on hardware selection of events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karetnikov, M. D.; Korotkov, S. A.; Khasaev, T. O.

2016-09-01

At the T( d, n)He4 reaction a neutron is accompanied by an associated alpha-particle emitted in the opposite direction. A time and a direction of the neutron escape can be determined by measuring a time and coordinates of the alpha particle at the position-sensitive alpha-detector. The nanosecond tagged neutron technology (NTNT) based on this principle has great potentialities for various applications, e.g., for remote detection of explosives. A spectrum of gamma-rays emitted at the interaction of tagged neutrons with nuclei of chemical elements allows identify a chemical composition of an irradiated object. For practical realization of NTNT, a time resolution of recording the alpha-gamma coincidences should be close to 1 ns. The total intensity of signals can exceed 1 × 106 1/s from all gamma-detectors and 7 × 106 1/s from the alpha-detector. The processing of such stream of data without losses and distortion of information is one of challenging problems of NTNT. Several models of analog DAQ system based on hardware selection of events were devised and their characteristics are examined. The comparison with the digital DAQ systems demonstrated that the analog DAQ provides better timing parameters, lower power consumption, and higher maximum rate of useful events.

Method and apparatus for analog signal conditioner for high speed, digital x-ray spectrometer

DOEpatents

Warburton, W.K.; Hubbard, B.

1999-02-09

A signal processing system which accepts input from an x-ray detector-preamplifier and produces a signal of reduced dynamic range for subsequent analog-to-digital conversion is disclosed. The system conditions the input signal to reduce the number of bits required in the analog-to-digital converter by removing that part of the input signal which varies only slowly in time and retaining the amplitude of the pulses which carry information about the x-rays absorbed by the detector. The parameters controlling the signal conditioner`s operation can be readily supplied in digital form, allowing it to be integrated into a feedback loop as part of a larger digital x-ray spectroscopy system. 13 figs.

Clinical comparative study with a large-area amorphous silicon flat-panel detector: image quality and visibility of anatomic structures on chest radiography.

PubMed

Fink, Christian; Hallscheidt, Peter J; Noeldge, Gerd; Kampschulte, Annette; Radeleff, Boris; Hosch, Waldemar P; Kauffmann, Günter W; Hansmann, Jochen

2002-02-01

The objective of this study was to compare clinical chest radiographs of a large-area, flat-panel digital radiography system and a conventional film-screen radiography system. The comparison was based on an observer preference study of image quality and visibility of anatomic structures. Routine follow-up chest radiographs were obtained from 100 consecutive oncology patients using a large-area, amorphous silicon flat-panel detector digital radiography system (dose equivalent to a 400-speed film system). Hard-copy images were compared with previous examinations of the same individuals taken on a conventional film-screen system (200-speed). Patients were excluded if changes in the chest anatomy were detected or if the time interval between the examinations exceeded 1 year. Observer preference was evaluated for the image quality and the visibility of 15 anatomic structures using a five-point scale. Dose measurements with a chest phantom showed a dose reduction of approximately 50% with the digital radiography system compared with the film-screen radiography system. The image quality and the visibility of all but one anatomic structure of the images obtained with the digital flat-panel detector system were rated significantly superior (p < or = 0.0003) to those obtained with the conventional film-screen radiography system. The image quality and visibility of anatomic structures on the images obtained by the flat-panel detector system were perceived as equal or superior to the images from conventional film-screen chest radiography. This was true even though the radiation dose was reduced approximately 50% with the digital flat-panel detector system.

General-purpose readout electronics for white neutron source at China Spallation Neutron Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Q.; Cao, P.; Qi, X.; Yu, T.; Ji, X.; Xie, L.; An, Q.

2018-01-01

The under-construction White Neutron Source (WNS) at China Spallation Neutron Source is a facility for accurate measurements of neutron-induced cross section. Seven spectrometers are planned at WNS. As the physical objectives of each spectrometer are different, the requirements for readout electronics are not the same. In order to simplify the development of the readout electronics, this paper presents a general method for detector signal readout. This method has advantages of expansibility and flexibility, which makes it adaptable to most detectors at WNS. In the WNS general-purpose readout electronics, signals from any kinds of detectors are conditioned by a dedicated signal conditioning module corresponding to this detector, and then digitized by a common waveform digitizer with high speed and high precision (1 GSPS at 12-bit) to obtain the full waveform data. The waveform digitizer uses a field programmable gate array chip to process the data stream and trigger information in real time. PXI Express platform is used to support the functionalities of data readout, clock distribution, and trigger information exchange between digitizers and trigger modules. Test results show that the performance of the WNS general-purpose readout electronics can meet the requirements of the WNS spectrometers.

A front-end readout Detector Board for the OpenPET electronics system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choong, W.-S.; Abu-Nimeh, F.; Moses, W. W.; Peng, Q.; Vu, C. Q.; Wu, J.-Y.

2015-08-01

We present a 16-channel front-end readout board for the OpenPET electronics system. A major task in developing a nuclear medical imaging system, such as a positron emission computed tomograph (PET) or a single-photon emission computed tomograph (SPECT), is the electronics system. While there are a wide variety of detector and camera design concepts, the relatively simple nature of the acquired data allows for a common set of electronics requirements that can be met by a flexible, scalable, and high-performance OpenPET electronics system. The analog signals from the different types of detectors used in medical imaging share similar characteristics, which allows for a common analog signal processing. The OpenPET electronics processes the analog signals with Detector Boards. Here we report on the development of a 16-channel Detector Board. Each signal is digitized by a continuously sampled analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which is processed by a field programmable gate array (FPGA) to extract pulse height information. A leading edge discriminator creates a timing edge that is ``time stamped'' by a time-to-digital converter (TDC) implemented inside the FPGA . This digital information from each channel is sent to an FPGA that services 16 analog channels, and then information from multiple channels is processed by this FPGA to perform logic for crystal lookup, DOI calculation, calibration, etc.

Timing Characterization of Helium-4 Fast Neutron Detector with EJ-309 Organic Liquid Scintillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Yinong; Zhu, Ting; Enqvist, Andreas

2018-01-01

Recently, the Helium-4 gas fast neutron scintillation detectors is being used in time-sensitive measurements, such time-of-flight and multiplicity counting. In this paper, a set of time aligned signals was acquired in a coincidence measurement using the Helium-4 gas detectors and EJ-309 liquid scintillators. The high-speed digitizer system is implanted with a trigger moving average window (MAW) unit combing with its constant fraction discriminator (CFD) feature. It can calculate a "time offset" to the timestamp value to get a higher resolution timestamp (up to 50 ps), which is better than the digitizer's time resolution (4 ns) [1]. The digitized waveforms were saved to the computer hard drive and post processed with digital analysis code to determine the difference of their arrival times. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the Gaussian fit was used as to examine the resolution. For the cascade decay of Cobalt-60 (1.17 and 1.33 MeV), the first version of the Helium-4 detector with two Hamamatsu R580 photomultipliers (PMT) installed at either end of the cylindrical gas chamber (20 cm in length and 4.4 cm in diameter) has a time resolution which is about 3.139 ns FWHM. With improved knowledge of the timing performance, the Helium-4 scintillation detectors are excellent for neutron energy spectrometry applications requiring high temporal and energy resolutions.

A front-end readout Detector Board for the OpenPET electronics system

DOE PAGES

Choong, W. -S.; Abu-Nimeh, F.; Moses, W. W.; ...

2015-08-12

Here, we present a 16-channel front-end readout board for the OpenPET electronics system. A major task in developing a nuclear medical imaging system, such as a positron emission computed tomograph (PET) or a single-photon emission computed tomograph (SPECT), is the electronics system. While there are a wide variety of detector and camera design concepts, the relatively simple nature of the acquired data allows for a common set of electronics requirements that can be met by a flexible, scalable, and high-performance OpenPET electronics system. The analog signals from the different types of detectors used in medical imaging share similar characteristics, whichmore » allows for a common analog signal processing. The OpenPET electronics processes the analog signals with Detector Boards. Here we report on the development of a 16-channel Detector Board. Each signal is digitized by a continuously sampled analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which is processed by a field programmable gate array (FPGA) to extract pulse height information. A leading edge discriminator creates a timing edge that is "time stamped" by a time-to-digital converter (TDC) implemented inside the FPGA. In conclusion, this digital information from each channel is sent to an FPGA that services 16 analog channels, and then information from multiple channels is processed by this FPGA to perform logic for crystal lookup, DOI calculation, calibration, etc.« less

Wideband digital frequency detector with subtraction-based phase comparator for frequency modulation atomic force microscopy.

PubMed

Mitani, Yuji; Kubo, Mamoru; Muramoto, Ken-ichiro; Fukuma, Takeshi

2009-08-01

We have developed a wideband digital frequency detector for high-speed frequency modulation atomic force microscopy (FM-AFM). We used a subtraction-based phase comparator (PC) in a phase-locked loop circuit instead of a commonly used multiplication-based PC, which has enhanced the detection bandwidth to 100 kHz. The quantitative analysis of the noise performance revealed that the internal noise from the developed detector is small enough to provide the theoretically limited noise performance in FM-AFM experiments in liquid. FM-AFM imaging of mica in liquid was performed with the developed detector, showing its stability and applicability to true atomic-resolution imaging in liquid.

10μm pitch family of InSb and XBn detectors for MWIR imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gershon, G.; Avnon, E.; Brumer, M.; Freiman, W.; Karni, Y.; Niderman, T.; Ofer, O.; Rosenstock, T.; Seref, D.; Shiloah, N.; Shkedy, L.; Tessler, R.; Shtrichman, I.

2017-02-01

There has been a growing demand over the past few years for infrared detectors with a smaller pixel dimension. On the one hand, this trend of pixel shrinkage enables the overall size of a given Focal Plan Array (FPA) to be reduced, allowing the production of more compact, lower power, and lower cost electro-optical (EO) systems. On the other hand, it enables a higher image resolution for a given FPA area, which is especially suitable in infrared systems with a large format that are used with a wide Field of View (FOV). In response to these market trends SCD has developed the Blackbird family of 10 μm pitch MWIR digital infrared detectors. The Blackbird family is based on three different Read- Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC) formats: 1920×1536, 1280×1024 and 640×512, which exploit advanced and mature 0.18 μm CMOS technology and exhibit high functionality with relatively low power consumption. Two types of 10 μm pixel sensing arrays are supported. The first is an InSb photodiode array based on SCD's mature planar implanted p-n junction technology, which covers the full MWIR band, and is designed to operate at 77K. The second type of sensing array covers the blue part of the MWIR band and uses the patented XBn-InAsSb barrier detector technology that provides electro-optical performance equivalent to planar InSb but at operating temperatures as high as 150 K. The XBn detector is therefore ideal for low Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) applications. Both sensing arrays, InSb and XBn, are Flip-chip bonded to the ROICs and assembled into custom designed Dewars that can withstand harsh environmental conditions while minimizing the detector heat load. A dedicated proximity electronics board provides power supplies and timing to the ROIC and enables communication and video output to the system. Together with a wide range of cryogenic coolers, a high flexibility of housing designs and various modes of operation, the Blackbird family of detectors presents solutions for EO systems which cover both the very high-end and the low SWaP types of application. In this work we present in detail the EO performance of the Blackbird detector family.

Modularized compact positron emission tomography detector for rapid system development

PubMed Central

Xi, Daoming; Liu, Xiang; Zeng, Chen; Liu, Wei; Li, Yanzhao; Hua, Yuexuan; Mei, Xiongze; Kim, Heejong; Xiao, Peng; Kao, Chien-Min; Xie, Qingguo

2016-01-01

Abstract. We report the development of a modularized compact positron emission tomography (PET) detector that outputs serial streams of digital samples of PET event pulses via an Ethernet interface using the UDP/IP protocol to enable rapid configuration of a PET system by connecting multiple such detectors via a network switch to a computer. Presently, the detector is 76  mm×50  mm×55  mm in extent (excluding I/O connectors) and contains an 18×12 array of 4.2×4.2×20  mm3 one-to-one coupled lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate/silicon photomultiplier pixels. It employs cross-wire and stripline readouts to merge the outputs of the 216 detector pixels to 24 channels. Signals at these channels are sampled using a built-in 24-ch, 4-level field programmable gate arrays-only multivoltage threshold digitizer. In the computer, software programs are implemented to analyze the digital samples to extract event information and to perform energy qualification and coincidence filtering. We have developed two such detectors. We show that all their pixels can be accurately discriminated and measure a crystal-level energy resolution of 14.4% to 19.4% and a detector-level coincidence time resolution of 1.67 ns FWHM. Preliminary imaging results suggests that a PET system based on the detectors can achieve an image resolution of ∼1.6  mm. PMID:28018941

GEM detector performance with innovative micro-TPC readout in high magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garzia, I.; Alexeev, M.; Amoroso, A.; Baldini Ferroli, R.; Bertani, M.; Bettoni, D.; Bianchi, F.; Calcaterra, A.; Canale, N.; Capodiferro, M.; Cassariti, V.; Cerioni, S.; Chai, J. Y.; Chiozzi, S.; Cibinetto, G.; Cossio, F.; Cotta Ramusino, A.; De Mori, F.; Destefanis, M.; Dong, J.; Evangelisti, F.; Evangelisti, F.; Farinelli, R.; Fava, L.; Felici, G.; Fioravanti, E.; Gatta, M.; Greco, M.; Lavezzi, L.; Leng, C. Y.; Li, H.; Maggiora, M.; Malaguti, R.; Marcello, S.; Melchiorri, M.; Mezzadri, G.; Mignone, M.; Morello, G.; Pacetti, S.; Patteri, P.; Pellegrino, J.; Pelosi, A.; Rivetti, A.; Rolo, M. D.; Savrié, M.; Scodeggio, M.; Soldani, E.; Sosio, S.; Spataro, S.; Tskhadadze, E.; Verma, S.; Wheadon, R.; Yan, L.

2018-01-01

Gas detector development is one of the pillars of the research in fundamental physics. Since several years, a new concept of detectors, called Micro Pattern Gas Detector (MPGD), allowed to overcome several problems related to other types of commonly used detectors, like drift chamber and micro strips detectors, reducing the rate of discharges and providing better radiation tolerance. Among the most used MPGDs are the Gas Electron Multipliers (GEMs). Invented by Sauli in 1997, nowadays GEMs have become an important reality for particle detectors in high energy physics. Commonly deployed as fast timing detectors and triggers, their fast response, high rate capability and high radiation hardness make them also suitable as tracking detectors. The readout scheme is one of the most important features in tracking technology. Analog readout based on the calculation of the center of gravity technique allows to overcome the limit imposed by digital pads, whose spatial resolution is limited by the pitch dimensions. However, the presence of high external magnetic fields can distort the electronic cloud and affect the performance. The development of the micro-TPC reconstruction method brings GEM detectors into a new prospective, improving significantly the spatial resolutionin presence of high magnetic fields. This innovative technique allows to reconstruct the 3-dimensional particle position, as Time Projection Chamber, but within a drift gap of a few millimeters. In these report, the charge centroid and micro-TPC methods are described in details. We discuss the results of several test beams performed with planar chambers in magnetic field. These results are one of the first developments of micro-TPC technique for GEM detectors, which allows to reach unprecedented performance in a high magnetic field of 1 T.

A direct reading exposure monitor for radiation processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kantz, A. D.; Humpherys, K. C.

Various plastic films have been utilized to measure radiation fields. In general such films are rugged, easily handled, small enough to cause neligible perturbation on the radiation fields, and relatively inexpensive. The radiachromic materials have been shown to have advantages over other plastic fabrications in stability, reproducibility, equivalent response to electron and gamma ray processing fields, dose rate independence, and ready availability of calibration standards. Using a nylon matrix radiachromic detector, a system of direct read-out of absorbed dose has been developed to facilitate monitoring in the megarad region. When an exposed detector is inserted into the reader, the optical transmission signal is processed through an analog to digital converter. The digitized signal addresses a memory bank where the standard response curve is stored. The corresponding absorbed dose is displayed on a digital panel meter. The variation of relative sensitivity of detectors, the background of unirradiated detectors, environmental parameters, and the capacity of the memory bank are contributing factors to the total precision of the read-out system.

Characterization of on-site digital mammography systems: Direct versus indirect conversion detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youn, Hanbean; Han, Jong Chul; Yun, Seungman; Kam, Soohwa; Cho, Seungryong; Kim, Ho Kyung

2015-06-01

We investigated the performances of two digital mammography systems. The systems use a cesium-iodide (CsI) scintillator and an amorphous selenium ( a-Se) photoconductor for X-ray detection and are installed in the same hospital. As physical metrics, we measured the modulationtransfer function (MTF), the noise-power spectrum (NPS), and the detective quantum efficiency (DQE). In addition, we analyzed the contrast-detail performances of the two systems by using a commercial contrast-detail phantom. The CsI-based indirect conversion detector provided better MTF and DQE performances than the a-Se-based direct conversion detector whereas the former provided a poorer NPS performance than the latter. These results are explained by the fact that the CsI-based detector used an MTF restoration preprocessing algorithm. The a-Se-based detector showed better contrast-detail performance than the CsI-based detector. We believe that the highfrequency noise characteristic of a detector is more responsible for the visibility of small details than its spatial-resolution performance.

Amorphous selenium direct detection CMOS digital x-ray imager with 25 micron pixel pitch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, Christopher C.; Abbaszadeh, Shiva; Ghanbarzadeh, Sina; Allan, Gary; Farrier, Michael; Cunningham, Ian A.; Karim, Karim S.

2014-03-01

We have developed a high resolution amorphous selenium (a-Se) direct detection imager using a large-area compatible back-end fabrication process on top of a CMOS active pixel sensor having 25 micron pixel pitch. Integration of a-Se with CMOS technology requires overcoming CMOS/a-Se interfacial strain, which initiates nucleation of crystalline selenium and results in high detector dark currents. A CMOS-compatible polyimide buffer layer was used to planarize the backplane and provide a low stress and thermally stable surface for a-Se. The buffer layer inhibits crystallization and provides detector stability that is not only a performance factor but also critical for favorable long term cost-benefit considerations in the application of CMOS digital x-ray imagers in medical practice. The detector structure is comprised of a polyimide (PI) buffer layer, the a-Se layer, and a gold (Au) top electrode. The PI layer is applied by spin-coating and is patterned using dry etching to open the backplane bond pads for wire bonding. Thermal evaporation is used to deposit the a-Se and Au layers, and the detector is operated in hole collection mode (i.e. a positive bias on the Au top electrode). High resolution a-Se diagnostic systems typically use 70 to 100 μm pixel pitch and have a pre-sampling modulation transfer function (MTF) that is significantly limited by the pixel aperture. Our results confirm that, for a densely integrated 25 μm pixel pitch CMOS array, the MTF approaches the fundamental material limit, i.e. where the MTF begins to be limited by the a-Se material properties and not the pixel aperture. Preliminary images demonstrating high spatial resolution have been obtained from a frst prototype imager.

Characterizing X-ray detectors for prototype digital breast tomosynthesis systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Y.-s.; Park, H.-s.; Park, S.-J.; Choi, S.; Lee, H.; Lee, D.; Choi, Y.-W.; Kim, H.-J.

2016-03-01

The digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) system is a newly developed 3-D imaging technique that overcomes the tissue superposition problems of conventional mammography. Therefore, it produces fewer false positives. In DBT system, several parameters are involved in image acquisition, including geometric components. A series of projections should be acquired at low exposure. This makes the system strongly dependent on the detector's characteristic performance. This study compares two types of x-ray detectors developed by the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI). The first prototype DBT system has a CsI (Tl) scintillator/CMOS based flat panel digital detector (2923 MAM, Dexela Ltd.), with a pixel size of 0.0748 mm. The second uses a-Se based direct conversion full field detector (AXS 2430, analogic) with a pixel size of 0.085 mm. The geometry of both systems is same, with a focal spot 665.8 mm from the detector, and a center of rotation 33 mm above the detector surface. The systems were compared with regard to modulation transfer function (MTF), normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS), detective quantum efficiency (DQE) and a new metric, the relative object detectability (ROD). The ROD quantifies the relative performance of each detector at detecting specified objects. The system response function demonstrated excellent linearity (R2>0.99). The CMOS-based detector had a high sensitivity, while the Anrad detector had a large dynamic range. The higher MTF and noise power spectrum (NPS) values were measured using an Anrad detector. The maximum DQE value of the Dexela detector was higher than that of the Anrad detector with a low exposure level, considering one projection exposure for tomosynthesis. Overall, the Dexela detector performed better than did the Anrad detector with regard to the simulated Al wires, spheres, test objects of ROD with low exposure level. In this study, we compared the newly developed prototype DBT system with two different types of x-ray detectors for commercial DBT systems. Our findings suggest that the Dexela detector can be applied to the DBT system with regard to its high imaging performance.

High Angular Sensitivity, Absolute Rotary Encoding Device with Polygonal Mirror and Stand-Alone Diffraction Gratings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leviton, Douglas B. (Inventor)

1996-01-01

A device for position encoding of a rotating shaft in which a polygonal mirror having a number of facets is mounted to the shaft and a monochromatic light beam is directed towards the facets. The facets of the polygonal mirror direct the light beam to a stand-alone low line density diffraction grating to diffract the monochromatic light beam into a number of diffracted light beams such that a number of light spots are created on a linear array detector. An analog-to-digital converter is connected to the linear array detector for reading the position of the spots on the linear array detector means. A microprocessor with memory is connected to the analog-to-digital converter to hold and manipulate the data provided by the analog-to-digital converter on the position of the spots and to compute the position of the shaft based upon the data from the analog-lo-digital converter.

[Design of longitudinal auto-tracking of the detector on X-ray in digital radiography].

PubMed

Yu, Xiaomin; Jiang, Tianhao; Liu, Zhihong; Zhao, Xu

2018-04-01

One algorithm is designed to implement longitudinal auto-tracking of the the detector on X-ray in the digital radiography system (DR) with manual collimator. In this study, when the longitudinal length of field of view (LFOV) on the detector is coincided with the longitudinal effective imaging size of the detector, the collimator half open angle ( Ψ ), the maximum centric distance ( e max ) between the center of X-ray field of view and the projection center of the focal spot, and the detector moving distance for auto-traking can be calculated automatically. When LFOV is smaller than the longitudinal effective imaging size of the detector by reducing Ψ , the e max can still be used to calculate the detector moving distance. Using this auto-tracking algorithm in DR with manual collimator, the tested results show that the X-ray projection is totally covered by the effective imaging area of the detector, although the center of the field of view is not aligned with the center of the effective imaging area of the detector. As a simple and low-cost design, the algorithm can be used for longitudinal auto-tracking of the detector on X-ray in the manual collimator DR.

Cameras for digital microscopy.

PubMed

Spring, Kenneth R

2013-01-01

This chapter reviews the fundamental characteristics of charge-coupled devices (CCDs) and related detectors, outlines the relevant parameters for their use in microscopy, and considers promising recent developments in the technology of detectors. Electronic imaging with a CCD involves three stages--interaction of a photon with the photosensitive surface, storage of the liberated charge, and readout or measurement of the stored charge. The most demanding applications in fluorescence microscopy may require as much as four orders of greater magnitude sensitivity. The image in the present-day light microscope is usually acquired with a CCD camera. The CCD is composed of a large matrix of photosensitive elements (often referred to as "pixels" shorthand for picture elements, which simultaneously capture an image over the entire detector surface. The light-intensity information for each pixel is stored as electronic charge and is converted to an analog voltage by a readout amplifier. This analog voltage is subsequently converted to a numerical value by a digitizer situated on the CCD chip, or very close to it. Several (three to six) amplifiers are required for each pixel, and to date, uniform images with a homogeneous background have been a problem because of the inherent difficulties of balancing the gain in all of the amplifiers. Complementary metal oxide semiconductor sensors also exhibit relatively high noise associated with the requisite high-speed switching. Both of these deficiencies are being addressed, and sensor performance is nearing that required for scientific imaging. Copyright © 1998 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SU-F-I-55: Performance Evaluation of Digital PET/CT: Medical Physics Basis for the Clinical Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, J; Knopp, MV; Miller, M

2016-06-15

Purpose: Replacement of conventional PMT-based detector with next generation digital photon counting (DPC) detector is a technology leap for PET imaging. This study evaluated the performance and characteristics of the DPC system and its stability within a 1 year time window following its installation focusing on the medical physics basis for clinical applications. Methods: A digital PET/CT scanner using 1:1 coupling of 23,040 crystal: detector elements was introduced and became operational at OSU. We tested and evaluated system performance and characteristics using NEMA NU2-2012. System stabilities in timing resolution, energy resolution, detector temperature and humidity (T&H) were monitored over 1-yr.more » Timing, energy and spatial resolution were characterized across clinically relevant count rate range. CQIE uniformity PET and NEMA IEC-Body PET with hot spheres varying with sizes and contrasts were performed. PET reconstructed in standard(4mm), High(2mm) and Ultra-High(1mm) definitions were evaluated. Results: NEMA results showed PET spatial resolution (mm-FWHM) from 4.01&4.14 at 1cm to 5.82&6.17 at 20cm in transverse & axial. 322±3ps timing and 11.0% energy resolution were measured. 5.7kcps/MBq system sensitivity with 24kcps/MBq effective sensitivity was obtained. The peak-NECR was ∼171kcps with the effective peak-NECR >650kcps@50kBq/mL. Scatter fraction was ∼30%, and the maximum trues was >900kcps. NEMA IQ demonstrated hot sphere contrast ranging from ∼62%±2%(10mm) to ∼88%±2%(22mm), cold sphere contrast of ∼86%±2%(28mm) and ∼89%±3%(37mm) and excellent uniformity. Monitoring 1-yr stability, it revealed ∼1% change in timing, ±0.4% change in energy resolution, and <10% variations in T&H. CQIE PET gave <3% SUV variances in axial. 60%–100% recovery coefficients across sphere sizes and contrast levels were achieved. Conclusion: Characteristics and stability of the next generation DPC PET detector system over an 1-yr time window was excellent and better than prior experiences. It demonstrated improved and robust system characteristics and performance in spatial resolution, sensitivity, timing and energy resolution, count rate and image quality. Michael Miller is an employee of Philips Healthcare.« less

Artificial Earth Satellites Designed and Fabricated by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Revised

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-07-01

occurred. The attitude detection system included a three-axis fluxgate vector magnetometer and solar attitude detectors that produced both analog and digital ...heliogoniometer ( digital solar attitudeIsensing system) Three axis analog solar detection - Rubidium vapor magnetometer Three axis fluxgate magnetometer ...Telemetry: 35 channels modulating 150 MHz carrier on command Three axis solar attitude detector system Three axis fluxgate magnetometer system

Tailpulse signal generator

DOEpatents

Baker, John [Walnut Creek, CA; Archer, Daniel E [Knoxville, TN; Luke, Stanley John [Pleasanton, CA; Decman, Daniel J [Livermore, CA; White, Gregory K [Livermore, CA

2009-06-23

A tailpulse signal generating/simulating apparatus, system, and method designed to produce electronic pulses which simulate tailpulses produced by a gamma radiation detector, including the pileup effect caused by the characteristic exponential decay of the detector pulses, and the random Poisson distribution pulse timing for radioactive materials. A digital signal process (DSP) is programmed and configured to produce digital values corresponding to pseudo-randomly selected pulse amplitudes and pseudo-randomly selected Poisson timing intervals of the tailpulses. Pulse amplitude values are exponentially decayed while outputting the digital value to a digital to analog converter (DAC). And pulse amplitudes of new pulses are added to decaying pulses to simulate the pileup effect for enhanced realism in the simulation.

Application of a digital data acquisition system for time of flight Positron annihilation-induced Auger Electron Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gladen, R. W.; Chirayath, V. A.; McDonald, A. D.; Fairchild, A. J.; Chrysler, M. D.; Imam, S. K.; Koymen, A. R.; Weiss, A. H.

We describe herein a digital data acquisition system for a time-of-flight Positron annihilation-induced Auger Electron Spectrometer. This data acquisition system consists of a high-speed digitizer collecting signals induced by Auger electrons and annihilation gammas in a multi-channel plate electron detector and a BaF2 gamma detector, respectively. The time intervals between these two signals is used to determine the times of flight of the Auger electrons, which are analyzed by algorithms based on traditional nuclear electronics methods. Ultimately, this digital data acquisition system will be expanded to incorporate the first coincidence measurements of Auger electron and annihilation gamma energies.

A digital optical phase-locked loop for diode lasers based on field programmable gate array

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu Zhouxiang; Zhang Xian; Huang Kaikai

2012-09-15

We have designed and implemented a highly digital optical phase-locked loop (OPLL) for diode lasers in atom interferometry. The three parts of controlling circuit in this OPLL, including phase and frequency detector (PFD), loop filter and proportional integral derivative (PID) controller, are implemented in a single field programmable gate array chip. A structure type compatible with the model MAX9382/MCH12140 is chosen for PFD and pipeline and parallelism technology have been adapted in PID controller. Especially, high speed clock and twisted ring counter have been integrated in the most crucial part, the loop filter. This OPLL has the narrow beat notemore » line width below 1 Hz, residual mean-square phase error of 0.14 rad{sup 2} and transition time of 100 {mu}s under 10 MHz frequency step. A main innovation of this design is the completely digitalization of the whole controlling circuit in OPLL for diode lasers.« less

On line separation of overlapped signals from multi-time photons for the GEM-based detection system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czarski, T.; Pozniak, K. T.; Chernyshova, M.; Malinowski, K.; Kasprowicz, G.; Kolasinski, P.; Krawczyk, R.; Wojenski, A.; Zabolotny, W.

2015-09-01

The Triple Gas Electron Multiplier (T-GEM) is presented as soft X-ray (SXR) energy and position sensitive detector for high-resolution X-ray diagnostics of magnetic confinement fusion plasmas. Multi-channel measurement system and serial data acquisition for X-ray energy and position recognition is described. Fundamental characteristics are presented for two dimensional detector structure. Typical signals of ADC - Analog to Digital Converter are considered for charge value and position estimation. Coinciding signals for high flux radiation cause the problem for cluster charge identification. The amplifier with shaper determines time characteristics and limits the pulses frequency. Separation of coincided signals was introduced and verified for simulation experiments. On line separation of overlapped signals was implemented applying the FPGA technology with relatively simple firmware procedure. Representative results for reconstruction of coinciding signals are demonstrated.

TANDIR: projectile warning system using uncooled bolometric technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horovitz-Limor, Z.; Zahler, M.

2007-04-01

Following the demand for affordable, various range and light-weight protection against ATGM's, Elisra develops a cost-effective passive IR system for ground vehicles. The system is based on wide FOV uncooled bolometric sensors with full azimuth coverage and a lightweight processing & control unit. The system design is based on the harsh environmental conditions. The basic algorithm discriminates the target from its clutter and predicts the time to impact (TTI) and the target aiming direction with relation to vehicle. The current detector format is 320*240 pixels and frame rate is 60 Hz, Spectral response is on Far Infrared (8-14μ). The digital video output has 14bit resolution & wide dynamic range. Future goal is to enhance detection performance by using large format uncooled detector (640X480) with improved sensitivity and higher frame rates (up to 120HZ).

Maturing CCD Photon-Counting Technology for Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mallik, Udayan; Lyon, Richard; Petrone, Peter; McElwain, Michael; Benford, Dominic; Clampin, Mark; Hicks, Brian

2015-01-01

This paper discusses charge blooming and starlight saturation - two potential technical problems - when using an Electron Multiplying Charge Coupled Device (EMCCD) type detector in a high-contrast instrument for imaging exoplanets. These problems especially affect an interferometric type coronagraph - coronagraphs that do not use a mask to physically block starlight in the science channel of the instrument. These problems are presented using images taken with a commercial Princeton Instrument EMCCD camera in the Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC), Interferometric Coronagraph facility. In addition, this paper discusses techniques to overcome such problems. This paper also discusses the development and architecture of a Field Programmable Gate Array and Digital-to-Analog Converter based shaped clock controller for a photon-counting EMCCD camera. The discussion contained here will inform high-contrast imaging groups in their work with EMCCD detectors.

SFERA: An Integrated Circuit for the Readout of X and gamma -Ray Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schembari, Filippo; Quaglia, Riccardo; Bellotti, Giovanni; Fiorini, Carlo

2016-06-01

In this work we present SFERA, a low-noise fully-programmable 16 channel readout ASIC designed for both Xand y-ray spectroscopy and imaging applications. The chip is designed to process signals coming from solid-state detectors and CMOS preamplifiers. The design has been guided by the use of Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) and CUBE charge sensitive amplifiers (CSAs), although we consider the ASIC sufficiently versatile to be used with other types of detectors. Five different gains are implemented, namely 2800 e-, 4400 e-, 10000 e-, 14000 e- and 20000 e-, considering the input connected to a 25 fF feedback capacitance CMOS preamplifier. Filter peaking times (tP) are also programmable among 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 μs. Each readout channel is the cascade of a 9th order semi-Gaussian shaping-amplifier (SA) and a peak detector (PKS), followed by a dedicated pile-up rejection (PUR) digital logic. Three data multiplexing strategies are implemented: the so-called polling X, intended for high-rate X-ray applications, the polling y, for scintillation light detection and the sparse, for signals derandomization. The spectroscopic characterization has shown an energy resolution of 122.1 eV FWHM on the Mn-Ku line of an 55Fe X-ray source using a 10 mm2 SDD cooled at -35 °C at 4 μs filter peaking time. The measured resolution is 130 eV at the peaking time of 500 ns. At 1 Mcps input count rate and 500 ns peaking time, we have measured 42% of processed events at the output of the ASIC after the PUR selection. Output data can be digitized on-chip by means of an embedded 12-bit successive-approximation ADC. The effective resolution of the data converter is 10.75-bit when operated at 4.5 MS/s. The chosen technology is the AMS 0.35 μm CMOS and the chip area occupancy is 5 × 5 mm2.

Modeling Photo-multiplier Gain and Regenerating Pulse Height Data for Application Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aspinall, Michael D.; Jones, Ashley R.

2018-01-01

Systems that adopt organic scintillation detector arrays often require a calibration process prior to the intended measurement campaign to correct for significant performance variances between detectors within the array. These differences exist because of low tolerances associated with photo-multiplier tube technology and environmental influences. Differences in detector response can be corrected for by adjusting the supplied photo-multiplier tube voltage to control its gain and the effect that this has on the pulse height spectra from a gamma-only calibration source with a defined photo-peak. Automated methods that analyze these spectra and adjust the photo-multiplier tube bias accordingly are emerging for hardware that integrate acquisition electronics and high voltage control. However, development of such algorithms require access to the hardware, multiple detectors and calibration source for prolonged periods, all with associated constraints and risks. In this work, we report on a software function and related models developed to rescale and regenerate pulse height data acquired from a single scintillation detector. Such a function could be used to generate significant and varied pulse height data that can be used to integration-test algorithms that are capable of automatically response matching multiple detectors using pulse height spectra analysis. Furthermore, a function of this sort removes the dependence on multiple detectors, digital analyzers and calibration source. Results show a good match between the real and regenerated pulse height data. The function has also been used successfully to develop auto-calibration algorithms.

Radiation dose reduction in chest radiography using a flat-panel amorphous silicon detector.

PubMed

Hosch, W P; Fink, C; Radeleff, B; kampschulte a, A; Kauffmann, G W; Hansmann, J

2002-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the image quality and the potential for radiation dose reduction with a digital flat-panel amorphous silicon detector radiography system. Using flat-panel technology, radiographs of an anthropomorphic thorax phantom were taken with a range of technical parameters (125kV, 200mA and 5, 4, 3.2, 2, 1, 0.5, and 0.25mAs) which were equivalent to a radiation dose of 332, 263, 209, 127, 58.7, 29, and 14 microGy, respectively. These images were compared to radiographs obtained by a conventional film-screen radiography system at 125kV, 200mA and 5mAs (equivalent to 252 microGy) which served as reference. Three observers evaluated independently the visibility of simulated rounded lesions and anatomical structures, comparing printed films from the flat-panel amorphous silicon detector and conventional x-ray system films. With flat-panel technology, the visibility of rounded lesions and normal anatomical structures at 5, 4, and 3.2mAs was superior compared to the conventional film-screen radiography system. (P< or =0.0001). At 2mAs, improvement was only marginal (P=0.19). At 1.0, 0.5 and 0.25mAs, the visibility of simulated rounded lesions was worse (P< or =0.004). Comparing fine lung parenchymal structures, the flat-panel amorphous silicon detector showed improvement for all exposure levels down to 2mAs and equality at 1mAs. Compared to a conventional x-ray film system, the flat-panel amorphous silicon detector demonstrated improved image quality and the possibility for a reduction of the radiation dose by 50% without loss in image quality.

MR-compatibility assessment of the first preclinical PET-MRI insert equipped with digital silicon photomultipliers.

PubMed

Wehner, J; Weissler, B; Dueppenbecker, P M; Gebhardt, P; Goldschmidt, B; Schug, D; Kiessling, F; Schulz, V

2015-03-21

PET (positron emission tomography) with its high sensitivity in combination with MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) providing anatomic information with good soft-tissue contrast is considered to be a promising hybrid imaging modality. However, the integration of a PET detector into an MRI system is a challenging task since the MRI system is a sensitive device for external disturbances and provides a harsh environment for electronic devices. Consequently, the PET detector has to be transparent for the MRI system and insensitive to electromagnetic disturbances. Due to the variety of MRI protocols imposing a wide range of requirements regarding the MR-compatibility, an extensive study is mandatory to reliably assess worst-case interference phenomena between the PET detector and the MRI scanner. We have built the first preclinical PET insert, designed for a clinical 3 T MRI, using digital silicon photomultipliers (digital SiPM, type DPC 3200-22, Philips Digital Photon Counting). Since no thorough interference investigation with this new digital sensor has been reported so far, we present in this work such a comprehensive MR-compatibility study. Acceptable distortion of the B0 field homogeneity (volume RMS = 0.08 ppm, peak-to-peak value = 0.71 ppm) has been found for the PET detector installed. The signal-to-noise ratio degradation stays between 2-15% for activities up to 21 MBq. Ghosting artifacts were only found for demanding EPI (echo planar imaging) sequences with read-out gradients in Z direction caused by additional eddy currents originated from the PET detector. On the PET side, interference mainly between the gradient system and the PET detector occurred: extreme gradient tests were executed using synthetic sequences with triangular pulse shape and maximum slew rate. Under this condition, a relative degradation of the energy (⩽10%) and timing (⩽15%) resolution was noticed. However, barely measurable performance deterioration occurred when morphological MRI protocols are conducted certifying that the overall PET performance parameters remain unharmed.

[Comparison of dignity determination of mammographic microcalcification with two systems for digital full-field mammography with different detector resolution: a retrospective clinical study].

PubMed

Schulz-Wendtland, R; Hermann, K-P; Adamietz, B; Meier-Meitinger, M; Wenkel, E; Lell, M; Anders, K; Uder, M

2011-02-01

The aim of this retrospective clinical study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the novel 50 µm FFDM (full-field digital mammography) system (DR) with an established 70 µm system (DR) in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant clusters of microcalcification (n=50) (BI-RADS™ classification 4/5) and to assess the possible incremental value of the 50 µm pixel-pitch on specificity. From March 2009 to September 2009, 50 patients underwent full-field digital mammography (FFDM) (detector resolution 70 µm) (Novation, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). As there were suspicious signs of microcalcification classified with BI-RADS™ 4/5 after diagnosis and preoperative wire localization, control images were made with the new FFDM system (detector: resolution 50 µm) (Amulet, Fujifilm, Tokyo, Japan) with the same exposure parameters. The diagnosis was determined after the operation by five radiologists with different experience in digital mammography from randomly distributed mediolateral views (monitor reading) whose results were correlated with the final histology of all lesions. Histopathology revealed 19 benign and 31 malignant lesions in 50 patients after open biopsy. The results of the five readers showed a higher sensitivity of the new FFDM system (80.0%) in the ability to recognize malignant microcalcification in comparison to the established system (74.8%). The specificity (75.8 versus 71.6%) was slightly higher for the new system but these results were not statistically significant (p<0.001). Considering the diagnostic accuracy, the new system (detector: resolution 50 µm) was also slightly superior to the well-known system (detector: resolution 70 µm) (80.1% versus 76.4%). Our study has shown that the new full-field digital mammography system using the novel detector compared with the already established FFDM system with respect to the assessment of microcalcification is at least equivalent.

Digital pulse processing for planar TlBr detectors, optimized for ballistic deficit and charge-trapping effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakhostin, M.; Hitomi, K.

2012-05-01

The energy resolution of thallium bromide (TlBr) detectors is significantly limited by charge-trapping effect and pulse ballistic deficit, caused by the slow charge collection time. A digital pulse processing algorithm has been developed aiming to compensate for charge-trapping effect, while minimizing pulse ballistic deficit. The algorithm is examined using a 1 mm thick TlBr detector and an excellent energy resolution of 3.37% at 662 keV is achieved at room temperature. The pulse processing algorithms are presented in recursive form, suitable for real-time implementations.

A fast one-chip event-preprocessor and sequencer for the Simbol-X Low Energy Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schanz, T.; Tenzer, C.; Maier, D.; Kendziorra, E.; Santangelo, A.

2010-12-01

We present an FPGA-based digital camera electronics consisting of an Event-Preprocessor (EPP) for on-board data preprocessing and a related Sequencer (SEQ) to generate the necessary signals to control the readout of the detector. The device has been originally designed for the Simbol-X low energy detector (LED). The EPP operates on 64×64 pixel images and has a real-time processing capability of more than 8000 frames per second. The already working releases of the EPP and the SEQ are now combined into one Digital-Camera-Controller-Chip (D3C).

Method and apparatus for digitally based high speed x-ray spectrometer

DOEpatents

Warburton, W.K.; Hubbard, B.

1997-11-04

A high speed, digitally based, signal processing system which accepts input data from a detector-preamplifier and produces a spectral analysis of the x-rays illuminating the detector. The system achieves high throughputs at low cost by dividing the required digital processing steps between a ``hardwired`` processor implemented in combinatorial digital logic, which detects the presence of the x-ray signals in the digitized data stream and extracts filtered estimates of their amplitudes, and a programmable digital signal processing computer, which refines the filtered amplitude estimates and bins them to produce the desired spectral analysis. One set of algorithms allow this hybrid system to match the resolution of analog systems while operating at much higher data rates. A second set of algorithms implemented in the processor allow the system to be self calibrating as well. The same processor also handles the interface to an external control computer. 19 figs.

Method and apparatus for digitally based high speed x-ray spectrometer

DOEpatents

Warburton, William K.; Hubbard, Bradley

1997-01-01

A high speed, digitally based, signal processing system which accepts input data from a detector-preamplifier and produces a spectral analysis of the x-rays illuminating the detector. The system achieves high throughputs at low cost by dividing the required digital processing steps between a "hardwired" processor implemented in combinatorial digital logic, which detects the presence of the x-ray signals in the digitized data stream and extracts filtered estimates of their amplitudes, and a programmable digital signal processing computer, which refines the filtered amplitude estimates and bins them to produce the desired spectral analysis. One set of algorithms allow this hybrid system to match the resolution of analog systems while operating at much higher data rates. A second set of algorithms implemented in the processor allow the system to be self calibrating as well. The same processor also handles the interface to an external control computer.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kapusta, P.; Kisielewski, B.

In this paper the overvoltage protection modules (OVP) for the power supply (PS) system of the Belle II pixel detector (PXD) are described. The aim of the OVP is to protect the detector and associated electronics against overvoltage conditions. Most critical in the system are voltages supplying the front-end ASICs. The PXD detector consists of the DEPFET sensor modules with integrated chips like the Drain Current Digitizer, the Switcher and the Data Handling Processor. These chips, implemented in modern sub-micron technologies, are quite vulnerable to variations in the supply voltages. The PXD will be placed in the Belle II experimentmore » as close as possible to the interaction point, where access during experiment is very limited or even impossible, thus the PS and OVP systems exploit the remote-sensing method. Overvoltage conditions are due to failures of the PS itself, wrong setting of the output voltages or transient voltages coming out of hard noisy environment of the experiment. The OVP modules are parts of the PS modules. For powering the PXD 40 PS modules are placed 15 m outside the Belle II spectrometer. Each one is equipped with the OVP board. All voltages (22) are grouped in 4 domains: Analog, Digital, Steering and Gate which have independent grounds. The OVP boards are designed from integrated circuits from Linear Technology. All configurations were simulated with the Spice program. The control electronics is designed in a Xilinx CPLD. Two types of integrated circuits were used. LT4356 surge stopper protects loads from high voltage transients. The output voltages are limited to a safe value and also protect loads against over current faults. For less critical voltages, the LTC2912 voltage monitors are used that detect under-voltage and overvoltage events. It has to be noted that the OVP system is working independently of any other protection of the PS system, which increases its overall reliability. (authors)« less

Nuclear Science Symposium, 23rd, Scintillation and Semiconductor Counter Symposium, 15th, and Nuclear Power Systems Symposium, 8th, New Orleans, La., October 20-22, 1976, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagner, L. J.

1977-01-01

The volume includes papers on semiconductor radiation detectors of various types, components of radiation detection and dosimetric systems, digital and microprocessor equipment in nuclear industry and science, and a wide variety of applications of nuclear radiation detectors. Semiconductor detectors of X-rays, gamma radiation, heavy ions, neutrons, and other nuclear particles, plastic scintillator arrays, drift chambers, spark wire chambers, and radiation dosimeter systems are reported on. Digital and analog conversion systems, digital data and control systems, microprocessors, and their uses in scientific research and nuclear power plants are discussed. Large-area imaging and biomedical nucleonic instrumentation, nuclear power plant safeguards, reactor instrumentation, nuclear power plant instrumentation, space instrumentation, and environmental instrumentation are dealt with. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Characterization and Design of Digital Pointing Subsystem for Optical Communication Demonstrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Racho, C.; Portillo, A.

1998-01-01

The Optical Communications Demonstrator (OCD) is a laboratory-based lasercom demonstration terminal designed to validate several key technologies, including beacon acquisition, high bandwidth tracking, precision bearn pointing, and point-ahead compensation functions. It has been under active development over the past few years. The instrument uses a CCD array detector for both spatial acquisition and high-bandwidth tracking, and a fiber coupled laser transmitter. The array detector tracking concept provides wide field-of-view acquisition and permits effective platform jitter compensation and point-ahead control using only one steering mirror. This paper describes the detailed design and characterization of the digital control loop system which includes the Fast Steering Mirror (FSM), the CCD image tracker, and the associated electronics. The objective is to improve the overall system performance using laboratory measured data. The. design of the digital control loop is based on a linear time invariant open loop model. The closed loop performance is predicted using the theoretical model. With the digital filter programmed into the OCD control software, data is collected to verify the predictions. This paper presents the results of the, system modeling and performance analysis. It has been shown that measurement data closely matches theoretical predictions. An important part of the laser communication experiment is the ability of FSM to track the laser beacon within the. required tolerances. The pointing must be maintained to an accuracy that is much smaller than the transmit signal beamwidth. For an earth orbit distance, the system must be able to track the receiving station to within a few microradians. The failure. to do so will result in a severely degraded system performance.

New requirements for digital radiographic testing of welds according to ISO standards

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zscherpel, U.; Ewert, U.; Jechow, M.

Users of EN 14784-2 (general principles for computed radiography with phosphor imaging plates) reported about difficulties to achieve testing class B in weld testing with imaging plates. One of the reasons is the insufficient consideration of the inherent detector unsharpness (u{sub i}) in the minimum requirements. Digital detectors have a higher inherent unsharpness compared to film, which can even exceed the geometrical unsharpness (u{sub g}) of the typical contact technique. In EN 444 and ISO 5579 (general principles for film radiography) u{sub i} is neglected for the calculation of the minimum source-to-object distance (SOD), because it is small compared tomore » the geometric unsharpness (u{sub g}). Considering u{sub i} for digital detectors results in a new equation for SOD (see ISO/FDIS 17636-2). Therefore, the increase in total image unsharpness requires the compensation by a larger SOD to reduce u{sub g}. This contribution discusses the need for change of the SOD for different setups (detectors, focal spots, etc.) and explains the difference in image quality, achieved on basis of the extended equation of ISO/FDIS 17636-2. Furthermore, the detection of image quality indicators depends on the achieved Contrast-to-Noise ratio (CNR) and total image unsharpness. Both of them are essential parameters, which influence the contrast sensitivity. Additionally, new compensation principles (e.g. compensation of missing spatial resolution by enhanced contrast sensitivity) allow to widen the application range of digital detectors for radiographic weld testing.« less

Design and implementation of a low-cost multiple-range digital phase detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omran, Hesham; Albasha, Lutfi; Al-Ali, A. R.

2012-06-01

This article describes the design, simulation, implementation and testing of a novel low-cost multiple-range programmable digital phase detector. The detector receives two periodic signals and calculates the ratio of the time difference to the time period to measure and display the phase difference. The resulting output values are in integer form ranging from -180° to 180°. Users can select the detector pre-set operation frequency ranges using a three-bit pre-scalar. This enables to use the detector for various applications. The proposed detector can be programmed over a frequency range of 10 Hz to 25 kHz by configuring its clock divider circuit. Detector simulations were conducted and verified using ModelSim and the design was implemented and tested using an Altera Cyclone II field-programmable gate array board. Both the simulation and actual circuit testing results showed that the phase detector has a magnitude of error of only 1°. The detector is ideal for applications such as power factor measurement and correction, self-tuning resonant circuits and in metal detection systems. Unlike other stand-alone phase detection systems, the reported system has the ability to be programmed to several frequency ranges, hence expanding its bandwidth.

Digital Lock-In Detector for Ultra-Low Level Noise Spectrum Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

Noise measurements,’ digital lockAn detector; 1 / f noise ; P...lower than the internal amplifier noise . Especially at low frequencies, amplifier noises become overwhelming, due to the 1 / f noise generated by the...shows the set-up. vm is the modulating signal generated by the computer. The two lOOk’s are metal film resistors, whose 1 / f noise is negligible. Ri’s

Present and Future Applications of Digital Electronics in Nuclear Science - a Commercial Prospective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Hui

2011-10-01

Digital readout electronics instrumenting radiation detectors have experienced significant advancements in the last decade or so. This on one hand can be attributed to the steady improvements in commercial digital processing components such as analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), digital-to-analog converters (DACs), field-programmable-gate-arrays (FPGAs), and digital-signal-processors (DSPs), and on the other hand can also be attributed to the increasing needs for improved time, position, and energy resolution in nuclear physics experiments, which have spurred the rapid development of commercial off-the-shelf high speed, high resolution digitizers or spectrometers. Absent from conventional analog electronics, the capability to record fast decaying pulses from radiation detectors in digital readout electronics has profoundly benefited nuclear physics researchers since they now can perform detailed pulse processing for applications such as gamma-ray tracking and decay-event selection and reconstruction. In this talk, present state-of-the-art digital readout electronics and its applications in a variety of nuclear science fields will be discussed, and future directions in hardware development for digital electronics will also be outlined, all from the prospective of a commercial manufacturer of digital electronics.

Fast collimated neutron flux measurement using stilbene scintillator and flashy analog-to-digital converter in JT-60U

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishikawa, M.; Itoga, T.; Okuji, T.; Nakhostin, M.; Shinohara, K.; Hayashi, T.; Sukegawa, A.; Baba, M.; Nishitani, T.

2006-10-01

A line-integrated neutron emission profile is routinely measured using the radial neutron collimator system in JT-60U tokamak. Stilbene neuron detectors (SNDs), which combine a stilbene organic crystal scintillation detector (SD) with an analog neutron-gamma pulse shape discrimination (PSD) circuit, have been used to measure collimated neutron flux. Although the SND has many advantages as a neutron detector, the maximum count rate is limited up to ˜1×105counts/s due to the analog PSD circuit. To overcome this issue, a digital signal processing system (DSPS) using a flash analog-to-digital converter (Acqiris DC252, 8GHz, 10bits) has been developed at Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center in Tohoku University. In this system anode signals from photomultiplier of the SD are directory stored and digitized. Then, the PSD between neutrons and gamma rays is performed using software. The DSPS has been installed in the vertical neutron collimator system in JT-60U and applied to deuterium experiments. It is confirmed that the PSD is sufficiently performed and collimated neutron flux is successfully measured with count rate up to ˜5×105counts/s without the effect of pileup of detected pulses. The performance of the DSPS as a neutron detector, which supersedes the SND, is demonstrated.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choong, W. -S.; Abu-Nimeh, F.; Moses, W. W.

Here, we present a 16-channel front-end readout board for the OpenPET electronics system. A major task in developing a nuclear medical imaging system, such as a positron emission computed tomograph (PET) or a single-photon emission computed tomograph (SPECT), is the electronics system. While there are a wide variety of detector and camera design concepts, the relatively simple nature of the acquired data allows for a common set of electronics requirements that can be met by a flexible, scalable, and high-performance OpenPET electronics system. The analog signals from the different types of detectors used in medical imaging share similar characteristics, whichmore » allows for a common analog signal processing. The OpenPET electronics processes the analog signals with Detector Boards. Here we report on the development of a 16-channel Detector Board. Each signal is digitized by a continuously sampled analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which is processed by a field programmable gate array (FPGA) to extract pulse height information. A leading edge discriminator creates a timing edge that is "time stamped" by a time-to-digital converter (TDC) implemented inside the FPGA. In conclusion, this digital information from each channel is sent to an FPGA that services 16 analog channels, and then information from multiple channels is processed by this FPGA to perform logic for crystal lookup, DOI calculation, calibration, etc.« less

Design of a delay-locked-loop-based time-to-digital converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhaoxin, Ma; Xuefei, Bai; Lu, Huang

2013-09-01

A time-to-digital converter (TDC) based on a reset-free and anti-harmonic delay-locked loop (DLL) circuit for wireless positioning systems is discussed and described. The DLL that generates 32-phase clocks and a cycle period detector is employed to avoid “false locking". Driven by multiphase clocks, an encoder detects pulses and outputs the phase of the clock when the pulse arrives. The proposed TDC was implemented in SMIC 0.18 μm CMOS technology, and its core area occupies 0.7 × 0.55 mm2. The reference frequency ranges from 20 to 150 MHz. An LSB resolution of 521 ps can be achieved by using a reference clock of 60 MHz and the DNL is less than ±0.75 LSB. It dissipates 31.5 mW at 1.8 V supply voltage.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lombigit, L., E-mail: lojius@nm.gov.my; Yussup, N., E-mail: nolida@nm.gov.my; Ibrahim, Maslina Mohd

A digital n/γ pulse shape discrimination (PSD) system is currently under development at Instrumentation and Automation Centre, Malaysian Nuclear Agency. This system aims at simultaneous detection of fast neutron and gamma ray in mixed radiations environment. This work reports the system characterization performed on the liquid scintillation detector (BC-501A) and digital pulse shape discrimination (DPSD) system. The characterization involves measurement of electron light output from the BC-501A detector and energy channels calibration of the pulse height spectra acquired with DPSD system using set of photon reference sources. The main goal of this experiment is to calibrate the ADC channel ofmore » our DPSD system, characterized the BC-501 detector and find the position of Compton edge which later could be used as threshold for the n/γ PSD experiment. The detector resolution however is worse as compared to other published data but it is expected as our detector has a smaller active volume.« less

Radiation Tolerant, Low Noise Phase Locked Loops in 65 nm CMOS Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prinzie, Jeffrey; Christiansen, Jorgen; Moreira, Paulo; Steyaert, Michiel; Leroux, Paul

2018-04-01

This work presents an introduction to radiation hardened Phase Locked Loops (PLLs) for nuclear and high-energy physics application. An experimental circuit has been fabricated and irradiated with Xrays up to 600 Mrad. Heavy ions with an LET between 3.2 and 69.2 MeV.cm2/mg were used to verify the SEU cross section of the devices. A Two-photon Absorption (TPA) laser facility has been used to provide detailed results on the SEU sensitivity. The presented circuit employs TMR in the digital logic and an asynchronous phase-frequency detector (PFD) is presented. The PLL has a ringand LC-oscillator to be compared experimentally. The circuit has been fabricated in a 65 nm CMOS technology.

Self-tuning digital Mössbauer detection system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veiga, A.; Grunfeld, C. M.; Pasquevich, G. A.; Mendoza Zélis, P.; Martínez, N.; Sánchez, F. H.

2014-01-01

Long term gamma spectroscopy experiments involving single-channel analyzer equipment depend upon thermal stability of the detector and its associated high-voltage supply. Assuming constant discrimination levels, a drift in the detector gain impacts the output rate, producing an effect on the output spectrum. In some cases (e.g. single-energy resonant absorption experiments) data of interest can be completely lost. We present a digital self-adapting discrimination strategy that tracks emission line shifts using statistical measurements on a predefined region-of-interest of the spectrum. It is developed in the form of a synthesizable module that can be intercalated in the digital processing chain. It requires a moderate to small amount of digital resources and can be easily activated and deactivated.

Vehicle and cargo container inspection system for drugs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verbinski, Victor V.; Orphan, Victor J.

1999-06-01

A vehicle and cargo container inspection system has been developed which uses gamma-ray radiography to produce digital images useful for detection of drugs and other contraband. The system is comprised of a 1 Ci Cs137 gamma-ray source collimated into a fan beam which is aligned with a linear array of NaI gamma-ray detectors located on the opposite side of the container. The NaI detectors are operated in the pulse-counting mode. A digital image of the vehicle or container is obtained by moving the aligned source and detector array relative to the object. Systems have been demonstrated in which the object is stationary (source and detector array move on parallel tracks) and in which the object moves past a stationary source and detector array. Scanning speeds of ˜30 cm/s with a pixel size (at the object) of ˜1 cm have been achieved. Faster scanning speeds of ˜2 m/s have been demonstrated on railcars with more modest spatial resolution (4 cm pixels). Digital radiographic images are generated from the detector count rates. These images, recorded on a PC-based data acquisition and display system, are shown from several applications: 1) inspection of trucks and containers at a border crossing, 2) inspection of railcars at a border crossing, 3) inspection of outbound cargo containers for stolen automobiles, and 4) inspection of trucks and cars for terrorist bombs.

Your Higgs number - how fundamental physics is connected to technology and societal revolutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lidström, Suzy; Allen, Roland E.

2015-03-01

Fundamental physics, as exemplified by the recently discovered Higgs boson, often appears to be completely disconnected from practical applications and ordinary human life. But this is not really the case, because science, technology, and human affairs are profoundly integrated in ways that are not immediately obvious. We illustrate this by defining a ``Higgs number'' through overlapping activities. Following three different paths, which end respectively in applications of the World Wide Web, digital photography, and modern electronic devices, we find that most people have a Higgs number of no greater than 3. Specific examples chosen for illustration, with their assigned Higgs numbers, are: LHC experimentalists employing the Worldwide Computing Grid (0) - Timothy Berners-Lee (1) - Marissa Mayer, of Google and Yahoo, and Sheryl Sandberg, of Facebook (2) - users of all web-based enterprises (3). CMS and ATLAS experimentalists (0) - particle detector developers (1) - inventors of CCDs and active-pixel sensors (2) - users of digital cameras and camcorders (3). Philip Anderson (0) - John Bardeen (1) - Jack Kilby (2) - users of personal computers, mobile phones, and all other modern electronic devices (3).

Micro and Nano Electromechanical Systems for Near-Zero Power Infrared Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Zhenyun

Light is one of the most important tools for human beings to probe and sense the physical world. Infrared (IR) radiation located in longer wavelengths than those of visible light carries rich information of an environment as it reveals the temperature distribution and chemical composition of objects. In addition, it has been utilized for communication and distance measurement owing to the atmospheric window and insensitiveness of human eyes to the IR radiation. As a result, IR detectors nowadays can be found in a wide variety of applications, including thermal imaging, automotive night vision, standoff chemical detection, remote control and laser ranging, just to mention a few. On the other hand, due to the recent fast development of the Internet of Things (IoT), there is a growing demand for miniaturized and power efficient unattended sensors that can be widely distributed in large volumes to form a wireless sensor networks capable of monitoring the environment with high accuracy and long lifetime. In this context, micro and nano electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) may provide a huge impact, since they can be used for the implementation of miniaturized, low power, high-performance sensors and wireless communication devices fully compatible with standard integrated circuitry. This dissertation presents the design and the experimental verification of high performance uncooled IR detectors based on Aluminum Nitride (AlN) nano electromechanical resonators, and a first-of-its-kind near-zero power IR digitizer based on plasmonically-enhanced micromechanical photoswitches. The unique advantages of the piezoelectric AlN thin film in terms of scaling in thickness and transduction efficiency are exploited by the first experimental demonstration of ultra-fast (thermal time constant, tau ˜ 80 mus) and high resolution (noise equivalent power, NEP ˜ 656 pW/Hz1/2) AlN NEMS resonant IR detectors with reduced pixel size comparable to the state-of-the-art microbolometers. Furthermore, the spectral selectivity of the proposed IR detector technology is investigated and demonstrated by the seamless integration of ultra-thin plasmonic absorbers. The first prototypes show strong absorption (> 92%) in mid-wavelength infrared range with a narrow bandwidth (full width at half maximum, FWHM < 17%), resulting in the demonstration of high resolution (NEP ˜ 130 pW/Hz1/2) narrowband infrared detectors suitable for IR spectroscopy and multispectral imaging system. The second part of the dissertation is focused on the discussion and development of a new class of IR wake-up sensors that can remain dormant, with near-zero power consumption, until awoken by an external signal of interest. The proposed near-zero power IR digitizer combines sensing, signal processing and comparator functionalities into a single passive microelectromechanical system capable of producing a digitized output bit in the presence of the unique infrared spectral signature associated to an event of interest. The prototypes reported in this dissertation are capable of producing a digitized output bit (i.e. a large and sharp OFF-to-ON state transition with ON/OFF conductance ratio > 1012 and subthreshold slope > 9 dec/nW) when exposed to IR radiation in a specific narrow spectral band (˜ 900 nm bandwidth in the mid-IR) with intensity above a power threshold of only ˜ 500 nW, which is not achievable with any existing photoswitch technologies. The two IR sensing elements presented here set a stepping stone towards the development of highly sensitive and persistent IR sensor nodes that required for the future event-driven wireless sensor networks.

Technology of silicon charged-particle detectors developed at the Institute of Electron Technology (ITE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wegrzecka, Iwona; Panas, Andrzej; Bar, Jan; Budzyński, Tadeusz; Grabiec, Piotr; Kozłowski, Roman; Sarnecki, Jerzy; Słysz, Wojciech; Szmigiel, Dariusz; Wegrzecki, Maciej; Zaborowski, Michał

2013-07-01

The paper discusses the technology of silicon charged-particle detectors developed at the Institute of Electron Technology (ITE). The developed technology enables the fabrication of both planar and epiplanar p+-ν-n+ detector structures with an active area of up to 50 cm2. The starting material for epiplanar structures are silicon wafers with a high-resistivity n-type epitaxial layer ( ν layer - ρ < 3 kΩcm) deposited on a highly doped n+-type substrate (ρ< 0,02Ωcm) developed and fabricated at the Institute of Electronic Materials Technology. Active layer thickness of the epiplanar detectors (νlayer) may range from 10 μm to 150 μm. Imported silicon with min. 5 kΩcm resistivity is used to fabricate planar detectors. Active layer thickness of the planar detectors (ν) layer) may range from 200 μm to 1 mm. This technology enables the fabrication of both discrete and multi-junction detectors (monolithic detector arrays), such as single-sided strip detectors (epiplanar and planar) and double-sided strip detectors (planar). Examples of process diagrams for fabrication of the epiplanar and planar detectors are presented in the paper, and selected technological processes are discussed.

Evaluation of detector dynamic range in the x-ray exposure domain in mammography: a comparison between film-screen and flat panel detector systems.

PubMed

Cooper, Virgil N; Oshiro, Thomas; Cagnon, Christopher H; Bassett, Lawrence W; McLeod-Stockmann, Tyler M; Bezrukiy, Nikita V

2003-10-01

Digital detectors in mammography have wide dynamic range in addition to the benefit of decoupled acquisition and display. How wide the dynamic range is and how it compares to film-screen systems in the clinical x-ray exposure domain are unclear. In this work, we compare the effective dynamic ranges of film-screen and flat panel mammography systems, along with the dynamic ranges of their component image receptors in the clinical x-ray exposure domain. An ACR mammography phantom was imaged using variable mAs (exposure) values for both systems. The dynamic range of the contrast-limited film-screen system was defined as that ratio of mAs (exposure) values for a 26 kVp Mo/Mo (HVL=0.34 mm Al) beam that yielded passing phantom scores. The same approach was done for the noise-limited digital system. Data from three independent observers delineated a useful phantom background optical density range of 1.27 to 2.63, which corresponded to a dynamic range of 2.3 +/- 0.53. The digital system had a dynamic range of 9.9 +/- 1.8, which was wider than the film-screen system (p<0.02). The dynamic range of the film-screen system was limited by the dynamic range of the film. The digital detector, on the other hand, had an estimated dynamic range of 42, which was wider than the dynamic range of the digital system in its entirety by a factor of 4. The generator/tube combination was the limiting factor in determining the digital system's dynamic range.

Type II superlattice technology for LWIR detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klipstein, P. C.; Avnon, E.; Azulai, D.; Benny, Y.; Fraenkel, R.; Glozman, A.; Hojman, E.; Klin, O.; Krasovitsky, L.; Langof, L.; Lukomsky, I.; Nitzani, M.; Shtrichman, I.; Rappaport, N.; Snapi, N.; Weiss, E.; Tuito, A.

2016-05-01

SCD has developed a range of advanced infrared detectors based on III-V semiconductor heterostructures grown on GaSb. The XBn/XBp family of barrier detectors enables diffusion limited dark currents, comparable with MCT Rule-07, and high quantum efficiencies. This work describes some of the technical challenges that were overcome, and the ultimate performance that was finally achieved, for SCD's new 15 μm pitch "Pelican-D LW" type II superlattice (T2SL) XBp array detector. This detector is the first of SCD's line of high performance two dimensional arrays working in the LWIR spectral range, and was designed with a ~9.3 micron cut-off wavelength and a format of 640 x 512 pixels. It contains InAs/GaSb and InAs/AlSb T2SLs, engineered using k • p modeling of the energy bands and photo-response. The wafers are grown by molecular beam epitaxy and are fabricated into Focal Plane Array (FPA) detectors using standard FPA processes, including wet and dry etching, indium bump hybridization, under-fill, and back-side polishing. The FPA has a quantum efficiency of nearly 50%, and operates at 77 K and F/2.7 with background limited performance. The pixel operability of the FPA is above 99% and it exhibits a stable residual non uniformity (RNU) of better than 0.04% of the dynamic range. The FPA uses a new digital read-out integrated circuit (ROIC), and the complete detector closely follows the interfaces of SCD's MWIR Pelican-D detector. The Pelican- D LW detector is now in the final stages of qualification and transfer to production, with first prototypes already integrated into new electro-optical systems.

A high-throughput, multi-channel photon-counting detector with picosecond timing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapington, J. S.; Fraser, G. W.; Miller, G. M.; Ashton, T. J. R.; Jarron, P.; Despeisse, M.; Powolny, F.; Howorth, J.; Milnes, J.

2009-06-01

High-throughput photon counting with high time resolution is a niche application area where vacuum tubes can still outperform solid-state devices. Applications in the life sciences utilizing time-resolved spectroscopies, particularly in the growing field of proteomics, will benefit greatly from performance enhancements in event timing and detector throughput. The HiContent project is a collaboration between the University of Leicester Space Research Centre, the Microelectronics Group at CERN, Photek Ltd., and end-users at the Gray Cancer Institute and the University of Manchester. The goal is to develop a detector system specifically designed for optical proteomics, capable of high content (multi-parametric) analysis at high throughput. The HiContent detector system is being developed to exploit this niche market. It combines multi-channel, high time resolution photon counting in a single miniaturized detector system with integrated electronics. The combination of enabling technologies; small pore microchannel plate devices with very high time resolution, and high-speed multi-channel ASIC electronics developed for the LHC at CERN, provides the necessary building blocks for a high-throughput detector system with up to 1024 parallel counting channels and 20 ps time resolution. We describe the detector and electronic design, discuss the current status of the HiContent project and present the results from a 64-channel prototype system. In the absence of an operational detector, we present measurements of the electronics performance using a pulse generator to simulate detector events. Event timing results from the NINO high-speed front-end ASIC captured using a fast digital oscilloscope are compared with data taken with the proposed electronic configuration which uses the multi-channel HPTDC timing ASIC.

Time correlated measurements using plastic scintillators with neutron-photon pulse shape discrimination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, Norman E., IV

Since the beginning of the nuclear age, there has been a strong demand for the development of efficient technologies for the detection of ionizing radiation. According to the United States' Department of Energy, the accurate assessment of fissile materials is essential in achieving the nonproliferation goals of enhancing safety and security of nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear energy facilities. Nuclear materials can be characterized by the measurement of prompt and delayed neutrons and gamma rays emitted in spontaneous or induced fission reactions and neutrons emitted in fission reactions are the distinctive signatures of nuclear materials. Today, the most widely used neutron detection technologies rely on thermal neutron capture reactions using a moderating material to cause the neutron to lose its energy prior to the detection event. This is necessary because as the fission event occurs, neutrons are emitted carrying high amounts of energy, typically on the order of mega electron volts (MeV). These energetic particles are classified as "fast" neutrons. For detecting the thermal neutrons, the Helium-3 (3He) gas-filled counters are arguably the most widely used technology of neutron detection. 3He counters have been the scientific standard for the nuclear engineering community for several decades, and have earned their place as a reliable technique for the detection of neutrons. However, 3He gas-filled counters have several disadvantages. First, gas-filled counters are not rigid and are sensitive to vibrations. Secondly, gas-filled counters are prone to the count rate limitations due to the physical processes of charge multiplication and transport in the gas medium in the electric field. Lastly, 3He gas-filled counters suffer from a supply shortage of the 3He isotope. As it is stated in [3], this shortage is created by the new demand for Helium-3 due to the deployment of neutron detectors at the borders after the 9/11 attack to help secure the nation against smuggled nuclear and radiological material. Moreover, the production of 3He isotope as a byproduct of security programs was drastically decreased. This isotope shortage coupled with the disadvantages of relying on a detector that requires neutron moderation before the detection of fission neutrons, poses a significant challenge in supporting the existing detection systems and the development of future technologies. To address this problem, a reliable and accurate alternative technology to detect neutrons emitted in fissions must be developed. One such alternative technology that shows promise in this application is the use of scintillators based on solid state materials (plastics) which are sensitive to fast neutrons. However, plastic scintillators are also sensitive to photons. Hence, it is necessary to separate the neutron signals from the photon signals, using the pulse shape discrimination (PSD) analysis. The PSD is based on the comparison of the pulse shapes of digitized signal waveforms. This approach allows for the measurement of fast neutrons without the necessity of their moderation. Because the fission spectrum neutrons are mainly fast, methods employing fast neutron detection are applicable for the assay of fissile materials. In addition, the average time of scintillation of the plastic medium is much shorter than those of the gaseous counters, thus allowing scintillation detectors to be used in high count rate environments. Furthermore, the temporal information of the fast neutron detection using multiple sensors enables the time correlation analysis of the fission neutron multiplicity. The study of time correlation measurements of fast neutrons using the array of plastic scintillators is the basis of this work. The array of four plastic scintillator detectors equipped with the digital data acquisition and analysis system was developed. The digital PSD analysis of detector signals "on-the-fly" was implemented for the array. The time coincidence measurement technique using the list mode was employed for two detectors operating on the single time scale. This was necessary as no fission source was available to be used as a fast neutron multiplicity source. The detection technology was tested using isotopic photon sources and a plutonium-beryllium neutron source. It was shown that the system can be effectively used for fast-neutron multiplicity measurements, through a "proof-of-concept" model, enabling a shorter width of the time coincidence window compared to the 3He counters. This result opens prospects to reduce the false coincidence rates in the neutron multiplicity measurements, thus increasing the sensitivity of nuclear material detection.

Digital mammography: physical principles and future applications.

PubMed

Gambaccini, Mauro; Baldelli, Paola

2003-01-01

Mammography is currently considered the best tool for the detection of breast cancer, pathology with a rate of incidence in constant increase. To produce the radiological picture a screen film combination is conventionally used. One of the inherent limitations of screen- film combination is the fact that the detection, display and storage processes are one and the same, making it impossible to separately optimize each stage. These limitations can be overcome with digital systems. In this work we evaluate the main characteristics of digital detectors available on the market and we compare the performance of digital and conventional systems. Digital mammography, due to the possibility to process images, offers many potential advantages, among these the possibility to introduce the dual-energy technique which employs the composition of two digital images obtained with two different energies to enhance the inherent contrast of pathologies by removing the uniform background. This technique was previously tested by using synchrotron monochromatic beam and a digital detector, and then the Senographe 2000D full-field digital system manufactured by GE Medical Systems. In this work we present preliminary results and the future applications of this technique.

Method for measuring the focal spot size of an x-ray tube using a coded aperture mask and a digital detector.

PubMed

Russo, Paolo; Mettivier, Giovanni

2011-04-01

The goal of this study is to evaluate a new method based on a coded aperture mask combined with a digital x-ray imaging detector for measurements of the focal spot sizes of diagnostic x-ray tubes. Common techniques for focal spot size measurements employ a pinhole camera, a slit camera, or a star resolution pattern. The coded aperture mask is a radiation collimator consisting of a large number of apertures disposed on a predetermined grid in an array, through which the radiation source is imaged onto a digital x-ray detector. The method of the coded mask camera allows one to obtain a one-shot accurate and direct measurement of the two dimensions of the focal spot (like that for a pinhole camera) but at a low tube loading (like that for a slit camera). A large number of small apertures in the coded mask operate as a "multipinhole" with greater efficiency than a single pinhole, but keeping the resolution of a single pinhole. X-ray images result from the multiplexed output on the detector image plane of such a multiple aperture array, and the image of the source is digitally reconstructed with a deconvolution algorithm. Images of the focal spot of a laboratory x-ray tube (W anode: 35-80 kVp; focal spot size of 0.04 mm) were acquired at different geometrical magnifications with two different types of digital detector (a photon counting hybrid silicon pixel detector with 0.055 mm pitch and a flat panel CMOS digital detector with 0.05 mm pitch) using a high resolution coded mask (type no-two-holes-touching modified uniformly redundant array) with 480 0.07 mm apertures, designed for imaging at energies below 35 keV. Measurements with a slit camera were performed for comparison. A test with a pinhole camera and with the coded mask on a computed radiography mammography unit with 0.3 mm focal spot was also carried out. The full width at half maximum focal spot sizes were obtained from the line profiles of the decoded images, showing a focal spot of 0.120 mm x 0.105 mm at 35 kVp and M = 6.1, with a detector entrance exposure as low as 1.82 mR (0.125 mA s tube load). The slit camera indicated a focal spot of 0.112 mm x 0.104 mm at 35 kVp and M = 3.15, with an exposure at the detector of 72 mR. Focal spot measurements with the coded mask could be performed up to 80 kVp. Tolerance to angular misalignment with the reference beam up to 7 degrees in in-plane rotations and 1 degrees deg in out-of-plane rotations was observed. The axial distance of the focal spot from the coded mask could also be determined. It is possible to determine the beam intensity via measurement of the intensity of the decoded image of the focal spot and via a calibration procedure. Coded aperture masks coupled to a digital area detector produce precise determinations of the focal spot of an x-ray tube with reduced tube loading and measurement time, coupled to a large tolerance in the alignment of the mask.

Analytical approximations to the Hotelling trace for digital x-ray detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarkson, Eric; Pineda, Angel R.; Barrett, Harrison H.

2001-06-01

The Hotelling trace is the signal-to-noise ratio for the ideal linear observer in a detection task. We provide an analytical approximation for this figure of merit when the signal is known exactly and the background is generated by a stationary random process, and the imaging system is an ideal digital x-ray detector. This approximation is based on assuming that the detector is infinite in extent. We test this approximation for finite-size detectors by comparing it to exact calculations using matrix inversion of the data covariance matrix. After verifying the validity of the approximation under a variety of circumstances, we use it to generate plots of the Hotelling trace as a function of pairs of parameters of the system, the signal and the background.

Calibration of gamma-ray detectors using Gaussian photopeak fitting in the multichannel spectra with a LabVIEW-based digital system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlattauer, Leo; Parali, Levent; Pechousek, Jiri; Sabikoglu, Israfil; Celiktas, Cuneyt; Tektas, Gozde; Novak, Petr; Jancar, Ales; Prochazka, Vit

2017-09-01

This paper reports on the development of a gamma-ray spectroscopic system for the (i) recording and (ii) processing of spectra. The utilized data read-out unit consists of a PCI digital oscilloscope, personal computer and LabVIEW™ programming environment. A pulse-height spectra of various sources were recorded with two NaI(Tl) detectors and analyzed, demonstrating the proper usage of the detectors. A multichannel analyzer implements the Gaussian photopeak fitting. The presented method provides results which are in compliance to the ones taken from commercial spectroscopy systems. Each individual hardware or software unit can be further utilized in different spectrometric user-systems. An application of the developed system for research and teaching purposes regarding the design of digital spectrometric systems has been successfully tested at the laboratories of the Department of Experimental Physics.

A synchronization technique for the on-board master clock of a regenerative TDMA satellite communications system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pattini, F.; Porzio Giusto, P.

The design criteria and performance of the master clock (MCK) generator and the unique word (UW) detector are examined. A narrow band phase lock loop is used for the onboard MCK generator and it is implemented with an all-digital scheme that employs a D-type flip flop as the phase detector. The performance of the MCK generator is analyzed with a computer program which considers phase offset of the digital phase comparator. The characteristics and capabilities of the UW detector which provides strobe signals for the MCK generator and synchronization signals for the onboard switching matrix are described.

Design and performance of the readout electronics chain of the Delphi Forward Ring Imaging Cherenkov Detector

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dam, P.; Nielsen, B.S.; Formenti, F.

1992-10-01

In this paper the Front End Readout electronics chain of the Forward Ring Imaging CHerenkov (FRICH) Detector used at the Delphi experiment of the Large Electron Positron (LEP) collider is presented. The system incorporates a wide band low noise preamplifier, mounted in the proximity of the MultiWire Proportional Chamber, an Amplifying-Discriminating-Multiple-xing FASTBUS unit for further signal amplification, discrimination and channel reduction and a LEP Time Digitizer FASTBUS unit for time digitization. The paper gives a general view of the detector and its electronics with particular emphasis on the novel characteristics and capabilities of the system.

Development of an ultra-compact mid-infrared attenuated total reflectance spectrophotometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Dong Soo; Lee, Tae-Ro; Yoon, Gilwon

2014-07-01

Mid-infrared spectroscopy has been an important tool widely used for qualitative analysis in various fields. However, portable or personal use is size and cost prohibitive for either Fourier transform infrared or attenuated total reflectance (ATR) spectrophotometers. In this study, we developed an ultra-compact ATR spectrophotometer whose frequency band was 5.5-11.0 μm. We used miniature components, such as a light source fabricated by semiconductor technology, a linear variable filter, and a pyro-electric array detector. There were no moving parts. Optimal design based on two light sources, a zippered configuration of the array detector and ATR optics could produce absorption spectra that might be used for qualitative analysis. A microprocessor synchronized the pulsed light sources and detector, and all the signals were processed digitally. The size was 13.5×8.5×3.5 cm3 and the weight was 300 grams. Due to its low cost, our spectrophotometer can replace many online monitoring devices. Another application could be for a u-healthcare system installed in the bathroom or attached to a smartphone for monitoring substances in body fluids.

Status of the KLOE-2 Inner Tracker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Lucia, Erika

2018-01-01

KLOE-2 at the DAΦNE Φ-factory is the main experiment of the INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati (LNF) and is the first high-energy experiment using the GEM technology with a cylindrical geometry, a novel idea developed at LNF. Four concentric cylindrical triple-GEM detectors compose the Inner Tracker, inserted around the interaction region and before the inner wall of the pre-existing KLOE Drift Chamber to improve the resolution on decay vertices close to the interaction point. State-of-the-art solutions have been expressly developed or tuned for this project: single-mask GEM etching, multi-layer XV patterned readout, PEEK spacer grid, GASTONE front-end board, a custom 64-channel ASIC with digital output, and the Global Interface Board for data collection, with a configurable FPGA architecture and Gigabit Ethernet. Alignment and calibration of a cylindrical GEM detector was never done before and represents one of the challenging activities of the experiment. The Inner Tracker detector construction, operation, calibration and performance obtained with cosmic-ray muons and Bhabha scattering events will be reported.

Status of the KM3NeT project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margiotta, A.

2014-04-01

KM3NeT is a deep-sea research infrastructure being constructed in the Mediterranean Sea. It will be installed at three sites: KM3NeT-Fr, offshore Toulon, France, KM3NeT-It, offshore Portopalo di Capo Passero, Sicily (Italy) and KM3NeT-Gr, offshore Pylos, Peloponnese, Greece. It will host the next generation Cherenkov neutrino telescope and nodes for a deep sea multidisciplinary observatory, providing oceanographers, marine biologists, and geophysicists with real time measurements. The neutrino telescope will search for Galactic and extra-Galactic sources of neutrinos, complementing IceCube in its field of view. The detector will have a modular structure and consists of six building blocks, each including about one hundred Detection Units (DUs). Each DU will be equipped with 18 multi-PMT digital optical modules. The first phase of construction has started and shore and deep-sea infrastructures hosting the future KM3NeT detector are being prepared in France near Toulon and in Italy, near Capo Passero in Sicily. The technological solutions for KM3NeT and the expected performance of the detector are presented and discussed.

Investigation of the Effect of Temperature and Light Emission from Silicon Photomultiplier Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz Castruita, Daniel; Ramos, Daniel; Hernandez, Victor; Niduaza, Rommel; Konx, Adrian; Fan, Sewan; Fatuzzo, Laura; Ritt, Stefan

2015-04-01

The silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) is an extremely sensitive light detector capable of measuring very dim light and operates as a photon-number resolving detector. Its high gain comes from operating at slightly above the breakdown voltage, which is also accompanied by a high dark count rate. At this conference poster session we describe our investigation of using SiPMs, the multipixel photon counters (MPPC) from Hamamatsu, as readout detectors for development in a cosmic ray scintillating detector array. Our research includes implementation of a novel design that automatically adjusts for the bias voltage to the MPPC detectors to compensate for changes in the ambient temperature. Furthermore, we describe our investigations for the MPPC detector characteristics at different bias voltages, temperatures and light emission properties. To measure the faint light emitted from the MPPC we use a photomultiplier tube capable of detecting single photons. Our data acquisition setup consists of a 5 Giga sample/second waveform digitizer, the DRS4, triggered to capture the MPPC detector waveforms. Analysis of the digitized waveforms, using the CERN package PAW, would be discussed and presented. US Department of Education Title V Grant PO31S090007.

Digital authentication with copy-detection patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picard, Justin

2004-06-01

Technologies for making high-quality copies of documents are getting more available, cheaper, and more efficient. As a result, the counterfeiting business engenders huge losses, ranging to 5% to 8% of worldwide sales of brand products, and endangers the reputation and value of the brands themselves. Moreover, the growth of the Internet drives the business of counterfeited documents (fake IDs, university diplomas, checks, and so on), which can be bought easily and anonymously from hundreds of companies on the Web. The incredible progress of digital imaging equipment has put in question the very possibility of verifying the authenticity of documents: how can we discern genuine documents from seemingly "perfect" copies? This paper proposes a solution based on creating digital images with specific properties, called a Copy-detection patterns (CDP), that is printed on arbitrary documents, packages, etc. CDPs make an optimal use of an "information loss principle": every time an imae is printed or scanned, some information is lost about the original digital image. That principle applies even for the highest quality scanning, digital imaging, printing or photocopying equipment today, and will likely remain true for tomorrow. By measuring the amount of information contained in a scanned CDP, the CDP detector can take a decision on the authenticity of the document.

A CCD experimental platform for large telescope in Antarctica based on FPGA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yuhua; Qi, Yongjun

2014-07-01

The CCD , as a detector , is one of the important components of astronomical telescopes. For a large telescope in Antarctica, a set of CCD detector system with large size, high sensitivity and low noise is indispensable. Because of the extremely low temperatures and unattended, system maintenance and software and hardware upgrade become hard problems. This paper introduces a general CCD controller experiment platform, using Field programmable gate array FPGA, which is, in fact, a large-scale field reconfigurable array. Taking the advantage of convenience to modify the system, construction of driving circuit, digital signal processing module, network communication interface, control algorithm validation, and remote reconfigurable module may realize. With the concept of integrated hardware and software, the paper discusses the key technology of building scientific CCD system suitable for the special work environment in Antarctica, focusing on the method of remote reconfiguration for controller via network and then offering a feasible hardware and software solution.

The CAOS camera platform: ushering in a paradigm change in extreme dynamic range imager design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riza, Nabeel A.

2017-02-01

Multi-pixel imaging devices such as CCD, CMOS and Focal Plane Array (FPA) photo-sensors dominate the imaging world. These Photo-Detector Array (PDA) devices certainly have their merits including increasingly high pixel counts and shrinking pixel sizes, nevertheless, they are also being hampered by limitations in instantaneous dynamic range, inter-pixel crosstalk, quantum full well capacity, signal-to-noise ratio, sensitivity, spectral flexibility, and in some cases, imager response time. Recently invented is the Coded Access Optical Sensor (CAOS) Camera platform that works in unison with current Photo-Detector Array (PDA) technology to counter fundamental limitations of PDA-based imagers while providing high enough imaging spatial resolution and pixel counts. Using for example the Texas Instruments (TI) Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) to engineer the CAOS camera platform, ushered in is a paradigm change in advanced imager design, particularly for extreme dynamic range applications.

X-ray characterization of a multichannel smart-pixel array detector.

PubMed

Ross, Steve; Haji-Sheikh, Michael; Huntington, Andrew; Kline, David; Lee, Adam; Li, Yuelin; Rhee, Jehyuk; Tarpley, Mary; Walko, Donald A; Westberg, Gregg; Williams, George; Zou, Haifeng; Landahl, Eric

2016-01-01

The Voxtel VX-798 is a prototype X-ray pixel array detector (PAD) featuring a silicon sensor photodiode array of 48 × 48 pixels, each 130 µm × 130 µm × 520 µm thick, coupled to a CMOS readout application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The first synchrotron X-ray characterization of this detector is presented, and its ability to selectively count individual X-rays within two independent arrival time windows, a programmable energy range, and localized to a single pixel is demonstrated. During our first trial run at Argonne National Laboratory's Advance Photon Source, the detector achieved a 60 ns gating time and 700 eV full width at half-maximum energy resolution in agreement with design parameters. Each pixel of the PAD holds two independent digital counters, and the discriminator for X-ray energy features both an upper and lower threshold to window the energy of interest discarding unwanted background. This smart-pixel technology allows energy and time resolution to be set and optimized in software. It is found that the detector linearity follows an isolated dead-time model, implying that megahertz count rates should be possible in each pixel. Measurement of the line and point spread functions showed negligible spatial blurring. When combined with the timing structure of the synchrotron storage ring, it is demonstrated that the area detector can perform both picosecond time-resolved X-ray diffraction and fluorescence spectroscopy measurements.

Experimental measurement-device-independent quantum digital signatures over a metropolitan network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Hua-Lei; Wang, Wei-Long; Tang, Yan-Lin; Zhao, Qi; Liu, Hui; Sun, Xiang-Xiang; Zhang, Wei-Jun; Li, Hao; Puthoor, Ittoop Vergheese; You, Li-Xing; Andersson, Erika; Wang, Zhen; Liu, Yang; Jiang, Xiao; Ma, Xiongfeng; Zhang, Qiang; Curty, Marcos; Chen, Teng-Yun; Pan, Jian-Wei

2017-04-01

Quantum digital signatures (QDSs) provide a means for signing electronic communications with information-theoretic security. However, all previous demonstrations of quantum digital signatures assume trusted measurement devices. This renders them vulnerable against detector side-channel attacks, just like quantum key distribution. Here we exploit a measurement-device-independent (MDI) quantum network, over a metropolitan area, to perform a field test of a three-party MDI QDS scheme that is secure against any detector side-channel attack. In so doing, we are able to successfully sign a binary message with a security level of about 10-7. Remarkably, our work demonstrates the feasibility of MDI QDSs for practical applications.

Gamma ray spectroscopy employing divalent europium-doped alkaline earth halides and digital readout for accurate histogramming

DOEpatents

Cherepy, Nerine Jane; Payne, Stephen Anthony; Drury, Owen B; Sturm, Benjamin W

2014-11-11

A scintillator radiation detector system according to one embodiment includes a scintillator; and a processing device for processing pulse traces corresponding to light pulses from the scintillator, wherein pulse digitization is used to improve energy resolution of the system. A scintillator radiation detector system according to another embodiment includes a processing device for fitting digitized scintillation waveforms to an algorithm based on identifying rise and decay times and performing a direct integration of fit parameters. A method according to yet another embodiment includes processing pulse traces corresponding to light pulses from a scintillator, wherein pulse digitization is used to improve energy resolution of the system. A method in a further embodiment includes fitting digitized scintillation waveforms to an algorithm based on identifying rise and decay times; and performing a direct integration of fit parameters. Additional systems and methods are also presented.

Digital dental radiology in Belgium: a nationwide survey.

PubMed

Snel, Robin; Van De Maele, Ellen; Politis, Constantinus; Jacobs, Reinhilde

2018-06-27

The aim of this study is to analyse the use of digital dental radiology in Belgium, by focussing on the use of extraoral and intraoral radiographic techniques, digitalisation and image communication. A nationwide survey has been performed amongst Belgian general dentists and dental specialists. Questionnaires were distributed digitally via mailings lists and manually on multiple refresher courses and congresses throughout the country. The overall response rate was 30%. Overall, 94% of the respondents had access to an intraoral radiographic unit, 76% had access to a panoramic unit, 21% has an attached cephalometric arm. One in five Belgian dentists also seem to have direct access to a cone beam CT. 90% of all intraoral radiography unit worked with digital detectors, while this was 91% for panoramic units (with or without cephalometrics). In 70% of the cases, general dental practitioners with a digital intraoral unit used a storage phosphor plate while in 30% of the cases they used sensor technology (charge-coupled device or complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor). The most common method for professional image transfer appeared to be email. Finally, 16% of all respondents used a calibrated monitor for image analysis. The survey indicates that 90% of the respondents, Belgian dentists, make use of digital image techniques. For sharing images, general dental practitioners mainly use methods such as printout and e-mail. The usage of calibrated monitors, however, is not well established yet.

Using convolutional neural networks to estimate time-of-flight from PET detector waveforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berg, Eric; Cherry, Simon R.

2018-01-01

Although there have been impressive strides in detector development for time-of-flight positron emission tomography, most detectors still make use of simple signal processing methods to extract the time-of-flight information from the detector signals. In most cases, the timing pick-off for each waveform is computed using leading edge discrimination or constant fraction discrimination, as these were historically easily implemented with analog pulse processing electronics. However, now with the availability of fast waveform digitizers, there is opportunity to make use of more of the timing information contained in the coincident detector waveforms with advanced signal processing techniques. Here we describe the application of deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs), a type of machine learning, to estimate time-of-flight directly from the pair of digitized detector waveforms for a coincident event. One of the key features of this approach is the simplicity in obtaining ground-truth-labeled data needed to train the CNN: the true time-of-flight is determined from the difference in path length between the positron emission and each of the coincident detectors, which can be easily controlled experimentally. The experimental setup used here made use of two photomultiplier tube-based scintillation detectors, and a point source, stepped in 5 mm increments over a 15 cm range between the two detectors. The detector waveforms were digitized at 10 GS s-1 using a bench-top oscilloscope. The results shown here demonstrate that CNN-based time-of-flight estimation improves timing resolution by 20% compared to leading edge discrimination (231 ps versus 185 ps), and 23% compared to constant fraction discrimination (242 ps versus 185 ps). By comparing several different CNN architectures, we also showed that CNN depth (number of convolutional and fully connected layers) had the largest impact on timing resolution, while the exact network parameters, such as convolutional filter size and number of feature maps, had only a minor influence.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ross, Steve; Haji-Sheikh, Michael; Huntington, Andrew

The Voxtel VX-798 is a prototype X-ray pixel array detector (PAD) featuring a silicon sensor photodiode array of 48 x 48 pixels, each 130 mu m x 130 mu m x 520 mu m thick, coupled to a CMOS readout application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The first synchrotron X-ray characterization of this detector is presented, and its ability to selectively count individual X-rays within two independent arrival time windows, a programmable energy range, and localized to a single pixel is demonstrated. During our first trial run at Argonne National Laboratory's Advance Photon Source, the detector achieved a 60 ns gatingmore » time and 700 eV full width at half-maximum energy resolution in agreement with design parameters. Each pixel of the PAD holds two independent digital counters, and the discriminator for X-ray energy features both an upper and lower threshold to window the energy of interest discarding unwanted background. This smart-pixel technology allows energy and time resolution to be set and optimized in software. It is found that the detector linearity follows an isolated dead-time model, implying that megahertz count rates should be possible in each pixel. Measurement of the line and point spread functions showed negligible spatial blurring. When combined with the timing structure of the synchrotron storage ring, it is demonstrated that the area detector can perform both picosecond time-resolved X-ray diffraction and fluorescence spectroscopy measurements.« less

Full-color stereoscopic single-pixel camera based on DMD technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvador-Balaguer, Eva; Clemente, Pere; Tajahuerce, Enrique; Pla, Filiberto; Lancis, Jesús

2017-02-01

Imaging systems based on microstructured illumination and single-pixel detection offer several advantages over conventional imaging techniques. They are an effective method for imaging through scattering media even in the dynamic case. They work efficiently under low light levels, and the simplicity of the detector makes it easy to design imaging systems working out of the visible spectrum and to acquire multidimensional information. In particular, several approaches have been proposed to record 3D information. The technique is based on sampling the object with a sequence of microstructured light patterns codified onto a programmable spatial light modulator while light intensity is measured with a single-pixel detector. The image is retrieved computationally from the photocurrent fluctuations provided by the detector. In this contribution we describe an optical system able to produce full-color stereoscopic images by using few and simple optoelectronic components. In our setup we use an off-the-shelf digital light projector (DLP) based on a digital micromirror device (DMD) to generate the light patterns. To capture the color of the scene we take advantage of the codification procedure used by the DLP for color video projection. To record stereoscopic views we use a 90° beam splitter and two mirrors, allowing us two project the patterns form two different viewpoints. By using a single monochromatic photodiode we obtain a pair of color images that can be used as input in a 3-D display. To reduce the time we need to project the patterns we use a compressive sampling algorithm. Experimental results are shown.

Solid-state Image Sensor with Focal-plane Digital Photon-counting Pixel Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fossum, Eric R.; Pain, Bedabrata

1997-01-01

A solid-state focal-plane imaging system comprises an NxN array of high gain. low-noise unit cells. each unit cell being connected to a different one of photovoltaic detector diodes, one for each unit cell, interspersed in the array for ultra low level image detection and a plurality of digital counters coupled to the outputs of the unit cell by a multiplexer(either a separate counter for each unit cell or a row of N of counters time shared with N rows of digital counters). Each unit cell includes two self-biasing cascode amplifiers in cascade for a high charge-to-voltage conversion gain (greater than 1mV/e(-)) and an electronic switch to reset input capacitance to a reference potential in order to be able to discriminate detection of an incident photon by the photoelectron (e(-))generated in the detector diode at the input of the first cascode amplifier in order to count incident photons individually in a digital counter connected to the output of the second cascade amplifier. Reseting the input capacitance and initiating self-biasing of the amplifiers occurs every clock cycle of an integratng period to enable ultralow light level image detection by the may of photovoltaic detector diodes under such ultralow light level conditions that the photon flux will statistically provide only a single photon at a time incident on anyone detector diode during any clock cycle.

Development of a compact and cost effective multi-input digital signal processing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darvish-Molla, Sahar; Chin, Kenrick; Prestwich, William V.; Byun, Soo Hyun

2018-01-01

A prototype digital signal processing system (DSP) was developed using a microcontroller interfaced with a 12-bit sampling ADC, which offers a considerably inexpensive solution for processing multiple detectors with high throughput. After digitization of the incoming pulses, in order to maximize the output counting rate, a simple algorithm was employed for pulse height analysis. Moreover, an algorithm aiming at the real-time pulse pile-up deconvolution was implemented. The system was tested using a NaI(Tl) detector in comparison with a traditional analogue and commercial digital systems for a variety of count rates. The performance of the prototype system was consistently superior to the analogue and the commercial digital systems up to the input count rate of 61 kcps while was slightly inferior to the commercial digital system but still superior to the analogue system in the higher input rates. Considering overall cost, size and flexibility, this custom made multi-input digital signal processing system (MMI-DSP) was the best reliable choice for the purpose of the 2D microdosimetric data collection, or for any measurement in which simultaneous multi-data collection is required.

Development of a real-time digital radiography system using a scintillator-type flat-panel detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeda, Shigeyuki; Suzuki, Katsumi; Ishikawa, Ken; Okajima, Kenichi

2001-06-01

In order to study the advantage and remaining problems of FPD (flat panel detector) for clinical use by the real-time DR (digital radiography) system, we developed a prototype system using a scintillator type FPD and which was compared with previous I.I.-CCD type real-time DR. We replaced the X- ray detector of DR-2000X from I.I.-4M (4 million pixels)-CCD camera to the scintillator type dynamic FPD(7' X 9', 127 micrometers ), which can take both radiographic and fluoroscopic images. We obtained the images of head and stomach phantoms, and discussed about the image quality with medical doctors.

Optimization of Energy Resolution in the Digital Hadron Calorimeter using Longitudinal Weights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, J. R.; Bilki, B.; Francis, K.; Repond, J.; Schlereth, J.; Xia, L.

2013-04-01

Physics at a future lepton collider requires unprecedented jet energy and dijet mass resolutions. Particle Flow Algorithms (PFAs) have been proposed to achieve these. PFAs measure particles in a jet individually with the detector subsystem providing the best resolution. For this to work a calorimeter system with very high granularity is required. A prototype Digital Hadron Calorimeter (the DHCAL) based on the Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) technology with a record count of readout channels has been developed, constructed, and exposed to particle beams. In this context, we report on a technique to improve the single hadron energy resolution by applying a set of calibration weights to the individual layers of the calorimeter. This weighting procedure was applied to approximately 1 million events in the energy range up to 60 GeV and shows an improvement in the pion energy resolution. Simulated data is used to verify particle identification techniques and to compare with the data.

Comparison of Thermal Detector Arrays for Off-Axis THz Holography and Real-Time THz Imaging

PubMed Central

Hack, Erwin; Valzania, Lorenzo; Gäumann, Gregory; Shalaby, Mostafa; Hauri, Christoph P.; Zolliker, Peter

2016-01-01

In terahertz (THz) materials science, imaging by scanning prevails when low power THz sources are used. However, the application of array detectors operating with high power THz sources is increasingly reported. We compare the imaging properties of four different array detectors that are able to record THz radiation directly. Two micro-bolometer arrays are designed for infrared imaging in the 8–14 μm wavelength range, but are based on different absorber materials (i) vanadium oxide; (ii) amorphous silicon; (iii) a micro-bolometer array optimized for recording THz radiation based on silicon nitride; and (iv) a pyroelectric array detector for THz beam profile measurements. THz wavelengths of 96.5 μm, 118.8 μm, and 393.6 μm from a powerful far infrared laser were used to assess the technical performance in terms of signal to noise ratio, detector response and detectivity. The usefulness of the detectors for beam profiling and digital holography is assessed. Finally, the potential and limitation for real-time digital holography are discussed. PMID:26861341

Comparison of Thermal Detector Arrays for Off-Axis THz Holography and Real-Time THz Imaging.

PubMed

Hack, Erwin; Valzania, Lorenzo; Gäumann, Gregory; Shalaby, Mostafa; Hauri, Christoph P; Zolliker, Peter

2016-02-06

In terahertz (THz) materials science, imaging by scanning prevails when low power THz sources are used. However, the application of array detectors operating with high power THz sources is increasingly reported. We compare the imaging properties of four different array detectors that are able to record THz radiation directly. Two micro-bolometer arrays are designed for infrared imaging in the 8-14 μm wavelength range, but are based on different absorber materials (i) vanadium oxide; (ii) amorphous silicon; (iii) a micro-bolometer array optimized for recording THz radiation based on silicon nitride; and (iv) a pyroelectric array detector for THz beam profile measurements. THz wavelengths of 96.5 μm, 118.8 μm, and 393.6 μm from a powerful far infrared laser were used to assess the technical performance in terms of signal to noise ratio, detector response and detectivity. The usefulness of the detectors for beam profiling and digital holography is assessed. Finally, the potential and limitation for real-time digital holography are discussed.

Examining the Spatial Frequency Components of a Digital Dental Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anastasiou, A.; Michail, C.; Koukou, V.; Martini, N.; Bakas, A.; Papastamati, F.; Maragkaki, P.; Lavdas, L.; Fountos, G.; Valais, I.; Kalyvas, N.

2017-11-01

Digital X-ray detectors are widely used in dental radiography. The scope of this work is the examination of the spatial frequency component of a dedicated dental CMOS detector. A commercially available SCHICK CDR CMOS detector was irradiated at a Del Medical Eureka X-ray system at 60kVp and 70kVp. The irradiation setup included images of an edge, for Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) calculation. The air-KERMA was measured with an RTI PIRANHA X-ray multimeter. The images were evaluated in ‘for presentation’ format with the use of ImageJ software. The linear range of the detector was found in the range 13μGy-183μGy at 60 kVp and 18μGy-180μGy at 70 kVp. By inspecting the MTF curves it was found that MTF(6lp/mm)60kVp=0.29 and MTF(6lp/mm)70kVp=0.25. The inspection of the Normalized Noise Power Spetrum (NNPS) showed similar low noise components. Our results indicate that this detector presents comparable performance at both kVp, although its X-ray response (pixel value vs air KERMA) was not equal to previously published results, for the same detector type.

The stability of TlBr detectors at low temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dönmez, Burçin; He, Zhong; Kim, Hadong; Cirignano, Leonard J.; Shah, Kanai S.

2010-11-01

Thallium bromide (TlBr) is a promising semiconductor detector material due to its high atomic number (Tl: 81, Br: 35), high density (7.56 g/cm 3) and wide band gap (2.68 eV). Current TlBr detectors suffer from polarization, which causes performance degradation over time when high voltage is applied. A 4.6-mm thick TlBr detector with pixellated anodes made by Radiation Monitoring Devices Inc. was used in the experiments. The detector has a planar cathode and nine anode pixels surrounded by a guard ring. The pixel pitch is 1.0-mm. Digital pulse waveforms of preamplifier outputs were recorded using a multi-channel GaGe PCI digitizer board for pulse shaping. Several experiments were carried out at -20 °C while the detector was under bias for over a month. No polarization effect was observed and the detector's spectroscopic performance improved over time. Energy resolution of 1.5% FWHM at 662 keV has been measured without depth correction at -2000 V cathode bias. Average electron mobility-lifetime of (5.7±0.8) ×10 -3 cm 2/V has been measured from four anode pixels.

Digital technologies in occupational therapy and physiotherapy undergraduate and postgraduate education: a scoping review protocol.

PubMed

Olivier, Benita; Verdonck, Michele; Casteleijn, Daleen

2017-11-01

How have digital technologies been used in occupational therapy and physiotherapy undergraduate and postgraduate education?Specifically, the objective of this scoping review is to present an overview of research on the use of digital technologies in terms of type of digital technology used, pedagogy associated with the use of digital technology, subject/topic/area of application, experiences/perception of digital technology used, outcomes of the digital technology used and challenges to the use of digital technologies in occupational therapy and physiotherapy undergraduate and postgraduate education.

Multiplexed wavelet transform technique for detection of microcalcification in digitized mammograms.

PubMed

Mini, M G; Devassia, V P; Thomas, Tessamma

2004-12-01

Wavelet transform (WT) is a potential tool for the detection of microcalcifications, an early sign of breast cancer. This article describes the implementation and evaluates the performance of two novel WT-based schemes for the automatic detection of clustered microcalcifications in digitized mammograms. Employing a one-dimensional WT technique that utilizes the pseudo-periodicity property of image sequences, the proposed algorithms achieve high detection efficiency and low processing memory requirements. The detection is achieved from the parent-child relationship between the zero-crossings [Marr-Hildreth (M-H) detector] /local extrema (Canny detector) of the WT coefficients at different levels of decomposition. The detected pixels are weighted before the inverse transform is computed, and they are segmented by simple global gray level thresholding. Both detectors produce 95% detection sensitivity, even though there are more false positives for the M-H detector. The M-H detector preserves the shape information and provides better detection sensitivity for mammograms containing widely distributed calcifications.

The readout chain for the bar PANDA MVD strip detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnell, R.; Brinkmann, K.-Th.; Di Pietro, V.; Kleines, H.; Goerres, A.; Riccardi, A.; Rivetti, A.; Rolo, M. D.; Sohlbach, H.; Zaunick, H.-G.

2015-02-01

The bar PANDA (antiProton ANnihilation at DArmstadt) experiment will study the strong interaction in annihilation reactions between an antiproton beam and a stationary gas jet target. The detector will comprise different sub-detectors for tracking, particle identification and calorimetry. The Micro-Vertex Detector (MVD) as the innermost part of the tracking system will allow precise tracking and detection of secondary vertices. For the readout of the double-sided silicon strip sensors a custom-made ASIC is being developed, employing the Time-over-Threshold (ToT) technique for digitization and utilize time-to-digital converters (TDC) to provide a high-precision time stamp of the hit. A custom-made Module Data Concentrator ASIC (MDC) will multiplex the data of all front-ends of one sensor towards the CERN-developed GBT chip set (GigaBit Transceiver). The MicroTCA-based MVD Multiplexer Board (MMB) at the off-detector site will receive and concentrate the data from the GBT links and transfer it to FPGA-based compute nodes for global event building.

Upgraded Readout Electronics for the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeters at the High Luminosity LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andeen, Timothy R.; ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeter Group

2012-12-01

The ATLAS liquid-argon calorimeters produce a total of 182,486 signals which are digitized and processed by the front-end and back-end electronics at every triggered event. In addition, the front-end electronics sum analog signals to provide coarsely grained energy sums, called trigger towers, to the first-level trigger system, which is optimized for nominal LHC luminosities. However, the pile-up background expected during the high luminosity phases of the LHC will be increased by factors of 3 to 7. An improved spatial granularity of the trigger primitives is therefore proposed in order to improve the identification performance for trigger signatures, like electrons or photons, at high background rejection rates. For the first upgrade phase in 2018, new Liquid Argon Trigger Digitizer Boards are being designed to receive higher granularity signals, digitize them on detector and send them via fast optical links to a new, off-detector digital processing system. The digital processing system applies digital filtering and identifies significant energy depositions. The refined trigger primitives are then transmitted to the first level trigger system to extract improved trigger signatures. The general concept of the upgraded liquid-argon calorimeter readout together with the various electronics components to be developed for such a complex system is presented. The research activities and architectural studies undertaken by the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeter Group are described, particularly details of the on-going design of mixed-signal front-end electronics, of radiation tolerant optical-links, and of the high-speed off-detector digital processing system.

Performance of a segmented HPGe detector at KRISS.

PubMed

Han, Jubong; Lee, K B; Lee, Jong-Man; Lee, S H; Park, Tae Soon; Oh, J S

2018-04-01

A 24 segmented HPGe coaxial detector was set up with a digitized data acquisition system (DAQ). The DAQ was composed of a digitizer (5 × 10 7 sampling/s), a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), and a real time operating system. The Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM), rise time, signal characteristics, and spectra of a 137 Cs source were evaluated. The data were processed using an in-house developed gamma-ray tracking system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Position Algorithms for the 3-D CZT Drift Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budtz-Jørgensen, C.; Kuvvetli, I.

2017-06-01

The 3-D position sensitive CZT detector for high-energy astrophysics developed at DTU has been investigated with a digitizer readout system. The 3-D CZT detector is based on the CZT drift-strip detector principle and was fabricated using a REDLEN CZT crystal (20 mm × 20 mm × 5 mm). The detector contains 12 drift cells, each comprising one collecting anode strip with four drift strips, biased such that the electrons are focused and collected by the anode strips. Three-dimensional position determination is achieved using the anode strip signals, the drift-strip signals, and the signals from ten cathode strips. For the characterization work, we used a DAQ system with a 16 channels 250-MHz 14-b digitizer, SIS3316. It allowed us to analyze the pulse shapes of the signals from four detector cells at a time. The 3-D CZT setup was characterized with a finely collimated radioactive source of 137Cs at 662 keV. The analysis required development of novel position determination algorithms which are the subject of this paper. Using the digitizer readout, we demonstrate improved position determination compared to the previous read out system based on analog electronics. Position resolutions of 0.4-mm full width at half maximum (FWHM) in the x-, y-, and z-directions were achieved and the energy resolution was 7.2-keV FWHM at 662 keV. The timing information allows identification of multiple interaction events within one detector cell, e.g., Compton scattering followed by photoelectric absorption. These characteristics are very important for a high-energy spectral-imager suitable for use in advanced Compton telescopes, or as focal detector for new hard X-ray and soft γ-ray focusing telescopes or in polarimeter instrumentation. CZT detectors are attractive for these applications since they offer relatively high-quantum efficiency. From a technical point of view it is advantageous that their cooling requirements are modest.

A time-based front-end ASIC for the silicon micro strip sensors of the bar PANDA Micro Vertex Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Pietro, V.; Brinkmann, K.-Th.; Riccardi, A.; Ritman, J.; Rivetti, A.; Rolo, M. D.; Stockmanns, T.; Zambanini, A.

2016-03-01

The bar PANDA (Antiproton Annihilation at Darmstadt) experiment foresees many detectors for tracking, particle identification and calorimetry. Among them, the innermost is the MVD (Micro Vertex Detector) responsible for a precise tracking and the reconstruction of secondary vertices. This detector will be built from both hybrid pixel (two inner barrels and six forward disks) and double-sided micro strip (two outer barrels and outer rim of the last two disks) silicon sensors. A time-based approach has been chosen for the readout ASIC of the strip sensors. The PASTA (bar PANDA Strip ASIC) chip aims at high resolution time-stamping and charge information through the Time over Threshold (ToT) technique. It benefits from a Time to Digital Converter (TDC) allowing a time bin width down to 50 ps. The analog front-end was designed to serve both n-type and p-type strips and the performed simulations show remarkable performances in terms of linearity and electronic noise. The TDC consists of an analog interpolator, a digital local controller, and a digital global controller as the common back-end for all of the 64 channels.

Digital Data Acquisition System for experiments with segmented detectors at National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starosta, K.; Vaman, C.; Miller, D.; Voss, P.; Bazin, D.; Glasmacher, T.; Crawford, H.; Mantica, P.; Tan, H.; Hennig, W.; Walby, M.; Fallu-Labruyere, A.; Harris, J.; Breus, D.; Grudberg, P.; Warburton, W. K.

2009-11-01

A 624-channel Digital Data Acquisition System capable of instrumenting the Segmented Germanium Array at National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory has been implemented using Pixie-16 Digital Gamma Finder modules by XIA LLC. The system opens an opportunity for determination of the first interaction position of a γ ray in a SeGA detector from implementation of γ-ray tracking. This will translate into a significantly improved determination of angle of emission, and in consequence much better Doppler corrections for experiments with fast beams. For stopped-beam experiments the system provides means for zero dead time measurements of rare decays, which occur on time scales of microseconds.

Digital instrumentation and management of dead time: first results on a NaI well-type detector setup.

PubMed

Censier, B; Bobin, C; Bouchard, J; Aubineau-Lanièce, I

2010-01-01

The LNE-LNHB is engaged in a development program on digital instrumentation, the first step being the instrumentation of a NaI well-type detector set-up. The prototype acquisition card and its technical specifications are presented together with the first comparison with the classical NIM-based acquisition chain, for counting rates up to 100 kcps. The digital instrumentation is shown to be counting-loss free in this range. This validates the main option adopted in this project, namely the implementation of an extending dead time with live-time measurement already successfully used in the MTR2 NIM module developed at LNE-LNHB. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Digital Inject Book v. 1.7

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eldridge, Bryce

2016-10-05

Digital Inject Book is a software program designed to generate and managed simulated data for radiation detectors, used to increase the realism of training where real radiation sources are impractical, expensive, or simply not available.

Evaluation of digital radiography practice using exposure index tracking

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yifang; Allahverdian, Janet; Nute, Jessica L.; Lee, Christina

2016-01-01

Some digital radiography (DR) detectors and software allow for remote download of exam statistics, including image reject status, body part, projection, and exposure index (EI). The ability to have automated data collection from multiple DR units is conducive to a quality control (QC) program monitoring institutional radiographic exposures. We have implemented such a QC program with the goal to identify outliers in machine radiation output and opportunities for improvement in radiation dose levels. We studied the QC records of four digital detectors in greater detail on a monthly basis for one year. Although individual patient entrance skin exposure varied, the radiation dose levels to the detectors were made to be consistent via phototimer recalibration. The exposure data stored on each digital detector were periodically downloaded in a spreadsheet format for analysis. EI median and standard deviation were calculated for each protocol (by body part) and EI histograms were created for torso protocols. When histograms of EI values for different units were compared, we observed differences up to 400 in average EI (representing 60% difference in radiation levels to the detector) between units nominally calibrated to the same EI. We identified distinct components of the EI distributions, which in some cases, had mean EI values 300 apart. Peaks were observed at the current calibrated EI, a previously calibrated EI, and an EI representing computed radiography (CR) techniques. Our findings in this ongoing project have allowed us to make useful interventions, from emphasizing the use of phototimers instead of institutional memory of manual techniques to improvements in our phototimer calibration. We believe that this QC program can be implemented at other sites and can reveal problems with radiation levels in the aggregate that are difficult to identify on a case‐by‐case basis. PACS number(s): 87.59.bf PMID:27929507

A triple-crystal phoswich detector with digital pulse shape discrimination for alpha/beta/gamma spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Travis L.; Miller, William H.

1999-02-01

Researchers at the University of Missouri - Columbia have developed a three-crystal phoswich detector coupled to a digital pulse shape discrimination system for use in alpha/beta/gamma spectroscopy. Phoswich detectors use a sandwich of scintillators viewed by a single photomultiplier tube to simultaneously detect multiple types of radiation. Separation of radiation types is based upon pulse shape difference among the phosphors, which has historically been performed with analog circuitry. The system uses a GaGe CompuScope 1012, 12 bit, 10 MHz computer-based oscilloscope that digitally captures the pulses from a phoswich detector and subsequently performs pulse shape discrimination with cross-correlation analysis. The detector, based partially on previous phoswich designs by Usuda et al., uses a 10 mg/cm 2 thick layer of ZnS(Ag) for alpha detection, followed by a 0.254 cm CaF 2(Eu) crystal for beta detection, all backed by a 2.54 cm NaI(Tl) crystal for gamma detection. Individual energy spectra and count rate information for all three radiation types are displayed and updated periodically. The system shows excellent charged particle discrimination with an accuracy of greater than 99%. Future development will include a large area beta probe with gamma-ray discrimination, systems for low-energy photon detection (e.g. Bremsstrahlung or keV-range photon emissions), and other health physics instrumentation.

Development of Fast Measurement System of Neutron Emission Profile Using a Digital Signal Processing Technique in JT-60U

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ishikawa, M.; Shinohara, K.; Itoga, T.

2008-03-12

Neutron emission profiles are routinely measured in JT-60U Tokamak. Stinbene neuron detectors (SNDs), which combine a Stilbene organic crystal scintillation detector (Stilbene detector) with an analog neutron-gamma pulse shape discrimination (PSD) circuit, have been used to measure neutron flux efficiently. Although the SND has many advantages as a neutron detector, the maximum count rate is limited up to {approx}1x 10{sup 5} counts/s due to the dead time of the analog PSD circuit. To overcome this issue, a digital signal processing (DSP) system using a Flash-ADC has been developed. In this system, anode signals from the photomultiplier of the Stilbene detectormore » are fed to the Flash ADC and digitized. Then, the PSD between neutrons and gamma-rays are performed using software. The photomultiplier tube is also modified to suppress and correct gain fluctuation of the photomultiplier. The DSP system has been installed in the center channel of the vertical neutron collimator system in JT-60U and applied to measurements of neutron flux in JT-60U experiments. Neutron flux are successfully measured with count rate up to {approx}1x 10{sup 6} counts/s without the effect of pile up of detected pulses. The performance of the DSP system as a neutron detector is demonstrated.« less

Visual grading analysis of digital neonatal chest phantom X-ray images: Impact of detector type, dose and image processing on image quality.

PubMed

Smet, M H; Breysem, L; Mussen, E; Bosmans, H; Marshall, N W; Cockmartin, L

2018-07-01

To evaluate the impact of digital detector, dose level and post-processing on neonatal chest phantom X-ray image quality (IQ). A neonatal phantom was imaged using four different detectors: a CR powder phosphor (PIP), a CR needle phosphor (NIP) and two wireless CsI DR detectors (DXD and DRX). Five different dose levels were studied for each detector and two post-processing algorithms evaluated for each vendor. Three paediatric radiologists scored the images using European quality criteria plus additional questions on vascular lines, noise and disease simulation. Visual grading characteristics and ordinal regression statistics were used to evaluate the effect of detector type, post-processing and dose on VGA score (VGAS). No significant differences were found between the NIP, DXD and CRX detectors (p>0.05) whereas the PIP detector had significantly lower VGAS (p< 0.0001). Processing did not influence VGAS (p=0.819). Increasing dose resulted in significantly higher VGAS (p<0.0001). Visual grading analysis (VGA) identified a detector air kerma/image (DAK/image) of ~2.4 μGy as an ideal working point for NIP, DXD and DRX detectors. VGAS tracked IQ differences between detectors and dose levels but not image post-processing changes. VGA showed a DAK/image value above which perceived IQ did not improve, potentially useful for commissioning. • A VGA study detects IQ differences between detectors and dose levels. • The NIP detector matched the VGAS of the CsI DR detectors. • VGA data are useful in setting initial detector air kerma level. • Differences in NNPS were consistent with changes in VGAS.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thirolf, P. G.; Habs, D.; Filipescu, D.

Next-generation {gamma} beams from laser Compton-backscattering facilities like ELI-NP (Bucharest)] or MEGa-Ray (Livermore) will drastically exceed the photon flux presently available at existing facilities, reaching or even exceeding 10{sup 13}{gamma}/sec. The beam structure as presently foreseen for MEGa-Ray and ELI-NP builds upon a structure of macro-pulses ({approx}120 Hz) for the electron beam, accelerated with X-band technology at 11.5 GHz, resulting in a micro structure of 87 ps distance between the electron pulses acting as mirrors for a counterpropagating intense laser. In total each 8.3 ms a {gamma} pulse series with a duration of about 100 ns will impinge on themore » target, resulting in an instantaneous photon flux of about 10{sup 18}{gamma}/s, thus introducing major challenges in view of pile-up. Novel {gamma} optics will be applied to monochromatize the {gamma} beam to ultimately {Delta}E/E{approx}10{sup -6}. Thus level-selective spectroscopy of higher multipole excitations will become accessible with good contrast for the first time. Fast responding {gamma} detectors, e.g. based on advanced scintillator technology (e.g. LaBr{sub 3}(Ce)) allow for measurements with count rates as high as 10{sup 6}-10{sup 7}{gamma}/s without significant drop of performance. Data handling adapted to the beam conditions could be performed by fast digitizing electronics, able to sample data traces during the micro-pulse duration, while the subsequent macro-pulse gap of ca. 8 ms leaves ample time for data readout. A ball of LaBr{sub 3} detectors with digital readout appears to best suited for this novel type of nuclear photonics at ultra-high counting rates.« less

Wristwatch dosimeter

DOEpatents

Wolf, Michael A.; Waechter, David A.; Umbarger, C. John

1986-01-01

The disclosure is directed to a wristwatch dosimeter utilizing a CdTe detector, a microprocessor and an audio and/or visual alarm. The dosimeter is entirely housable with a conventional digital watch case having an additional aperture enabling the detector to receive radiation.

High-resolution focal plane array IR detection modules and digital signal processing technologies at AIM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabanski, Wolfgang A.; Breiter, Rainer; Koch, R.; Mauk, Karl-Heinz; Rode, Werner; Ziegler, Johann; Eberhardt, Kurt; Oelmaier, Reinhard; Schneider, Harald; Walther, Martin

2000-07-01

Full video format focal plane array (FPA) modules with up to 640 X 512 pixels have been developed for high resolution imaging applications in either mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) mid wave (MWIR) infrared (IR) or platinum silicide (PtSi) and quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) technology as low cost alternatives to MCT for high performance IR imaging in the MWIR or long wave spectral band (LWIR). For the QWIP's, a new photovoltaic technology was introduced for improved NETD performance and higher dynamic range. MCT units provide fast frame rates > 100 Hz together with state of the art thermal resolution NETD < 20 mK for short snapshot integration times of typically 2 ms. PtSi and QWIP modules are usually operated in a rolling frame integration mode with frame rates of 30 - 60 Hz and provide thermal resolutions of NETD < 80 mK for PtSi and NETD < 20 mK for QWIP, respectively. Due to the lower quantum efficiency compared to MCT, however, the integration time is typically chosen to be as long 10 - 20 ms. The heat load of the integrated detector cooler assemblies (IDCAs) could be reduced to an amount as low, that a 1 W split liner cooler provides sufficient cooling power to operate the modules -- including the QWIP with 60 K operation temperature -- at ambient temperatures up to 65 degrees Celsius. Miniaturized command/control electronics (CCE) available for all modules provide a standardized digital interface, with 14 bit analogue to digital conversion for state to the art correctability, access to highly dynamic scenes without any loss of information and simplified exchangeability of the units. New modular image processing hardware platforms and software for image visualization and nonuniformity correction including scene based self learning algorithms had to be developed to accomplish for the high data rates of up to 18 M pixels/s with 14-bit deep data, allowing to take into account nonlinear effects to access the full NETD by accurate reduction of residual fixed pattern noise. The main features of these modules are summarized together with measured performance data for long range detection systems with moderately fast to slow F-numbers like F/2.0 - F/3.5. An outlook shows most recent activities at AIM, heading for multicolor and faster frame rate detector modules based on MCT devices.

Review on the characteristics of radiation detectors for dosimetry and imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seco, Joao; Clasie, Ben; Partridge, Mike

2014-10-01

The enormous advances in the understanding of human anatomy, physiology and pathology in recent decades have led to ever-improving methods of disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Many of these achievements have been enabled, at least in part, by advances in ionizing radiation detectors. Radiology has been transformed by the implementation of multi-slice CT and digital x-ray imaging systems, with silver halide films now largely obsolete for many applications. Nuclear medicine has benefited from more sensitive, faster and higher-resolution detectors delivering ever-higher SPECT and PET image quality. PET/MR systems have been enabled by the development of gamma ray detectors that can operate in high magnetic fields. These huge advances in imaging have enabled equally impressive steps forward in radiotherapy delivery accuracy, with 4DCT, PET and MRI routinely used in treatment planning and online image guidance provided by cone-beam CT. The challenge of ensuring safe, accurate and precise delivery of highly complex radiation fields has also both driven and benefited from advances in radiation detectors. Detector systems have been developed for the measurement of electron, intensity-modulated and modulated arc x-ray, proton and ion beams, and around brachytherapy sources based on a very wide range of technologies. The types of measurement performed are equally wide, encompassing commissioning and quality assurance, reference dosimetry, in vivo dosimetry and personal and environmental monitoring. In this article, we briefly introduce the general physical characteristics and properties that are commonly used to describe the behaviour and performance of both discrete and imaging detectors. The physical principles of operation of calorimeters; ionization and charge detectors; semiconductor, luminescent, scintillating and chemical detectors; and radiochromic and radiographic films are then reviewed and their principle applications discussed. Finally, a general discussion of the application of detectors for x-ray nuclear medicine and ion beam imaging and dosimetry is presented.

History of infrared detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogalski, A.

2012-09-01

This paper overviews the history of infrared detector materials starting with Herschel's experiment with thermometer on February 11th, 1800. Infrared detectors are in general used to detect, image, and measure patterns of the thermal heat radiation which all objects emit. At the beginning, their development was connected with thermal detectors, such as thermocouples and bolometers, which are still used today and which are generally sensitive to all infrared wavelengths and operate at room temperature. The second kind of detectors, called the photon detectors, was mainly developed during the 20th Century to improve sensitivity and response time. These detectors have been extensively developed since the 1940's. Lead sulphide (PbS) was the first practical IR detector with sensitivity to infrared wavelengths up to ˜3 μm. After World War II infrared detector technology development was and continues to be primarily driven by military applications. Discovery of variable band gap HgCdTe ternary alloy by Lawson and co-workers in 1959 opened a new area in IR detector technology and has provided an unprecedented degree of freedom in infrared detector design. Many of these advances were transferred to IR astronomy from Departments of Defence research. Later on civilian applications of infrared technology are frequently called "dual-use technology applications." One should point out the growing utilisation of IR technologies in the civilian sphere based on the use of new materials and technologies, as well as the noticeable price decrease in these high cost technologies. In the last four decades different types of detectors are combined with electronic readouts to make detector focal plane arrays (FPAs). Development in FPA technology has revolutionized infrared imaging. Progress in integrated circuit design and fabrication techniques has resulted in continued rapid growth in the size and performance of these solid state arrays.

Measuring Io's Lava Eruption Temperatures with a Novel Infrared Detector and Digital Readout Circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Ashley; Gunapala, Sarath; Rafol, B., Sir; Soibel, Alexander; Ting, David Z.

2016-10-01

One method of determining lava eruption temperature of Io's dominant silicate lavas is by measuring radiant flux at two or more wavelengths and fitting a black-body thermal emission function. Only certain styles of volcanic activity are suitable, those where thermal emission is from a restricted range of surface temperatures close to eruption temperature. Such processes include [1] large lava fountains; [2] fountaining in lava lakes; and [3] lava tube skylights. Problems that must be overcome are (1) the cooling of the lava between data acquisitions at different wavelengths; (2) the unknown magnitude of thermal emission, which often led to detector saturation; and (3) thermal emission changing on a shorter timescale than the observation integration time. We can overcome these problems by using the HOT-BIRD detector [4] and an advanced digital readout circuit [5]. We have created an instrument model that allows different instrument parameters (including mirror diameter, number of signal splits, exposure duration, filter band pass, and optics transmissivity) to be tested so as to determine eruption detectability. We find that a short-wavelength infrared instrument on an Io flyby mission can achieve simultaneity of observations by splitting the incoming signal for all relevant eruption processes and obtain data fast enough to remove uncertainties in accurate determination of the highest lava surface temperatures exposed. Observations at 1 and 1.5 μm are sufficient to do this. Lava temperature determinations are also possible with a visible wavelength detector [3] so long as data at different wavelengths are obtained simultaneously and integration time is very short. This is especially important for examining the thermal emission from lava tube skylights [3] due to rapidly-changing viewing geometry during close flybys. References: [1] Davies et al., 2001, JGR, 106, 33079-33104. [2] Davies et al., 2011, GRL, 38, L21308. [3] Davies et al., 2016, Icarus, in press. [4] Ting et al., 2012, Barrier infrared detector, U.S. Pat. No. 8217480. [5] Schultz et al., 2014, LL Journal, 20, 2, 36-51. This work was performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology, under contract to NASA.

HYMOSS signal processing for pushbroom spectral imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ludwig, David E.

1991-01-01

The objective of the Pushbroom Spectral Imaging Program was to develop on-focal plane electronics which compensate for detector array non-uniformities. The approach taken was to implement a simple two point calibration algorithm on focal plane which allows for offset and linear gain correction. The key on focal plane features which made this technique feasible was the use of a high quality transimpedance amplifier (TIA) and an analog-to-digital converter for each detector channel. Gain compensation is accomplished by varying the feedback capacitance of the integrate and dump TIA. Offset correction is performed by storing offsets in a special on focal plane offset register and digitally subtracting the offsets from the readout data during the multiplexing operation. A custom integrated circuit was designed, fabricated, and tested on this program which proved that nonuniformity compensated, analog-to-digital converting circuits may be used to read out infrared detectors. Irvine Sensors Corporation (ISC) successfully demonstrated the following innovative on-focal-plane functions that allow for correction of detector non-uniformities. Most of the circuit functions demonstrated on this program are finding their way onto future IC's because of their impact on reduced downstream processing, increased focal plane performance, simplified focal plane control, reduced number of dewar connections, as well as the noise immunity of a digital interface dewar. The potential commercial applications for this integrated circuit are primarily in imaging systems. These imaging systems may be used for: security monitoring systems, manufacturing process monitoring, robotics, and for spectral imaging when used in analytical instrumentation.

HYMOSS signal processing for pushbroom spectral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ludwig, David E.

1991-06-01

The objective of the Pushbroom Spectral Imaging Program was to develop on-focal plane electronics which compensate for detector array non-uniformities. The approach taken was to implement a simple two point calibration algorithm on focal plane which allows for offset and linear gain correction. The key on focal plane features which made this technique feasible was the use of a high quality transimpedance amplifier (TIA) and an analog-to-digital converter for each detector channel. Gain compensation is accomplished by varying the feedback capacitance of the integrate and dump TIA. Offset correction is performed by storing offsets in a special on focal plane offset register and digitally subtracting the offsets from the readout data during the multiplexing operation. A custom integrated circuit was designed, fabricated, and tested on this program which proved that nonuniformity compensated, analog-to-digital converting circuits may be used to read out infrared detectors. Irvine Sensors Corporation (ISC) successfully demonstrated the following innovative on-focal-plane functions that allow for correction of detector non-uniformities. Most of the circuit functions demonstrated on this program are finding their way onto future IC's because of their impact on reduced downstream processing, increased focal plane performance, simplified focal plane control, reduced number of dewar connections, as well as the noise immunity of a digital interface dewar. The potential commercial applications for this integrated circuit are primarily in imaging systems. These imaging systems may be used for: security monitoring systems, manufacturing process monitoring, robotics, and for spectral imaging when used in analytical instrumentation.

High density processing electronics for superconducting tunnel junction x-ray detector arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warburton, W. K.; Harris, J. T.; Friedrich, S.

2015-06-01

Superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) are excellent soft x-ray (100-2000 eV) detectors, particularly for synchrotron applications, because of their ability to obtain energy resolutions below 10 eV at count rates approaching 10 kcps. In order to achieve useful solid detection angles with these very small detectors, they are typically deployed in large arrays - currently with 100+ elements, but with 1000 elements being contemplated. In this paper we review a 5-year effort to develop compact, computer controlled low-noise processing electronics for STJ detector arrays, focusing on the major issues encountered and our solutions to them. Of particular interest are our preamplifier design, which can set the STJ operating points under computer control and achieve 2.7 eV energy resolution; our low noise power supply, which produces only 2 nV/√Hz noise at the preamplifier's critical cascode node; our digital processing card that digitizes and digitally processes 32 channels; and an STJ I-V curve scanning algorithm that computes noise as a function of offset voltage, allowing an optimum operating point to be easily selected. With 32 preamplifiers laid out on a custom 3U EuroCard, and the 32 channel digital card in a 3U PXI card format, electronics for a 128 channel array occupy only two small chassis, each the size of a National Instruments 5-slot PXI crate, and allow full array control with simple extensions of existing beam line data collection packages.

Design methodology: edgeless 3D ASICs with complex in-pixel processing for pixel detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fahim Farah, Fahim Farah; Deptuch, Grzegorz W.; Hoff, James R.

The design methodology for the development of 3D integrated edgeless pixel detectors with in-pixel processing using Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools is presented. A large area 3 tier 3D detector with one sensor layer and two ASIC layers containing one analog and one digital tier, is built for x-ray photon time of arrival measurement and imaging. A full custom analog pixel is 65μm x 65μm. It is connected to a sensor pixel of the same size on one side, and on the other side it has approximately 40 connections to the digital pixel. A 32 x 32 edgeless array withoutmore » any peripheral functional blocks constitutes a sub-chip. The sub-chip is an indivisible unit, which is further arranged in a 6 x 6 array to create the entire 1.248cm x 1.248cm ASIC. Each chip has 720 bump-bond I/O connections, on the back of the digital tier to the ceramic PCB. All the analog tier power and biasing is conveyed through the digital tier from the PCB. The assembly has no peripheral functional blocks, and hence the active area extends to the edge of the detector. This was achieved by using a few flavors of almost identical analog pixels (minimal variation in layout) to allow for peripheral biasing blocks to be placed within pixels. The 1024 pixels within a digital sub-chip array have a variety of full custom, semi-custom and automated timing driven functional blocks placed together. The methodology uses a modified mixed-mode on-top digital implementation flow to not only harness the tool efficiency for timing and floor-planning but also to maintain designer control over compact parasitically aware layout. The methodology uses the Cadence design platform, however it is not limited to this tool.« less

Design methodology: edgeless 3D ASICs with complex in-pixel processing for pixel detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fahim, Farah; Deptuch, Grzegorz W.; Hoff, James R.; Mohseni, Hooman

2015-08-01

The design methodology for the development of 3D integrated edgeless pixel detectors with in-pixel processing using Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools is presented. A large area 3 tier 3D detector with one sensor layer and two ASIC layers containing one analog and one digital tier, is built for x-ray photon time of arrival measurement and imaging. A full custom analog pixel is 65μm x 65μm. It is connected to a sensor pixel of the same size on one side, and on the other side it has approximately 40 connections to the digital pixel. A 32 x 32 edgeless array without any peripheral functional blocks constitutes a sub-chip. The sub-chip is an indivisible unit, which is further arranged in a 6 x 6 array to create the entire 1.248cm x 1.248cm ASIC. Each chip has 720 bump-bond I/O connections, on the back of the digital tier to the ceramic PCB. All the analog tier power and biasing is conveyed through the digital tier from the PCB. The assembly has no peripheral functional blocks, and hence the active area extends to the edge of the detector. This was achieved by using a few flavors of almost identical analog pixels (minimal variation in layout) to allow for peripheral biasing blocks to be placed within pixels. The 1024 pixels within a digital sub-chip array have a variety of full custom, semi-custom and automated timing driven functional blocks placed together. The methodology uses a modified mixed-mode on-top digital implementation flow to not only harness the tool efficiency for timing and floor-planning but also to maintain designer control over compact parasitically aware layout. The methodology uses the Cadence design platform, however it is not limited to this tool.

X-Ray Computed Tomography Monitors Damage in Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baaklini, George Y.

1997-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center recently codeveloped a state-of-the-art x-ray CT facility (designated SMS SMARTSCAN model 100-112 CITA by Scientific Measurement Systems, Inc., Austin, Texas). This multipurpose, modularized, digital x-ray facility includes an imaging system for digital radiography, CT, and computed laminography. The system consists of a 160-kV microfocus x-ray source, a solid-state charge-coupled device (CCD) area detector, a five-axis object-positioning subassembly, and a Sun SPARCstation-based computer system that controls data acquisition and image processing. The x-ray source provides a beam spot size down to 3 microns. The area detector system consists of a 50- by 50- by 3-mm-thick terbium-doped glass fiber-optic scintillation screen, a right-angle mirror, and a scientific-grade, digital CCD camera with a resolution of 1000 by 1018 pixels and 10-bit digitization at ambient cooling. The digital output is recorded with a high-speed, 16-bit frame grabber that allows data to be binned. The detector can be configured to provide a small field-of-view, approximately 45 by 45 mm in cross section, or a larger field-of-view, approximately 60 by 60 mm in cross section. Whenever the highest spatial resolution is desired, the small field-of-view is used, and for larger samples with some reduction in spatial resolution, the larger field-of-view is used.

All-digital phase-lock loops for noise-free signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, T. O.

1973-01-01

Bit-synchronizers utilize all-digital phase-lock loops that are referenced to a high frequency digital clock. Phase-lock loop of first design acquires frequency within nominal range and tracks phase; second design is modified for random binary data by addition of simple transition detector; and third design acquires frequency over wide dynamic range.

Coincidence measurements in α/β/γ spectrometry with phoswich detectors using digital pulse shape discrimination analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Celis, B.; de la Fuente, R.; Williart, A.; de Celis Alonso, B.

2007-09-01

A novel system has been developed for the detection of low radioactivity levels using coincidence techniques. The device combines a phoswich detector for α/β/γ ray recognition with a fast digital card for electronic pulse analysis. The detector is able to discriminate different types of radiation in a mixed α/β/γ field and can be used in a coincidence mode by identifying the composite signal produced by the simultaneous detection of β particles in a plastic scintillator and γ rays in an NaI(Tl) scintillator. Use of a coincidence technique with phoswich detectors was proposed recently to verify the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which made it necessary to monitor the low levels of xenon radioisotopes produced by underground nuclear explosions. Previous studies have shown that combining CaF 2(Eu) for β ray detection and NaI(Tl) for γ ray detection makes it difficult to identify the coincidence signals because of the similar fluorescence decay times of the two scintillators. With the device proposed here, it is possible to identify the coincidence events owing to the short fluorescence decay time of the plastic scintillator. The sensitivity of the detector may be improved by employing liquid scintillators, which allow low radioactivity levels from actinides to be measured when present in environmental samples. The device developed is simpler to use than conventional coincidence equipment because it uses a single detector and electronic circuit, and it offers fast and precise analysis of the coincidence signals by employing digital pulse shape analysis.

A generic readout system for astrophysical detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doumayrou, E.; Lortholary, M.

2012-09-01

We have developed a generic digital platform to fulfill the needs for the development of new detectors in astrophysics, which is used in lab, for ground-based telescopes instruments and also in prototype versions for space instruments development. This system is based on hardware FPGA electronic board (called MISE) together with software on a PC computer (called BEAR). The MISE board generates the fast clocking which reads the detectors thanks to a programmable digital sequencer and performs data acquisition, buffering of digitalized pixels outputs and interfaces with others boards. The data are then sent to the PC via a SpaceWire or Usb link. The BEAR software sets the MISE board up, makes data acquisition and enables the visualization, processing and the storage of data in line. These software tools are made of C++ and Labview (NI) on a Linux OS. MISE and BEAR make a generic acquisition architecture, on which dedicated analog boards are plugged, so that to accommodate with detectors specificity: number of pixels, the readout channels and frequency, analog bias and clock interfaces. We have used this concept to build a camera for the P-ARTEMIS project including a 256 pixels sub-millimeter bolometer detector at 10Kpixel/s (SPIE 7741-12 (2010)). For the EUCLID project, a lab camera is now working for the test of CCDs 4Mpixels at 4*200Kpixel/s. Another is working for the testing of new near infrared detectors (NIR LFSA for the ESA TRP program) 110Kpixels at 2*100Kpixels/s. Other projects are in progress for the space missions PLATO and SPICA.

AAO2: a general purpose CCD controller for the AAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waller, Lew; Barton, John; Mayfield, Don; Griesbach, Jason

2004-09-01

The Anglo-Australian Observatory has developed a 2nd generation optical CCD controller to replace an earlier controller used now for almost twenty years. The new AAO2 controller builds on the considerable experience gained with the first controller, the new technologies now available and the techniques developed and successfully implemented in AAO's IRIS2 detector controller. The AAO2 controller has been designed to operate a wide variety of detectors and to achieve as near to detector limited performance as possible. It is capable of reading out CCDs with one, two or four output amplifiers, each output having its own video processor and high speed 16-bit ADC. The video processor is a correlated double sampler that may be switched between low noise dual slope integration or high speed clamp and sample modes. Programmable features include low noise DAC biases, horizontal clocks with DAC controllable levels and slopes and vertical clocks with DAC controllable arbitrary waveshapes. The controller uses two DSPs; one for overall control and the other for clock signal generation, which is highly programmable, with downloadable sequences of waveform patterns. The controller incorporates a precision detector temperature controller and provides accurate exposure time control. Telemetry is provided of all DAC generated voltages, many derived voltages, power supply voltages, detector temperature and detector identification. A high speed, full duplex fibre optic interface connects the controller to a host computer. The modular design uses six to ten circuit boards, plugged in to common backplanes. Two backplanes separate noisy digital signals from low noise analog signals.

Large format 15μm pitch XBn detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karni, Yoram; Avnon, Eran; Ben Ezra, Michael; Berkowitz, Eyal; Cohen, Omer; Cohen, Yossef; Dobromislin, Roman; Hirsh, Itay; Klin, Olga; Klipstein, Philip; Lukomsky, Inna; Nitzani, Michal; Pivnik, Igor; Rozenberg, Omer; Shtrichman, Itay; Singer, Michael; Sulimani, Shay; Tuito, Avi; Weiss, Eliezer

2014-06-01

Over the past few years, a new type of High Operating Temperature (HOT) photon detector has been developed at SCD, which operates in the blue part of the MWIR atmospheric window (3.4 - 4.2 μm). This window is generally more transparent than the red part of the MWIR window (4.4 - 4.9 μm), and thus is especially useful for mid and long range applications. The detector has an InAsSb active layer and is based on the new "XBn" device concept, which eliminates Generation-Recombination dark current and enables operation at temperatures of 150K or higher, while maintaining excellent image quality. Such high operating temperatures reduce the cooling requirements of Focal Plane Array (FPA) detectors dramatically, and allow the use of a smaller closed-cycle Stirling cooler. As a result, the complete Integrated Detector Cooler Assembly (IDCA) has about 60% lower power consumption and a much longer lifetime compared with IDCAs based on standard InSb detectors and coolers operating at 77K. In this work we present a new large format IDCA designed for 150K operation. The 15 μm pitch 1280×1024 FPA is based on SCD's XBn technology and digital Hercules ROIC. The FPA is housed in a robust Dewar and is integrated with Ricor's K508N Stirling cryo-cooler. The IDCA has a weight of ~750 gram and its power consumption is ~ 5.5 W at a frame rate of 100Hz. The Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) of the IDCA is more than 20,000 hours, greatly facilitating 24/7 operation.

Intelligent error correction method applied on an active pixel sensor based star tracker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Uwe

2005-10-01

Star trackers are opto-electronic sensors used on-board of satellites for the autonomous inertial attitude determination. During the last years star trackers became more and more important in the field of the attitude and orbit control system (AOCS) sensors. High performance star trackers are based up today on charge coupled device (CCD) optical camera heads. The active pixel sensor (APS) technology, introduced in the early 90-ties, allows now the beneficial replacement of CCD detectors by APS detectors with respect to performance, reliability, power, mass and cost. The company's heritage in star tracker design started in the early 80-ties with the launch of the worldwide first fully autonomous star tracker system ASTRO1 to the Russian MIR space station. Jena-Optronik recently developed an active pixel sensor based autonomous star tracker "ASTRO APS" as successor of the CCD based star tracker product series ASTRO1, ASTRO5, ASTRO10 and ASTRO15. Key features of the APS detector technology are, a true xy-address random access, the multiple windowing read out and the on-chip signal processing including the analogue to digital conversion. These features can be used for robust star tracking at high slew rates and under worse conditions like stray light and solar flare induced single event upsets. A special algorithm have been developed to manage the typical APS detector error contributors like fixed pattern noise (FPN), dark signal non-uniformity (DSNU) and white spots. The algorithm works fully autonomous and adapts to e.g. increasing DSNU and up-coming white spots automatically without ground maintenance or re-calibration. In contrast to conventional correction methods the described algorithm does not need calibration data memory like full image sized calibration data sets. The application of the presented algorithm managing the typical APS detector error contributors is a key element for the design of star trackers for long term satellite applications like geostationary telecom platforms.

Wrist-watch dosimeter

DOEpatents

Wolf, M.A.; Waechter, D.A.; Umbarger, C.J.

1982-04-16

The disclosure is directed to a wristwatch dosimeter utilizing a CdTe detector, a microprocessor and an audio and/or visual alarm. The dosimeter is entirely housable within a conventional digital watch case having an additional aperture enabling the detector to receive radiation.

Wristwatch dosimeter

DOEpatents

Wolf, M.A.; Waechter, D.A.; Umbarger, C.J.

1986-08-26

The disclosure is directed to a wristwatch dosimeter utilizing a CdTe detector, a microprocessor and an audio and/or visual alarm. The dosimeter is entirely housable with a conventional digital watch case having an additional aperture enabling the detector to receive radiation. 10 figs.

Imaging performance of an amorphous selenium digital mammography detector in a breast tomosynthesis system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao Bo; Zhao Wei

2008-05-15

In breast tomosynthesis a rapid sequence of N images is acquired when the x-ray tube sweeps through different angular views with respect to the breast. Since the total dose to the breast is kept the same as that in regular mammography, the exposure used for each image of tomosynthesis is 1/N. The low dose and high frame rate pose a tremendous challenge to the imaging performance of digital mammography detectors. The purpose of the present work is to investigate the detector performance in different operational modes designed for tomosynthesis acquisition, e.g., binning or full resolution readout, the range of viewmore » angles, and the number of views N. A prototype breast tomosynthesis system with a nominal angular range of {+-}25 deg. was used in our investigation. The system was equipped with an amorphous selenium (a-Se) full field digital mammography detector with pixel size of 85 {mu}m. The detector can be read out in full resolution or 2x1 binning (binning in the tube travel direction). The focal spot blur due to continuous tube travel was measured for different acquisition geometries, and it was found that pixel binning, instead of focal spot blur, dominates the detector modulation transfer function (MTF). The noise power spectrum (NPS) and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) of the detector were measured with the exposure range of 0.4-6 mR, which is relevant to the low dose used in tomosynthesis. It was found that DQE at 0.4 mR is only 20% less than that at highest exposure for both detector readout modes. The detector temporal performance was categorized as lag and ghosting, both of which were measured as a function of x-ray exposure. The first frame lags were 8% and 4%, respectively, for binning and full resolution mode. Ghosting is negligible and independent of the frame rate. The results showed that the detector performance is x-ray quantum noise limited at the low exposures used in each view of tomosynthesis, and the temporal performance at high frame rate (up to 2 frames per second) is adequate for tomosynthesis.« less

Mercuric iodide medical imagers for low-exposure radiography and fluoroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zentai, George; Partain, Larry; Pavlyuchkova, Raisa; Proano, Cesar; Breen, Barry N.; Taieb, A.; Dagan, Ofer; Schieber, Michael; Gilboa, Haim; Thomas, Jerry

2004-05-01

Photoconductive polycrystalline mercuric iodide deposited on flat panel thin film transistor (TFT) arrays is being developed for direct digital X-ray detectors that can perform both radiographic and fluoroscopic medical imaging. The mercuric iodide is either vacuum deposited by Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) or coated onto the array by a wet Particle-In-Binder (PIB) process. The PVD deposition technology has been scaled up to the 20 cm x 25 cm size required in common medical imaging applications. A TFT array with a pixel pitch of 127 microns is used for these imagers. Arrays of 10 cm x 10 cm size have been used to evaluate performance of mercuric iodide imagers. Radiographic and fluoroscopic images of diagnostic quality at up to 15 pulses per second were demonstrated. As we previously reported, the resolution is limited to the TFT array Nyquist frequency of ~3.9 lp/mm (127 micron pixel pitch). Detective Quantum Efficiency (DQE) has been measured as a function of spatial frequency for these imagers. The DQE is lower than the theoretically calculated value due to some additional noise sources of the electronics and the array. We will retest the DQE after eliminating these noise sources. Reliability and stress testing was also began for polycrystalline mercuric iodide PVD and PIB detectors. These are simplified detectors based upon a stripe electrode or circular electrode structure. The detectors were stressed under various voltage bias, temperature and time conditions. The effects of the stress tests on the detector dark current and sensitivity were determined.

Optical delay encoding for fast timing and detector signal multiplexing in PET

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grant, Alexander M.; Levin, Craig S., E-mail: cslevin@stanford.edu; Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford

2015-08-15

Purpose: The large number of detector channels in modern positron emission tomography (PET) scanners poses a challenge in terms of readout electronics complexity. Multiplexing schemes are typically implemented to reduce the number of physical readout channels, but often result in performance degradation. Novel methods of multiplexing in PET must be developed to avoid this data degradation. The preservation of fast timing information is especially important for time-of-flight PET. Methods: A new multiplexing scheme based on encoding detector interaction events with a series of extremely fast overlapping optical pulses with precise delays is demonstrated in this work. Encoding events in thismore » way potentially allows many detector channels to be simultaneously encoded onto a single optical fiber that is then read out by a single digitizer. A two channel silicon photomultiplier-based prototype utilizing this optical delay encoding technique along with dual threshold time-over-threshold is demonstrated. Results: The optical encoding and multiplexing prototype achieves a coincidence time resolution of 160 ps full width at half maximum (FWHM) and an energy resolution of 13.1% FWHM at 511 keV with 3 × 3 × 5 mm{sup 3} LYSO crystals. All interaction information for both detectors, including timing, energy, and channel identification, is encoded onto a single optical fiber with little degradation. Conclusions: Optical delay encoding and multiplexing technology could lead to time-of-flight PET scanners with fewer readout channels and simplified data acquisition systems.« less

High-rate x-ray spectroscopy in mammography with a CdTe detector: a digital pulse processing approach.

PubMed

Abbene, L; Gerardi, G; Principato, F; Del Sordo, S; Ienzi, R; Raso, G

2010-12-01

Direct measurement of mammographic x-ray spectra under clinical conditions is a difficult task due to the high fluence rate of the x-ray beams as well as the limits in the development of high resolution detection systems in a high counting rate environment. In this work we present a detection system, based on a CdTe detector and an innovative digital pulse processing (DPP) system, for high-rate x-ray spectroscopy in mammography. The DPP system performs a digital pile-up inspection and a digital pulse height analysis of the detector signals, digitized through a 14-bit, 100 MHz digitizer, for x-ray spectroscopy even at high photon counting rates. We investigated on the response of the digital detection system both at low (150 cps) and at high photon counting rates (up to 500 kcps) by using monoenergetic x-ray sources and a nonclinical molybdenum anode x-ray tube. Clinical molybdenum x-ray spectrum measurements were also performed by using a pinhole collimator and a custom alignment device. The detection system shows excellent performance up to 512 kcps with an energy resolution of 4.08% FWHM at 22.1 keV. Despite the high photon counting rate (up to 453 kcps), the molybdenum x-ray spectra, measured under clinical conditions, are characterized by a low number of pile-up events. The agreement between the attenuation curves and the half value layer values, obtained from the measured spectra, simulated spectra, and from the exposure values directly measured with an ionization chamber, also shows the accuracy of the measurements. These results make the proposed detection system a very attractive tool for both laboratory research and advanced quality controls in mammography.

Experimental study of the spatially-modulated light detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coppée, Daniël; Pan, Wei; Stiens, Johan; Vounckx, Roger; Kuijk, Maarten

1999-03-01

Usually, integrated detectors in CMOS exhibit long recovery times, limiting the detector bandwidth to only a few MHz. This is due to the long absorption length and the slow diffusion speed of photo-generated carriers. Different approaches have been proposed to solve these problems hereby taxing the compatibility with standard CMOS fabrication processing. We present a novel detector for high-speed light detection in standard CMOS. To solve the problem of slow CMOS-detector recovery, the incident light is spatially modulated and the spatially modulated component of the photo-generated carrier distribution is measured. Though only a single light input signal is required, from the detector on, analog signal processing can be achieved fully differentially. Subsequently, expected good PSRR (Power supply rejection ratio) allows integration with digital circuits. Avoiding hybridization eliminates the conventional problems caused by bonding-pad capacitance, bonding-wire inductance. This reduces the associated signal degradation. In addition, the very low detector capacitance, due to the low effectively used detector area and the low area capacitance of the n-well junction, yields high voltage readout of the detector. This facilitates further amplification and conversion to digital signal levels. The detector will be applicable in arrays due to expected low cross talk. The expected fields of operation involve: serial and parallel optical communication receivers (e.g. for WDM), DVD-reading heads with integrated amplifier, etc. First measurements show 200 Mbit/s operation with a detector-responsivity of 0.05 A/W at λ=860 nm and 0.132 A/W at λ=635 nm. The detector has inherently a low capacitance, in this case only 50 fF (for an effective detector area of 70×70 μm 2).

Reduction of a grid moiré pattern by integrating a carbon-interspaced high precision x-ray grid with a digital radiographic detector.

PubMed

Yoon, Jai-Woong; Park, Young-Guk; Park, Chun-Joo; Kim, Do-Il; Lee, Jin-Ho; Chung, Nag-Kun; Choe, Bo-Young; Suh, Tae-Suk; Lee, Hyoung-Koo

2007-11-01

The stationary grid commonly used with a digital x-ray detector causes a moiré interference pattern due to the inadequate sampling of the grid shadows by the detector pixels. There are limitations with the previous methods used to remove the moiré such as imperfect electromagnetic interference shielding and the loss of image information. A new method is proposed for removing the moiré pattern by integrating a carbon-interspaced high precision x-ray grid with high grid line uniformity with the detector for frequency matching. The grid was aligned to the detector by translating and rotating the x-ray grid with respect to the detector using microcontrolled alignment mechanism. The gap between the grid and the detector surface was adjusted with micrometer precision to precisely match the projected grid line pitch to the detector pixel pitch. Considering the magnification of the grid shadows on the detector plane, the grids were manufactured such that the grid line frequency was slightly higher than the detector sampling frequency. This study examined the factors that affect the moiré pattern, particularly the line frequency and displacement. The frequency of the moiré pattern was found to be sensitive to the angular displacement of the grid with respect to the detector while the horizontal translation alters the phase but not the moiré frequency. The frequency of the moiré pattern also decreased with decreasing difference in frequency between the grid and the detector, and a moiré-free image was produced after complete matching for a given source to detector distance. The image quality factors including the contrast, signal-to-noise ratio and uniformity in the images with and without the moiré pattern were investigated.

Synthesis and evaluation of phase detectors for active bit synchronizers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcbride, A. L.

1974-01-01

Self-synchronizing digital data communication systems usually use active or phase-locked loop (PLL) bit synchronizers. The three main elements of PLL synchronizers are the phase detector, loop filter, and the voltage controlled oscillator. Of these three elements, phase detector synthesis is the main source of difficulty, particularly when the received signals are demodulated square-wave signals. A phase detector synthesis technique is reviewed that provides a physically realizable design for bit synchronizer phase detectors. The development is based upon nonlinear recursive estimation methods. The phase detector portion of the algorithm is isolated and analyzed.

An automatic analyzer of solid state nuclear track detectors using an optic RAM as image sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staderini, Enrico Maria; Castellano, Alfredo

1986-02-01

An optic RAM is a conventional digital random access read/write dynamic memory device featuring a quartz windowed package and memory cells regularly ordered on the chip. Such a device is used as an image sensor because each cell retains data stored in it for a time depending on the intensity of the light incident on the cell itself. The authors have developed a system which uses an optic RAM to acquire and digitize images from electrochemically etched CR39 solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD) in the track count rate up to 5000 cm -2. On the digital image so obtained, a microprocessor, with appropriate software, performs image analysis, filtering, tracks counting and evaluation.

Portable microcontroller-based instrument for near-infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giardini, Mario E.; Corti, Mario; Lago, Paolo; Gelmetti, Andrea

2000-05-01

Near IR Spectroscopy (NIRS) can be employed to noninvasively and continuously measure in-vivo local changes in haemodynamics and oxygenation of human tissues. In particular, the technique can be particularly useful for muscular functional monitoring. We present a portable NIRS research-grade acquisition system prototype, strictly dedicate to low-noise measurements during muscular exercise. The prototype is able to control four LED sources and a detector. Such a number of sources allows for multipoint measurements or for multi-wavelength spectroscopy of tissue constituents other than oxygen, such as cytochrome aa3 oxidation. The LEDs and the detector are mounted on separate probes, which carry also the relevant drivers and preamplifiers. By employing surface-mount technologies, probe size and weight are kept to a minimum. A single-chip mixed-signal RISC microcontroller performs source-to- detector multiplexing with a digital correlation technique. The acquired data are stored on an on-board 64 K EEPROM bank, and can be subsequently uploaded to a personal computer via serial port for further analysis. The resulting instrument is compact and lightweight. Preliminary test of the prototype on oxygen consumption during tourniquet- induced forearm ischaemia show adequate detectivity and time response.

The Gigatracker: An ultra-fast and low-mass silicon pixel detector for the NA62 experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiorini, M.; Carassiti, V.; Ceccucci, A.; Cortina, E.; Cotta Ramusino, A.; Dellacasa, G.; Garbolino, S.; Jarron, P.; Kaplon, J.; Kluge, A.; Mapelli, A.; Marchetto, F.; Martin, E.; Martoiu, S.; Mazza, G.; Morel, M.; Noy, M.; Nuessle, G.; Petrucci, F.; Riedler, P.; Aglieri Rinella, G.; Rivetti, A.; Tiuraniemi, S.

2011-02-01

The Gigatracker is a hybrid silicon pixel detector developed to track the highly intense NA62 hadron beam with a time resolution of 150 ps (rms). The beam spectrometer of the experiment is composed of three Gigatracker stations installed in vacuum in order to precisely measure momentum, time and direction of every traversing particle. Precise tracking demands a very low mass of the detector assembly ( <0.5% X0 per station) in order to limit multiple scattering and beam hadronic interactions. The high rate and especially the high timing precision requirements are very demanding: two R&D options are ongoing and the corresponding prototype read-out chips have been recently designed and produced in 0.13 μm CMOS technology. One solution makes use of a constant fraction discriminator and on-pixel analogue-based time-to-digital-converter (TDC); the other comprises a delay-locked loop based TDC placed at the end of each pixel column and a time-over-threshold discriminator with time-walk correction technique. The current status of the R&D program is overviewed and results from the prototype read-out chips test are presented.

Test Equipment and Method to Characterize a SWIR Digital Imaging System

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

based on Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) detectors are sensitive in the visible and near infrared (NIR) bands, and used only at night. They produce images from... current from the silicon sensor located on the sphere. The irradiance responsivity, Rn, is the ratio of the silicon detector current and the absolute...silicon detector currents , in accordance with equation 1: ( , ,)[ 2⁄ ] = [] ( ,

A Comparative Study Using Numerical Methods for Surface X Ray Doses with Conventional and Digital Radiology Equipment in Pediatric Radiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dan, Posa Ioan; Florin, Georgescu Remus; Virgil, Ciobanu; Antonescu, Elisabeta

2011-09-01

The place of the study is a pediatrics clinic which realizes a great variety of emergency, ambulatory ad hospital examinations. The radiology compartment respects work procedures and a system to ensure the quality of X ray examinations. The results show a constant for the programmator of the digital detector machine for the tension applied to the tube. For the screen-film detector machine the applied tension increases proportionally with the physical development of the child considering the trunk thickness.

Dynamic flat panel detector versus image intensifier in cardiac imaging: dose and image quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vano, E.; Geiger, B.; Schreiner, A.; Back, C.; Beissel, J.

2005-12-01

The practical aspects of the dosimetric and imaging performance of a digital x-ray system for cardiology procedures were evaluated. The system was configured with an image intensifier (II) and later upgraded to a dynamic flat panel detector (FD). Entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) to phantoms of 16, 20, 24 and 28 cm of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and the image quality of a test object were measured. Images were evaluated directly on the monitor and with numerical methods (noise and signal-to-noise ratio). Information contained in the DICOM header for dosimetry audit purposes was also tested. ESAK values per frame (or kerma rate) for the most commonly used cine and fluoroscopy modes for different PMMA thicknesses and for field sizes of 17 and 23 cm for II, and 20 and 25 cm for FD, produced similar results in the evaluated system with both technologies, ranging between 19 and 589 µGy/frame (cine) and 5 and 95 mGy min-1 (fluoroscopy). Image quality for these dose settings was better for the FD version. The 'study dosimetric report' is comprehensive, and its numerical content is sufficiently accurate. There is potential in the future to set those systems with dynamic FD to lower doses than are possible in the current II versions, especially for digital cine runs, or to benefit from improved image quality.

Readout and DAQ for Pixel Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Platkevic, Michal

2010-01-01

Data readout and acquisition control of pixel detectors demand the transfer of significantly a large amounts of bits between the detector and the computer. For this purpose dedicated interfaces are used which are designed with focus on features like speed, small dimensions or flexibility of use such as digital signal processors, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) and USB communication ports. This work summarizes the readout and DAQ system built for state-of-the-art pixel detectors of the Medipix family.

Highly-Integrated CMOS Interface Circuits for SiPM-Based PET Imaging Systems.

PubMed

Dey, Samrat; Lewellen, Thomas K; Miyaoka, Robert S; Rudell, Jacques C

2012-01-01

Recent developments in the area of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) detectors using Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) have demonstrated the feasibility of higher resolution PET scanners due to a significant reduction in the detector form factor. The increased detector density requires a proportionally larger number of channels to interface the SiPM array with the backend digital signal processing necessary for eventual image reconstruction. This work presents a CMOS ASIC design for signal reducing readout electronics in support of an 8×8 silicon photomultiplier array. The row/column/diagonal summation circuit significantly reduces the number of required channels, reducing the cost of subsequent digitizing electronics. Current amplifiers are used with a single input from each SiPM cathode. This approach helps to reduce the detector loading, while generating all the necessary row, column and diagonal addressing information. In addition, the single current amplifier used in our Pulse-Positioning architecture facilitates the extraction of pulse timing information. Other components under design at present include a current-mode comparator which enables threshold detection for dark noise current reduction, a transimpedance amplifier and a variable output impedance I/O driver which adapts to a wide range of loading conditions between the ASIC and lines with the off-chip Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs).

Highly-Integrated CMOS Interface Circuits for SiPM-Based PET Imaging Systems

PubMed Central

Dey, Samrat; Lewellen, Thomas K.; Miyaoka, Robert S.; Rudell, Jacques C.

2013-01-01

Recent developments in the area of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) detectors using Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) have demonstrated the feasibility of higher resolution PET scanners due to a significant reduction in the detector form factor. The increased detector density requires a proportionally larger number of channels to interface the SiPM array with the backend digital signal processing necessary for eventual image reconstruction. This work presents a CMOS ASIC design for signal reducing readout electronics in support of an 8×8 silicon photomultiplier array. The row/column/diagonal summation circuit significantly reduces the number of required channels, reducing the cost of subsequent digitizing electronics. Current amplifiers are used with a single input from each SiPM cathode. This approach helps to reduce the detector loading, while generating all the necessary row, column and diagonal addressing information. In addition, the single current amplifier used in our Pulse-Positioning architecture facilitates the extraction of pulse timing information. Other components under design at present include a current-mode comparator which enables threshold detection for dark noise current reduction, a transimpedance amplifier and a variable output impedance I/O driver which adapts to a wide range of loading conditions between the ASIC and lines with the off-chip Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs). PMID:24301987

A Neutron Burst Associated with an Extensive Air Shower?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alves, Mauro; Martin, Inacio; Shkevov, Rumen; Gusev, Anatoly; De Abreu, Alessandro

2016-07-01

A portable and compact system based on a He-3 tube (LND, USA; model 25311) with an area of approximately 250 cm² and is used to record neutron count rates at ground level in the energy range of 0.025 eV to 10 MeV, in São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil (23° 12' 45" S, 45° 52' 00" W; altitude, 660m). The detector, power supply, digitizer and other hardware are housed in an air-conditioned room. The detector power supply and digitizer are not connected to the main electricity network; a high-capacity 12-V battery is used to power the detector and digitizer. Neutron counts are accumulated at 1-minute intervals continuously. The data are stored in a PC for further analysis. In February 8, 2015, at 12 h 22 min (local time) during a period of fair weather with minimal cloud cover (< 1 okta) the neutron detector recorded a sharp (count rate = 27 neutrons/min) and brief (< 1 min) increase in the count rate. In the days before and after this event, the neutron count rate has oscillated between 0 and 3 neutrons/min. Since the occurrence of this event is not related with spurious signals, malfunctioning equipment, oscillations in the mains voltage, etc. we are led to believe that the sharp increase was caused by a physical source such as a an extensive air shower that occurred over the detector.

Survey of student attitudes towards digital simulation technologies at a dental school in China.

PubMed

Ren, Q; Wang, Y; Zheng, Q; Ye, L; Zhou, X D; Zhang, L L

2017-08-01

Digital simulation technologies have become widespread in healthcare education, especially in dentistry; these technologies include digital X-ray images, digital microscopes, virtual pathology slides and other types of simulation. This study aimed to assess students' attitudes towards digital simulation technologies at a large, top-ranked dental school in China, as well as find out how students compare the digital technologies with traditional training methods. In April 2015, a custom-designed questionnaire was distributed to a total of 389 students who had received digital technology and simulation-based training in West China Dental School during 2012-2014. Results of a cross-sectional survey show that most students accept digital simulation technology; they report that the technology is stimulating and facilitates self-directed and self-paced learning. These findings, together with the objective advantages of digital technology, suggest that digital simulation training offers significant potential for dental education, highlighting the need for further research and more widespread implementation. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Theoretical and Monte Carlo optimization of a stacked three-layer flat-panel x-ray imager for applications in multi-spectral diagnostic medical imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez Maurino, Sebastian; Badano, Aldo; Cunningham, Ian A.; Karim, Karim S.

2016-03-01

We propose a new design of a stacked three-layer flat-panel x-ray detector for dual-energy (DE) imaging. Each layer consists of its own scintillator of individual thickness and an underlying thin-film-transistor-based flat-panel. Three images are obtained simultaneously in the detector during the same x-ray exposure, thereby eliminating any motion artifacts. The detector operation is two-fold: a conventional radiography image can be obtained by combining all three layers' images, while a DE subtraction image can be obtained from the front and back layers' images, where the middle layer acts as a mid-filter that helps achieve spectral separation. We proceed to optimize the detector parameters for two sample imaging tasks that could particularly benefit from this new detector by obtaining the best possible signal to noise ratio per root entrance exposure using well-established theoretical models adapted to fit our new design. These results are compared to a conventional DE temporal subtraction detector and a single-shot DE subtraction detector with a copper mid-filter, both of which underwent the same theoretical optimization. The findings are then validated using advanced Monte Carlo simulations for all optimized detector setups. Given the performance expected from initial results and the recent decrease in price for digital x-ray detectors, the simplicity of the three-layer stacked imager approach appears promising to usher in a new generation of multi-spectral digital x-ray diagnostics.

Design of a digital multiradian phase detector and its application in fusion plasma interferometry.

PubMed

Mlynek, A; Schramm, G; Eixenberger, H; Sips, G; McCormick, K; Zilker, M; Behler, K; Eheberg, J

2010-03-01

We discuss the circuit design of a digital multiradian phase detector that measures the phase difference between two 10 kHz square wave TTL signals and provides the result as a binary number. The phase resolution of the circuit is 1/64 period and its dynamic range is 256 periods. This circuit has been developed for fusion plasma interferometry with submillimeter waves on the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. The results from interferometric density measurement are discussed and compared to those obtained with the previously used phase detectors, especially with respect to the occurrence of phase jumps. It is illustrated that the new phase measurement provides a powerful tool for automatic real-time validation of the measured density, which is important for feedback algorithms that are sensitive to spurious density signals.

Test of GET Electronics for the CHIMERA and FARCOS multi-detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Luca, S.; Acosta, L.; Auditore, L.; Boiano, C.; Cardella, G.; Castoldi, A.; D'Andrea, M.; De Filippo, E.; Dell'Aquila, D.; Fichera, F.; Gnoffo, B.; Guazzoni, C.; Lanzalone, G.; Lombardo, I.; Martorana, N. S.; Minniti, T.; Norella, S.; Pagano, A.; Pagano, E. V.; Papa, M.; Pirrone, S.; Politi, G.; Quattrocchi, L.; Rizzo, F.; Russotto, P.; Saccà, G.; Trifirò, A.; Trimarchi, M.; Verde, G.; Vigilante, M.

2017-11-01

In this paper we present the results of the tests on the new digital electronics GET (General Electronics for Tpc), which will be used for the readout of the CsI(Tl) detectors of CHIMERA (Charged Heavy Ion Mass and Energy Resolving Array) and for the new correlator FARCOS (Femtoscope ARray for COrrelations and Spectroscopy). The new electronics allows us to digitize the full waveform of the signals produced by the detector. Among its features it is worth noticing the compactness and low power consumption (5W for 256 channels). Tests have been performed with pulsers, radioactive sources and ion beams. With such electronics very good results in energy resolution and isotope separation of the detected fragments were obtained, by using both hardware and software filters.

First results from the NEMO Test Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riccobene, Giorgio; NEMO Collaboration

2007-03-01

The NEMO (NEutrino Mediterranean Observatory) Collaboration is constructing, 25 km E from Catania (Sicily) at 2000 m depth, an underwater test site to perform long-term tests of prototypes and new technologies for an underwater high energy neutrino detector in the Mediterranean Sea. In this framework the collaboration deployed and operated an experimental apparatus for on-line monitoring of deep-sea noise. The station is equipped with 4 hydrophones operational in the range 30 Hz - 40 kHz. This interval of frequencies matches the range suitable for acoustic detection of high energy neutrino-induced showers in water. Hydrophone signals are digitized underwater at 96 kHz sampling frequency and 24 bits resolution. A custom software was developed to record data on high resolution 4-channels PCM .le. Data are used to model underwater acoustic noise as a function of frequency and time, a mandatory parametre for future acoustic neutrino detectors. Results indicate that the average noise in the site is compatible with noise produced in condition of sea surface agitation (sea state.)

Enhancements to a Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) Multiplexer Readout and Control System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forgione, J.; Benford, D. J.; Buchanan, E. D.; Moseley, S. H.; Rebar, J.; Shafer, R. A.

2004-01-01

Far-infrared detector arrays such as the 16x32 superconducting bolometer array for the SAFIRE instrument (flying on the SOFIA airborne observatory) require systems of readout and control electronics to provide translation between a user-driven, digital PC and the cold, analog world of the cryogenic detector. In 2001, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed their Mark III electronics for purposes of control and readout of their 1x32 SQUID Multiplexer chips. We at NASA s Goddard Space Flight Center acquired a Mark 111 system and subsequently designed upgrades to suit our and our collaborators purposes. We developed an arbitrary, programmable multiplexing system that allows the user to cycle through rows in a SQUID array in an infinite number of combinations. We provided hooks in the Mark III system to allow readout of signals from outside the Mark 111 system, such as telescope status information. Finally, we augmented the heart of the system with a new feedback algorithm implementation, flexible diagnostic tools, and informative telemetry.

Enhancements to a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) multiplexer readout and control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forgione, Joshua B.; Benford, Dominic J.; Buchanan, Ernest D.; Moseley, S. H., Jr.; Rebar, Joyce; Shafer, Richard A.

2004-10-01

Far-infrared detector arrays such as the 16x32 superconducting bolometer array for the SAFIRE instrument (flying on the SOFIA airborne observatory) require systems of readout and control electronics to provide translation between a user-driven, digital PC and the cold, analog world of the cryogenic detector. In 2001, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed their Mark III electronics for purposes of control and readout of their 1x32 SQUID Multiplexer chips. We at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center acquired a Mark III system and subsequently designed upgrades to suit our and our collaborators' purposes. We developed an arbitrary, programmable multiplexing system that allows the user to cycle through rows in a SQUID array in an infinite number of combinations. We provided 'hooks' in the Mark III system to allow readout of signals from outside the Mark III system, such as telescope status information. Finally, we augmented the heart of the system with a new feedback algorithm implementation, flexible diagnostic tools, and informative telemetry.

A tailored 200 parameter VME based data acquisition system for IBA at the Lund Ion Beam Analysis Facility - Hardware and software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elfman, Mikael; Ros, Linus; Kristiansson, Per; Nilsson, E. J. Charlotta; Pallon, Jan

2016-03-01

With the recent advances towards modern Ion Beam Analysis (IBA), going from one- or few-parameter detector systems to multi-parameter systems, it has been necessary to expand and replace the more than twenty years old CAMAC based system. A new VME multi-parameter (presently up to 200 channels) data acquisition and control system has been developed and implemented at the Lund Ion Beam Analysis Facility (LIBAF). The system is based on the VX-511 Single Board Computer (SBC), acting as master with arbiter functionality and consists of standard VME modules like Analog to Digital Converters (ADC's), Charge to Digital Converters (QDC's), Time to Digital Converters (TDC's), scaler's, IO-cards, high voltage and waveform units. The modules have been specially selected to support all of the present detector systems in the laboratory, with the option of future expansion. Typically, the detector systems consist of silicon strip detectors, silicon drift detectors and scintillator detectors, for detection of charged particles, X-rays and γ-rays. The data flow of the raw data buffers out from the VME bus to the final storage place on a 16 terabyte network attached storage disc (NAS-disc) is described. The acquisition process, remotely controlled over one of the SBCs ethernet channels, is also discussed. The user interface is written in the Kmax software package, and is used to control the acquisition process as well as for advanced online and offline data analysis through a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI). In this work the system implementation, layout and performance are presented. The user interface and possibilities for advanced offline analysis are also discussed and illustrated.

Achieving subpixel resolution with time-correlated transient signals in pixelated CdZnTe gamma-ray sensors using a focused laser beam (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ocampo Giraldo, Luis A.; Bolotnikov, Aleksey E.; Camarda, Giuseppe S.; Cui, Yonggang; De Geronimo, Gianluigi; Gul, Rubi; Fried, Jack; Hossain, Anwar; Unlu, Kenan; Vernon, Emerson; Yang, Ge; James, Ralph B.

2017-05-01

High-resolution position-sensitive detectors have been proposed to correct response non-uniformities in Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) crystals by virtually subdividing the detectors area into small voxels and equalizing responses from each voxel. 3D pixelated detectors coupled with multichannel readout electronics are the most advanced type of CZT devices offering many options in signal processing and enhancing detector performance. One recent innovation proposed for pixelated detectors is to use the induced (transient) signals from neighboring pixels to achieve high sub-pixel position resolution while keeping large pixel sizes. The main hurdle in achieving this goal is the relatively low signal induced on the neighboring pixels because of the electrostatic shielding effect caused by the collecting pixel. In addition, to achieve high position sensitivity one should rely on time-correlated transient signals, which means that digitized output signals must be used. We present the results of our studies to measure the amplitude of the pixel signals so that these can be used to measure positions of the interaction points. This is done with the processing of digitized correlated time signals measured from several adjacent pixels taking into account rise-time and charge-sharing effects. In these measurements we used a focused pulsed laser to generate a 10-micron beam at one milliwatt (650-nm wavelength) over the detector surface while the collecting pixel was moved in cardinal directions. The results include measurements that present the benefits of combining conventional pixel geometry with digital pulse processing for the best approach in achieving sub-pixel position resolution with the pixel dimensions of approximately 2 mm. We also present the sub-pixel resolution measurements at comparable energies from various gamma emitting isotopes.

Performance of optimum detector structures for noisy intersymbol interference channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Womer, J. D.; Fritchman, B. D.; Kanal, L. N.

1971-01-01

The errors which arise in transmitting digital information by radio or wireline systems because of additive noise from successively transmitted signals interfering with one another are described. The probability of error and the performance of optimum detector structures are examined. A comparative study of the performance of certain detector structures and approximations to them, and the performance of a transversal equalizer are included.

Gated high speed optical detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, S. I.; Carson, L. M.; Neal, G. W.

1973-01-01

The design, fabrication, and test of two gated, high speed optical detectors for use in high speed digital laser communication links are discussed. The optical detectors used a dynamic crossed field photomultiplier and electronics including dc bias and RF drive circuits, automatic remote synchronization circuits, automatic gain control circuits, and threshold detection circuits. The equipment is used to detect binary encoded signals from a mode locked neodynium laser.

High dynamic range CMOS-based mammography detector for FFDM and DBT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, Inge M.; Smit, Chiel; Miller, James J.; Lomako, Andrey

2016-03-01

Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT) requires excellent image quality in a dynamic mode at very low dose levels while Full Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) is a static imaging modality that requires high saturation dose levels. These opposing requirements can only be met by a dynamic detector with a high dynamic range. This paper will discuss a wafer-scale CMOS-based mammography detector with 49.5 μm pixels and a CsI scintillator. Excellent image quality is obtained for FFDM as well as DBT applications, comparing favorably with a-Se detectors that dominate the X-ray mammography market today. The typical dynamic range of a mammography detector is not high enough to accommodate both the low noise and the high saturation dose requirements for DBT and FFDM applications, respectively. An approach based on gain switching does not provide the signal-to-noise benefits in the low-dose DBT conditions. The solution to this is to add frame summing functionality to the detector. In one X-ray pulse several image frames will be acquired and summed. The requirements to implement this into a detector are low noise levels, high frame rates and low lag performance, all of which are unique characteristics of CMOS detectors. Results are presented to prove that excellent image quality is achieved, using a single detector for both DBT as well as FFDM dose conditions. This method of frame summing gave the opportunity to optimize the detector noise and saturation level for DBT applications, to achieve high DQE level at low dose, without compromising the FFDM performance.

Bolometric kinetic inductance detector technology for sub-millimeter radiometric imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassel, Juha; Timofeev, Andrey V.; Vesterinen, Visa; Sipola, Hannu; Helistö, Panu; Aikio, Mika; Mäyrä, Aki; Grönberg, Leif; Luukanen, Arttu

2015-10-01

Radiometric sub-millimeter imaging is a candidate technology especially in security screening applications utilizing the property of radiation in the band of 0.2 - 1.0 THz to penetrate through dielectric substances such as clothing. The challenge of the passive technology is the fact that the irradiance corresponding to the blackbody radiation is very weak in this spectral band: about two orders of magnitude below that of the infrared band. Therefore the role of the detector technology is of ultimate importance to achieve sufficient sensitivity. In this paper we present results related to our technology relying on superconducting kinetic inductance detectors operating in a thermal (bolometric) mode. The detector technology is motivated by the fact that it is naturally suitable for scalable multiplexed readout systems, and operates with relatively simple cryogenics. We will review the basic concepts of the detectors, and provide experimental figures of merit. Furthermore, we will discuss the issues related to the scale-up of our detector technology into large 2D focal plane arrays.

Programmable noise bandwidth reduction by means of digital averaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poklemba, John J. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

Predetection noise bandwidth reduction is effected by a pre-averager capable of digitally averaging the samples of an input data signal over two or more symbols, the averaging interval being defined by the input sampling rate divided by the output sampling rate. As the averaged sample is clocked to a suitable detector at a much slower rate than the input signal sampling rate the noise bandwidth at the input to the detector is reduced, the input to the detector having an improved signal to noise ratio as a result of the averaging process, and the rate at which such subsequent processing must operate is correspondingly reduced. The pre-averager forms a data filter having an output sampling rate of one sample per symbol of received data. More specifically, selected ones of a plurality of samples accumulated over two or more symbol intervals are output in response to clock signals at a rate of one sample per symbol interval. The pre-averager includes circuitry for weighting digitized signal samples using stored finite impulse response (FIR) filter coefficients. A method according to the present invention is also disclosed.

Digital Rise-Time Discrimination of Pulses from the Tigress Integrated Plunger Silicon PIN Diode Wall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voss, P.; Henderson, R.; Andreoiu, C.; Ashley, R.; Ball, G. C.; Bender, P. C.; Chester, A.; Cross, D. S.; Drake, T. E.; Garnsworthy, A. B.; Hackman, G.; Ketelhut, S.; Krücken, R.; Miller, D.; Rajabali, M. M.; Starosta, K.; Svensson, C. E.; Tardiff, E.; Unsworth, C.; Wang, Z.-M.

Electromagnetic transition rate measurements play an important role in characterizing the evolution of nuclear structure with increasing proton-neutron asymmetry. At TRIUMF, the TIGRESS Integrated Plunger device and its suite of ancillary detector systems have been implemented for charged-particle tagging and light-ion identification in coincidence with gamma-ray spectroscopy for Doppler-shift lifetime studies and low-energy Coulomb excitation measurements. Digital pulse-shape analysis of signals from these ancillary detectors for particle identification improves the signal-to-noise ratio of gamma-ray energy spectra. Here, we illustrate the reaction-channel selectivity achieved by utilizing digital rise-time discrimination of waveforms from alpha particles and carbon ions detected with silicon PIN diodes, thereby enhancing gamma-ray line-shape signatures for precision lifetime studies.

Resistor-less charge sensitive amplifier for semiconductor detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelczar, K.; Panas, K.; Zuzel, G.

2016-11-01

A new concept of a Charge Sensitive Amplifier without a high-value resistor in the feedback loop is presented. Basic spectroscopic parameters of the amplifier coupled to a coaxial High Purity Germanium detector (HPGe) are discussed. The amplifier signal input is realized with an n-channel J-FET transistor. The feedback capacitor is discharged continuously by the second, forward biased n-channel J-FET, driven by an RC low-pass filter. Both the analog-with a standard spectroscopy amplifier and a multi-channel analyzer-and the digital-by applying a Flash Analog to Digital Converter-signal readouts were tested. The achieved resolution in the analog and the digital readouts was 0.17% and 0.21%, respectively, at the Full Width at Half Maximum of the registered 60Co 1332.5 keV gamma line.

Intraoral radiology in general dental practices - a comparison of digital and film-based X-ray systems with regard to radiation protection and dose reduction.

PubMed

Anissi, H D; Geibel, M A

2014-08-01

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the distribution and application of digital intraoral radiographic techniques within general dental practices and to compare these with film-based systems in terms of patient dose reduction. 1100 questionnaires were handed out to general dental practitioners. Data was analyzed with respect to the type of system by using descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests, i.e. Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney and chi-square test (SPSS 20). 64% of the questioned dentists still use film-based radiology, 23% utilize storage phosphor plate (SPP) systems and 13% use a charge-coupled device (CCD). A strong correlation between the number of dentists working in a practice and the use of digital dental imaging was observed. Almost 3/4 of the film users work with E- or F-speed film. 45% of them refuse to change to a digital system. The use of lead aprons was popular, while only a minority preferred thyroid shields and rectangular collimators. A fourfold reduction of exposure time from D-speed film to CCD systems was observed. Due to detector size and positioning errors, users of CCD systems take significantly more single-tooth radiographs in total. Considering the number of radiographs per patient, there is only a slight tendency towards more X-rays with CCD systems. Up to image generation, digital systems seem to be as or even more difficult to handle than film-based systems, while their handling was favored after radiographic exposure. Despite a slight increase of radiographs taken with CCD systems, there is a significant dosage reduction. Corresponding to the decrease in exposure time, the patient dose for SPP systems is reduced to one half compared to film. The main issues in CCD technology are positioning errors and the size of the X-ray detectors which are difficult to eliminate. The usage of radiation protection measures still needs to be improved. ► Responsible use of digital intraoral radiology results in a significant dose reduction in everyday practice. ► The ALARA principle is only achieved by strict implementation of dose-reducing methods. ► The efforts to use dose-reducing devices must be increased. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Analog pixel array detectors.

PubMed

Ercan, A; Tate, M W; Gruner, S M

2006-03-01

X-ray pixel array detectors (PADs) are generally thought of as either digital photon counters (DPADs) or X-ray analog-integrating pixel array detectors (APADs). Experiences with APADs, which are especially well suited for X-ray imaging experiments where transient or high instantaneous flux events must be recorded, are reported. The design, characterization and experimental applications of several APAD designs developed at Cornell University are discussed. The simplest design is a ;flash' architecture, wherein successive integrated X-ray images, as short as several hundred nanoseconds in duration, are stored in the detector chips for later off-chip digitization. Radiography experiments using a prototype flash APAD are summarized. Another design has been implemented that combines flash capability with the ability to continuously stream X-ray images at slower (e.g. milliseconds) rates. Progress is described towards radiation-hardened APADs that can be tiled to cover a large area. A mixed-mode PAD, design by combining many of the attractive features of both APADs and DPADs, is also described.

Performance of the Versatile Array of Neutron Detectors at Low Energy (VANDLE)

DOE PAGES

Peters, W. A.; Ilyushkin, S.; Madurga, M.; ...

2016-08-26

The Versatile Array of Neutron Detectors at Low Energy (VANDLE) is a new, highly efficient plastic-scintillator array constructed for decay and transfer reaction experimental setups that require neutron detection. The versatile and modular design allows for customizable experimental setups including beta-delayed neutron spectroscopy and (d,n) transfer reactions in normal and inverse kinematics. The neutron energy and prompt-photon discrimination is determined through the time of flight technique. Fully digital data acquisition electronics and integrated triggering logic enables some VANDLE modules to achieve an intrinsic efficiency over 70% for 300-keV neutrons, measured through two different methods. A custom Geant4 simulation models aspectsmore » of the detector array and the experimental setups to determine efficiency and detector response. Lastly, a low detection threshold, due to the trigger logic and digitizing data acquisition, allowed us to measure the light-yield response curve from elastically scattered carbon nuclei inside the scintillating plastic from incident neutrons with kinetic energies below 2 MeV.« less

Digital-data receiver synchronization

DOEpatents

Smith, Stephen F.; Turner, Gary W.

2005-08-02

Digital-data receiver synchronization is provided with composite phase-frequency detectors, mutually cross-connected comparison feedback or both to provide robust reception of digital data signals. A single master clock can be used to provide frequency signals. Advantages can include fast lock-up time in moderately to severely noisy conditions, greater tolerance to noise and jitter when locked, and improved tolerance to clock asymmetries.

Digital-data receiver synchronization method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Smith, Stephen F.; Turner, Gary W.

2005-12-06

Digital-data receiver synchronization is provided with composite phase-frequency detectors, mutually cross-connected comparison feedback or both to provide robust reception of digital data signals. A single master clock may be used to provide frequency signals. Advantages can include fast lock-up time in moderately to severely noisy conditions, greater tolerance to noise and jitter when locked, and improved tolerance to clock asymmetries.

Digital-data receiver synchronization method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Smith, Stephen F [Loudon, TN; Turner, Gary W [Clinton, TN

2009-09-08

Digital data receiver synchronization is provided with composite phase-frequency detectors, mutually cross-connected comparison feedback or both to provide robust reception of digital data signals. A single master clock can be used to provide frequency signals. Advantages can include fast lock-up time in moderately to severely noisy conditions, greater tolerance to noise and jitter when locked, and improved tolerance to clock asymmetries.

Digital Radiography Using Digital Detector Arrays Fulfills Critical Applications for Offshore Pipelines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreira, EdsonVasques; Barbosa Rabello, JoséMaurício; Pereira, MarcelodosSantos; Lopes, RicardoTadeu; Zscherpel, Uwe

2010-12-01

Digital radiography in the inspection of welded pipes to be installed under deep water offshore gas and oil pipelines, like a presalt in Brazil, in the paper has been investigated. The aim is to use digital radiography for nondestructive testing of welds as it is already in use in the medical, aerospace, security, automotive, and petrochemical sectors. Among the current options, the DDA (Digital Detector Array) is considered as one of the best solutions to replace industrial films, as well as to increase the sensitivity to reduce the inspection cycle time. This paper shows the results of this new technique, comparing it to radiography with industrial films systems. In this paper, 20 test specimens of longitudinal welded pipe joints, specially prepared with artificial defects like cracks, lack of fusion, lack of penetration, and porosities and slag inclusions with varying dimensions and in 06 different base metal wall thicknesses, were tested and a comparison of the techniques was made. These experiments verified the purposed rules for parameter definitions and selections to control the required digital radiographic image quality as described in the draft international standard ISO/DIS 10893-7. This draft is first standard establishing the parameters for digital radiography on weld seam of welded steel pipes for pressure purposes to be used on gas and oil pipelines.

Digital Downsides: Exploring University Students' Negative Engagements with Digital Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selwyn, Neil

2016-01-01

Digital technologies are now an integral feature of university study. As such, academic research has tended to concentrate on the potential of digital technologies to support, extend and even "enhance" student learning. This paper, in contrast, explores the rather more messy realities of students' engagements with digital technology. In…

Digital SPC switching technology: Foreign technology assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischman, Kurt; Jorstad, Norman D.

1990-12-01

This paper provides a foreign technology assessment of digital switching technology. Leading suppliers of digital switching technology are identified; although the United States holds a large part of the market, major companies in France, Sweden, Japan, the U.K., and Germany are also important. These countries, along with Belgium and Canada, are the most innovative and technically advanced. A listing is provided of transfers of digital switching technology to non-COCOM countries through licensing and joint ventures which reflects the widespread dissemination of this technology. Detailed technical specifications are provided for selected digital switching systems worldwide. The report concludes that considering the degree to which the technology is in place, that control of digital switching technology may not be feasible.

Fractional-N phase-locked loop for split and direct automatic frequency control in A-GPS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Chester Sungchung; Park, Sungkyung

2018-07-01

A low-power mixed-signal phase-locked loop (PLL) is modelled and designed for the DigRF interface between the RF chip and the modem chip. An assisted-GPS or A-GPS multi-standard system includes the DigRF interface and uses the split automatic frequency control (AFC) technique. The PLL circuitry uses the direct AFC technique and is based on the fractional-N architecture using a digital delta-sigma modulator along with a digital counter, fulfilling simple ultra-high-resolution AFC with robust digital circuitry and its timing. Relative to the output frequency, the measured AFC resolution or accuracy is <5 parts per billion (ppb) or on the order of a Hertz. The cycle-to-cycle rms jitter is <6 ps and the typical settling time is <30 μs. A spur reduction technique is adopted and implemented as well, demonstrating spur reduction without employing dithering. The proposed PLL includes a low-leakage phase-frequency detector, a low-drop-out regulator, power-on-reset circuitry and precharge circuitry. The PLL is implemented in a 90-nm CMOS process technology with 1.2 V single supply. The overall PLL draws about 1.1 mA from the supply.

Automatic Exposure Control Device for Digital Mammography

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-08-01

developing innovative approaches for controlling DM exposures. These approaches entail using the digital detector and an artificial neural network to...of interest that determine the exposure parameters for the fully exposed image; and (2) to use an artificial neural network to select exposure

Automatic Exposure Control Device for Digital Mammography

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-08-01

developing innovative approaches for controlling DM exposures. These approaches entail using the digital detector and an artificial neural network to...of interest that determine the exposure parameters for the fully exposed image; and (2) to use an artificial neural network to select exposure

SoLid Detector Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labare, Mathieu

2017-09-01

SoLid is a reactor anti-neutrino experiment where a novel detector is deployed at a minimum distance of 5.5 m from a nuclear reactor core. The purpose of the experiment is three-fold: to search for neutrino oscillations at a very short baseline; to measure the pure 235U neutrino energy spectrum; and to demonstrate the feasibility of neutrino detectors for reactor monitoring. This report presents the unique features of the SoLid detector technology. The technology has been optimised for a high background environment resulting from low overburden and the vicinity of a nuclear reactor. The versatility of the detector technology is demonstrated with a 288 kg detector prototype which was deployed at the BR2 nuclear reactor in 2015. The data presented includes both reactor on, reactor off and calibration measurements. The measurement results are compared with Monte Carlo simulations. The 1.6t SoLid detector is currently under construction, with an optimised design and upgraded material technology to enhance the detector capabilities. Its deployement on site is planned for the begin of 2017 and offers the prospect to resolve the reactor anomaly within about two years.

Observation and analysis of microcirculation using high-spatial-resolution image detectors and synchrotron radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umetani, Keiji; Yagi, Naoto; Suzuki, Yoshio; Ogasawara, Yasuo; Kajiya, Fumihiko; Matsumoto, Takeshi; Tachibana, Hiroyuki; Goto, Masami; Yamashita, Takenori; Imai, Shigeki; Kajihara, Yasumasa

2000-04-01

A microangiography system using monochromatized synchrotron radiation has been investigated as a diagnostic tool for circulatory disorders and early stage malignant tumors. The monochromatized X-rays with energies just above the contrast agent K-absorption edge energy can produce the highest contrast image of the contrast agent in small blood vessels. At SPring-8, digital microradiography with 6 - 24 micrometer pixel sizes has been carried out using two types of detectors designed for X-ray indirect and direct detection. The indirect-sensing detectors are fluorescent-screen optical-lens coupling systems using a high-sensitivity pickup-tube camera and a CCD camera. An X-ray image on the fluorescent screen is focused on the photoconductive layer of the pickup tube and the photosensitive area of the CCD by a small F number lens. The direct-sensing detector consists of an X-ray direct- sensing pickup tube with a beryllium faceplate for X-ray incidence to the photoconductive layer. Absorbed X-rays in the photoconductive layer are directly converted to photoelectrons and then signal charges are readout by electron beam scanning. The direct-sensing detector was expected to have higher spatial resolution in comparison with the indict-sensing detectors. Performance of the X-ray image detectors was examined at the bending magnet beamline BL20B2 using monochromatized X-ray at SPring-8. Image signals from the camera are converted into digital format by an analog-to- digital converter and stored in a frame memory with image format of 1024 X 1024 pixels. In preliminary experiments, tumor vessel specimens using barium contrast agent were prepared for taking static images. The growth pattern of tumor-induced vessels was clearly visualized. Heart muscle specimens were prepared for imaging of 3-dimensional microtomography using the fluorescent-screen CCD camera system. The complex structure of small blood vessels with diameters of 30 - 40 micrometer was visualized as a 3- dimensional CT image.

Sub-millimetre DOI detector based on monolithic LYSO and digital SiPM for a dedicated small-animal PET system.

PubMed

Marcinkowski, Radosław; Mollet, Pieter; Van Holen, Roel; Vandenberghe, Stefaan

2016-03-07

The mouse model is widely used in a vast range of biomedical and preclinical studies. Thanks to the ability to detect and quantify biological processes at the molecular level in vivo, PET has become a well-established tool in these investigations. However, the need to visualize and quantify radiopharmaceuticals in anatomic structures of millimetre or less requires good spatial resolution and sensitivity from small-animal PET imaging systems.In previous work we have presented a proof-of-concept of a dedicated high-resolution small-animal PET scanner based on thin monolithic scintillator crystals and Digital Photon Counter photosensor. The combination of thin monolithic crystals and MLE positioning algorithm resulted in an excellent spatial resolution of 0.7 mm uniform in the entire field of view (FOV). However, the limitation of the scanner was its low sensitivity due to small thickness of the lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO) crystals (2 mm).Here we present an improved detector design for a small-animal PET system that simultaneously achieves higher sensitivity and sustains a sub-millimetre spatial resolution. The proposed detector consists of a 5 mm thick monolithic LYSO crystal optically coupled to a Digital Photon Counter. Mean nearest neighbour (MNN) positioning combined with depth of interaction (DOI) decoding was employed to achieve sub-millimetre spatial resolution. To evaluate detector performance the intrinsic spatial resolution, energy resolution and coincidence resolving time (CRT) were measured. The average intrinsic spatial resolution of the detector was 0.60 mm full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM). A DOI resolution of 1.66 mm was achieved. The energy resolution was 23% FWHM at 511 keV and CRT of 529 ps were measured. The improved detector design overcomes the sensitivity limitation of the previous design by increasing the nominal sensitivity of the detector block and retains an excellent intrinsic spatial resolution.

Waveform digitization for high resolution timing detectors with silicon photomultipliers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ronzhin, A.; Albrow, M. G.; Los, S.

2012-03-01

The results of time resolution studies with silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) read out with high bandwidth constant fraction discrimination electronics were presented earlier [1-3]. Here we describe the application of fast waveform digitization readout based on the DRS4 chip [4], a switched capacitor array (SCA) produced by the Paul Scherrer Institute, to further our goal of developing high time resolution detectors based on SiPMs. The influence of the SiPM signal shape on the time resolution was investigated. Different algorithms to obtain the best time resolution are described, and test beam results are presented.

NIR light propagation in a digital head model for traumatic brain injury (TBI)

PubMed Central

Francis, Robert; Khan, Bilal; Alexandrakis, George; Florence, James; MacFarlane, Duncan

2015-01-01

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is capable of detecting and monitoring acute changes in cerebral blood volume and oxygenation associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Wavelength selection, source-detector separation, optode density, and detector sensitivity are key design parameters that determine the imaging depth, chromophore separability, and, ultimately, clinical usefulness of a NIRS instrument. We present simulation results of NIR light propagation in a digital head model as it relates to the ability to detect intracranial hematomas and monitor the peri-hematomal tissue viability. These results inform NIRS instrument design specific to TBI diagnosis and monitoring. PMID:26417498

Compact multichannel MEMS based spectrometer for FBG sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganziy, D.; Rose, B.; Bang, O.

2017-04-01

We propose a novel type of compact multichannel MEMS based spectrometer, where we replace the linear detector with a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). The DMD is typically cheaper and has better pixel sampling than an InGaAs detector used in the 1550 nm range, which leads to cost reduction and better performance. Moreover, the DMD is a 2D array, which means that multichannel systems can be implemented without any additional optical components in the spectrometer. This makes the proposed interrogator highly cost-effective. The digital nature of the DMD also provides opportunities for advanced programmable spectroscopy.

Compton suppression in BEGe detectors by digital pulse shape analysis.

PubMed

Mi, Yu-Hao; Ma, Hao; Zeng, Zhi; Cheng, Jian-Ping; Li, Jun-Li; Zhang, Hui

2017-03-01

A new method of pulse shape discrimination (PSD) for BEGe detectors is developed to suppress Compton-continuum by digital pulse shape analysis (PSA), which helps reduce the Compton background level in gamma ray spectrometry. A decision parameter related to the rise time of a pulse shape was presented. The method was verified by experiments using 60 Co and 137 Cs sources. The result indicated that the 60 Co Peak to Compton ratio and the Cs-Peak to Co-Compton ratio could be improved by more than two and three times, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and Performance of the Astro-E/XRS Signal Processing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyce, Kevin R.; Audley, M. D.; Baker, R. G.; Dumonthier, J. J.; Fujimoto, R.; Gendreau, K. C.; Ishisaki, Y.; Kelley, R. L.; Stahle, C. K.; Szymkowiak, A. E.

1999-01-01

We describe the signal processing system of the Astro-E XRS instrument. The Calorimeter Analog Processor (CAP) provides bias and power for the detectors and amplifies the detector signals by a factor of 20,000. The Calorimeter Digital Processor (CDP) performs the digital processing of the calorimeter signals, detecting X-ray pulses and analyzing them by optimal filtering. We describe the operation of pulse detection, Pulse height analysis. and risetime determination. We also discuss performance, including the three event grades (hi-res mid-res, and low-res). anticoincidence detection, counting rate dependence, and noise rejection.

SPIDER: Next Generation Chip Scale Imaging Sensor Update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, A.; Kendrick, R.; Ogden, C.; Wuchenich, D.; Thurman, S.; Su, T.; Lai, W.; Chun, J.; Li, S.; Liu, G.; Yoo, S. J. B.

2016-09-01

The Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (LM ATC) and the University of California at Davis (UC Davis) are developing an electro-optical (EO) imaging sensor called SPIDER (Segmented Planar Imaging Detector for Electro-optical Reconnaissance) that seeks to provide a 10x to 100x size, weight, and power (SWaP) reduction alternative to the traditional bulky optical telescope and focal-plane detector array. The substantial reductions in SWaP would reduce cost and/or provide higher resolution by enabling a larger-aperture imager in a constrained volume. Our SPIDER imager replaces the traditional optical telescope and digital focal plane detector array with a densely packed interferometer array based on emerging photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technologies that samples the object being imaged in the Fourier domain (i.e., spatial frequency domain), and then reconstructs an image. Our approach replaces the large optics and structures required by a conventional telescope with PICs that are accommodated by standard lithographic fabrication techniques (e.g., complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication). The standard EO payload integration and test process that involves precision alignment and test of optical components to form a diffraction limited telescope is, therefore, replaced by in-process integration and test as part of the PIC fabrication, which substantially reduces associated schedule and cost. This paper provides an overview of performance data on the second-generation PIC for SPIDER developed under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)'s SPIDER Zoom research funding. We also update the design description of the SPIDER Zoom imaging sensor and the second-generation PIC (high- and low resolution versions).

Testbed Experiment for SPIDER: A Photonic Integrated Circuit-based Interferometric imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badham, K.; Duncan, A.; Kendrick, R. L.; Wuchenich, D.; Ogden, C.; Chriqui, G.; Thurman, S. T.; Su, T.; Lai, W.; Chun, J.; Li, S.; Liu, G.; Yoo, S. J. B.

The Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (LM ATC) and the University of California at Davis (UC Davis) are developing an electro-optical (EO) imaging sensor called SPIDER (Segmented Planar Imaging Detector for Electro-optical Reconnaissance) that seeks to provide a 10x to 100x size, weight, and power (SWaP) reduction alternative to the traditional bulky optical telescope and focal-plane detector array. The substantial reductions in SWaP would reduce cost and/or provide higher resolution by enabling a larger-aperture imager in a constrained volume. Our SPIDER imager replaces the traditional optical telescope and digital focal plane detector array with a densely packed interferometer array based on emerging photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technologies that samples the object being imaged in the Fourier domain (i.e., spatial frequency domain), and then reconstructs an image. Our approach replaces the large optics and structures required by a conventional telescope with PICs that are accommodated by standard lithographic fabrication techniques (e.g., complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication). The standard EO payload integration and test process that involves precision alignment and test of optical components to form a diffraction limited telescope is, therefore, replaced by in-process integration and test as part of the PIC fabrication, which substantially reduces associated schedule and cost. In this paper we describe the photonic integrated circuit design and the testbed used to create the first images of extended scenes. We summarize the image reconstruction steps and present the final images. We also describe our next generation PIC design for a larger (16x area, 4x field of view) image.

The Science and Technology of Future Space Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonati, A.; Fusi, R.; Longoni, F.

1999-12-01

The future space missions span over a wide range of scientific objectives. After different successful scientific missions, other international cornerstone experiments are planned to study of the evolution of the universe and of the primordial stellar systems, and our solar system. Space missions for the survey of the microwave cosmic background radiation, deep-field search in the near and mid-infrared region and planetary exploration will be carried out. Several fields are open for research and development in the space business. Three major categories can be found: detector technology in different areas, electronics, and software. At LABEN, a Finmeccanica Company, we are focusing the technologies to respond to this challenging scientific demands. Particle trackers based on silicon micro-strips supported by lightweight structures (CFRP) are studied. In the X-ray field, CCD's are investigated with pixels of very small size so as to increase the spatial resolution of the focal plane detectors. High-efficiency and higly miniaturized high-voltage power supplies are developed for detectors with an increasingly large number of phototubes. Material research is underway to study material properties at extreme temperatures. Low-temperature mechanical structures are designed for cryogenic ( 20 K) detectors in order to maintain the high precision in pointing the instrument. Miniaturization of front end electronics with low power consumption and high number of signal processing channels is investigated; silicon-based microchips (ASIC's) are designed and developed using state-of-the-art technology. Miniaturized instruments to investigate the planets surface using X-Ray and Gamma-Ray scattering techniques are developed. The data obtained from the detectors have to be processed, compressed, formatted and stored before their transmission to ground. These tasks open up additional strategic areas of development such as microprocessor-based electronics for high-speed and parallel data processing. Powerful computers with customized architectures are designed and developed. High-speed intercommunication networks are studied and tested. In parallel to the hardware research activities, software development is undertaken for several purposes: digital and video compression algorithms, payload and spacecraft control and diagnostics, scientific processing algorithms, etc. Besides, embedded Java virtual machines are studied for tele-science applications (direct link between scientist console and scientific payload). At system engineering level, the demand for spacecraft autonomy is increased for planetology missions: reliable intelligent systems that can operate for long periods of time without human intervention from ground are requested and investigated. A technologically challenging but less glamorous area of development is represented by the laboratory equipment for end-to-end testing (on ground) of payload instruments. The main fields are cryogenics, laser and X-ray optics, microwave radiometry, UV and infrared testing systems.

"There's Not Enough Knowledge Out There": Examining Older Adults' Perceptions of Digital Technology Use and Digital Inclusion Classes.

PubMed

Betts, Lucy R; Hill, Rowena; Gardner, Sarah E

2017-10-01

Older adults' definitions of digital technology, and experiences of digital inclusion sessions, were examined using qualitative approaches. Seventeen older adults (aged between 54 and 85 years) participated in two focus groups that each lasted approximately 90 min to explore how older adults understood technology within their lived experience. Interpretative phenomenological analysis yielded two main themes: thirst for knowledge and a wish list for digital technology sessions. A separate content analysis was performed to identify what technology older adults identified as digital technology. This analysis revealed that the older adults most frequently defined digital technology as computers and telephones. The findings support the conclusions that this group of older adults, some of whom were "successful users," have a wide knowledge of digital technology, are interested in gaining more skills, and desire knowledge acquisition through personalized one-to-one learning sessions.

[Understanding chair-side digital technology for stomatology from an engineering viewpoint].

PubMed

Zhao, Y J; Wang, Y

2018-04-09

In recent years with the rapid development of digital technology for stomatology, the application field, application model, technical features and technical connotation of the chair-side digital technology has got development and change. The open modular system has gradually replaced the traditional closed system, and the application field of digital technology is no longer limited to chair-side dental restoration, it also has been extend to various kinds of chair-side digital treatment-assisted technology. In this paper, from the engineering point of view, the up to date general connotation of chair-side digital technology was explained, the characteristics and the development of each unit in chair-side digital technology were analyzed, and the application pattern and the localization status were also discussed in this paper. The aim of this paper was to introduce the trend of chair-side digital technological to readers and to better guide clinical application.

Radiology utilizing a gas multiwire detector with resolution enhancement

DOEpatents

Majewski, Stanislaw; Majewski, Lucasz A.

1999-09-28

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for obtaining filmless, radiological, digital images utilizing a gas multiwire detector. Resolution is enhanced through projection geometry. This invention further relates to imaging systems for X-ray examination of patients or objects, and is particularly suited for mammography.

The beam test of muon detector parameters for the SHiP experiment at CERN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Likhacheva, V. L.; Kudenko, Yu. G.; Mefodiev, A. V.; Mineev, O. V.; Khotyantsev, A. N.

2018-01-01

Scintillation detectors based on extruded plastics have been tested in a 10 GeV/c beam at CERN. The scintillation signal readout was provided using optical wavelength shifting fibers Y11 Kuraray and Hamamatsu MPPC micropixel avalanche photodiodes. The light yield was scanned along and across the detectors. Time resolution was found by fitting the MPPC digitized pulse rise and other methods.

Design and Implementation of a New Real-Time Frequency Sensor Used as Hardware Countermeasure

PubMed Central

Jiménez-Naharro, Raúl; Gómez-Galán, Juan Antonio; Sánchez-Raya, Manuel; Gómez-Bravo, Fernando; Pedro-Carrasco, Manuel

2013-01-01

A new digital countermeasure against attacks related to the clock frequency is –presented. This countermeasure, known as frequency sensor, consists of a local oscillator, a transition detector, a measurement element and an output block. The countermeasure has been designed using a full-custom technique implemented in an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and the implementation has been verified and characterized with an integrated design using a 0.35 μm standard Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology (Very Large Scale Implementation—VLSI implementation). The proposed solution is configurable in resolution time and allowed range of period, achieving a minimum resolution time of only 1.91 ns and an initialization time of 5.84 ns. The proposed VLSI implementation shows better results than other solutions, such as digital ones based on semi-custom techniques and analog ones based on band pass filters, all design parameters considered. Finally, a counter has been used to verify the good performance of the countermeasure in avoiding the success of an attack. PMID:24008285

A PET detector prototype based on digital SiPMs and GAGG scintillators.

PubMed

Schneider, Florian R; Shimazoe, Kenji; Somlai-Schweiger, Ian; Ziegler, Sibylle I

2015-02-21

Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM) are interesting light sensors for Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The detector signal of analog SiPMs is the total charge of all fired cells. Energy and time information have to be determined with dedicated readout electronics. Philips Digital Photon Counting has developed a SiPM with added electronics on cell level delivering a digital value of the time stamp and number of fired cells. These so called Digital Photon Counters (DPC) are fully digital devices. In this study, the feasibility of using DPCs in combination with LYSO (Lutetium Yttrium Oxyorthosilicate) and GAGG (Gadolinium Aluminum Gallium Garnet) scintillators for PET is tested. Each DPC module has 64 channels with 3.2 × 3.8775 mm(2), comprising 3200 cells each. GAGG is a recently developed scintillator (Zeff = 54, 6.63 g cm(-3), 520 nm peak emission, 46 000 photons MeV(-1), 88 ns (92%) and 230 ns (8%) decay times, non-hygroscopic, chemically and mechanically stable). Individual crystals of 2 × 2 × 6 mm(3) were coupled onto each DPC pixel. LYSO coupled to the DPC results in a coincidence time resolution (CTR) of 171 ps FWHM and an energy resolution of 12.6% FWHM at 511 keV. Using GAGG, coincidence timing is 310 ps FWHM and energy resolution is 8.5% FWHM. A PET detector prototype with 2 DPCs equipped with a GAGG array matching the pixel size (3.2 × 3.8775 × 8 mm(3)) was assembled. To emulate a ring of 10 modules, objects are rotated in the field of view. CTR of the PET is 619 ps and energy resolution is 9.2% FWHM. The iterative MLEM reconstruction is based on system matrices calculated with an analytical detector response function model. A phantom with rods of different diameters filled with (18)F was used for tomographic tests.

A PET detector prototype based on digital SiPMs and GAGG scintillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Florian R.; Shimazoe, Kenji; Somlai-Schweiger, Ian; Ziegler, Sibylle I.

2015-02-01

Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM) are interesting light sensors for Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The detector signal of analog SiPMs is the total charge of all fired cells. Energy and time information have to be determined with dedicated readout electronics. Philips Digital Photon Counting has developed a SiPM with added electronics on cell level delivering a digital value of the time stamp and number of fired cells. These so called Digital Photon Counters (DPC) are fully digital devices. In this study, the feasibility of using DPCs in combination with LYSO (Lutetium Yttrium Oxyorthosilicate) and GAGG (Gadolinium Aluminum Gallium Garnet) scintillators for PET is tested. Each DPC module has 64 channels with 3.2 × 3.8775 mm2, comprising 3200 cells each. GAGG is a recently developed scintillator (Zeff = 54, 6.63 g cm-3, 520 nm peak emission, 46 000 photons MeV-1, 88 ns (92%) and 230 ns (8%) decay times, non-hygroscopic, chemically and mechanically stable). Individual crystals of 2 × 2 × 6 mm3 were coupled onto each DPC pixel. LYSO coupled to the DPC results in a coincidence time resolution (CTR) of 171 ps FWHM and an energy resolution of 12.6% FWHM at 511 keV. Using GAGG, coincidence timing is 310 ps FWHM and energy resolution is 8.5% FWHM. A PET detector prototype with 2 DPCs equipped with a GAGG array matching the pixel size (3.2 × 3.8775 × 8 mm3) was assembled. To emulate a ring of 10 modules, objects are rotated in the field of view. CTR of the PET is 619 ps and energy resolution is 9.2% FWHM. The iterative MLEM reconstruction is based on system matrices calculated with an analytical detector response function model. A phantom with rods of different diameters filled with 18F was used for tomographic tests.

Readout Electronics for the Central Drift Chamber of the Belle-II Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, Tomohisa; Taniguchi, Takashi; Ikeno, Masahiro; Iwasaki, Yoshihito; Saito, Masatoshi; Shimazaki, Shoichi; Tanaka, Manobu M.; Taniguchi, Nanae; Uno, Shoji

2015-08-01

We have developed readout electronics for the central drift chamber (CDC) of the Belle-II detector. The space near the endplate of the CDC for installation of the electronics was limited by the detector structure. Due to the large amounts of data generated by the CDC, a high-speed data link, with a greater than one gigabit transfer rate, was required to transfer the data to a back-end computer. A new readout module was required to satisfy these requirements. This module processes 48 signals from the CDC, converts them to digital data and transfers it directly to the computer. All functions that transfer digital data via the high speed link were implemented on the single module. We have measured its electrical characteristics and confirmed that the results satisfy the requirements of the Belle-II experiment.

Silicon CMOS optical receiver circuits with integrated thin-film compound semiconductor detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooke, Martin A.; Lee, Myunghee; Jokerst, Nan Marie; Camperi-Ginestet, C.

1995-04-01

While many circuit designers have tackled the problem of CMOS digital communications receiver design, few have considered the problem of circuitry suitable for an all CMOS digital IC fabrication process. Faced with a high speed receiver design the circuit designer will soon conclude that a high speed analog-oriented fabrication process provides superior performance advantages to a digital CMOS process. However, for applications where there are overwhelming reasons to integrate the receivers on the same IC as large amounts of conventional digital circuitry, the low yield and high cost of the exotic analog-oriented fabrication is no longer an option. The issues that result from a requirement to use a digital CMOS IC process cut across all aspects of receiver design, and result in significant differences in circuit design philosophy and topology. Digital ICs are primarily designed to yield small, fast CMOS devices for digital logic gates, thus no effort is put into providing accurate or high speed resistances, or capacitors. This lack of any reliable resistance or capacitance has a significant impact on receiver design. Since resistance optimization is not a prerogative of the digital IC process engineer, the wisest option is thus to not use these elements, opting instead for active circuitry to replace the functions normally ascribed to resistance and capacitance. Depending on the application receiver noise may be a dominant design constraint. The noise performance of CMOS amplifiers is different than bipolar or GaAs MESFET circuits, shot noise is generally insignificant when compared to channel thermal noise. As a result the optimal input stage topology is significantly different for the different technologies. It is found that, at speeds of operation approaching the limits of the digital CMOS process, open loop designs have noise-power-gain-bandwidth tradeoff performance superior to feedback designs. Furthermore, the lack of good resisters and capacitors complicates the use of feedback circuits. Thus feedback is generally not used in the front-end of our digital process CMOS receivers.

Primary school teachers' use of digital technology in mathematics: the complexities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loong, Esther Yook-Kin; Herbert, Sandra

2018-02-01

This paper seeks to theorise primary teachers' degree of integration of digital technology in the mathematics classroom. In an age where digital technology use is ubiquitous, the issues surrounding teachers' choice, and ultimately their uptake of digital technologies in the classroom, is an area that need to be further unpacked. Cross-case analysis of the two teachers' uptake of digital technologies in their classroom, their pedagogical approaches and the reason for their choices provide insight into teachers' technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK). Differences in the way the teachers use digital technology in their classroom seem to be connected to their TPACK developmental stage.

MCT (HgCdTe) IR detectors: latest developments in France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reibel, Yann; Rubaldo, Laurent; Vaz, Cedric; Tribolet, Philippe; Baier, Nicolas; Destefanis, Gérard

2010-10-01

This paper presents an overview of the very recent developments of the MCT infrared detector technology developed by CEA-LETI and Sofradir in France. New applications require high sensitivity, higher operating temperature and dual band detectors. The standard n on p technology in production at Sofradir for 25 years is well mastered with an extremely robust and reliable process. Sofradir's interest in p on n technology opens the perspective of reducing dark current of diodes so detectors could operate in lower flux or higher operating temperature. In parallel, MCT Avalanche Photo Diodes (APD) have demonstrated ideal performances for low flux and high speed application like laser gated imaging during the last few years. This technology also opens new prospects on next generation of imaging detectors for compact, low flux and low power applications. Regarding 3rd Gen IR detectors, the development of dual-band infrared detectors has been the core of intense research and technological improvements for the last ten years. New TV (640 x 512 pixels) format MWIR/LWIR detectors on 20μm pixel pitch, made from Molecular Beam Epitaxy, has been developed with dedicated Read-Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC) for real simultaneous detection and maximum SNR. Technological and products achievements, as well as latest results and performances are presented outlining the availability of p/n, avalanche photodiodes and dual band technologies for new applications at system level.

Digital Sensor Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ted Quinn; Jerry Mauck; Richard Bockhorst

The nuclear industry has been slow to incorporate digital sensor technology into nuclear plant designs due to concerns with digital qualification issues. However, the benefits of digital sensor technology for nuclear plant instrumentation are substantial in terms of accuracy, reliability, availability, and maintainability. This report demonstrates these benefits in direct comparisons of digital and analog sensor applications. It also addresses the qualification issues that must be addressed in the application of digital sensor technology.

Detector Control and Data Acquisition for the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) with a Custom ASIC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Brian S.; Loose, Markus; Alkire, Greg; Joshi, Atul; Kelly, Daniel; Siskind, Eric; Rossetti, Dino; Mah, Jonathan; Cheng, Edward; Miko, Laddawan;

Method and apparatus for measuring spatial uniformity of radiation

DOEpatents

Field, Halden

2002-01-01

A method and apparatus for measuring the spatial uniformity of the intensity of a radiation beam from a radiation source based on a single sampling time and/or a single pulse of radiation. The measuring apparatus includes a plurality of radiation detectors positioned on planar mounting plate to form a radiation receiving area that has a shape and size approximating the size and shape of the cross section of the radiation beam. The detectors concurrently receive portions of the radiation beam and transmit electrical signals representative of the intensity of impinging radiation to a signal processor circuit connected to each of the detectors and adapted to concurrently receive the electrical signals from the detectors and process with a central processing unit (CPU) the signals to determine intensities of the radiation impinging at each detector location. The CPU displays the determined intensities and relative intensity values corresponding to each detector location to an operator of the measuring apparatus on an included data display device. Concurrent sampling of each detector is achieved by connecting to each detector a sample and hold circuit that is configured to track the signal and store it upon receipt of a "capture" signal. A switching device then selectively retrieves the signals and transmits the signals to the CPU through a single analog to digital (A/D) converter. The "capture" signal. is then removed from the sample-and-hold circuits. Alternatively, concurrent sampling is achieved by providing an A/D converter for each detector, each of which transmits a corresponding digital signal to the CPU. The sampling or reading of the detector signals can be controlled by the CPU or level-detection and timing circuit.

Digitized neutron imaging with high spatial resolution at a low power research reactor: I. Analysis of detector performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zawisky, M.; Hameed, F.; Dyrnjaja, E.; Springer, J.

2008-03-01

Imaging techniques provide an indispensable tool for investigation of materials. Neutrons, due to their specific properties, offer a unique probe for many aspects of condensed matter. Neutron imaging techniques present a challenging experimental task, especially at a low power research reactor. The Atomic Institute with a 250 kW TRIGA MARK II reactor looks back at a long tradition in neutron imaging. Here we report on the advantages gained in a recent upgrade of the imaging instrument including the acquisition of a thin-plate scintillation detector, a single counting micro-channel plate detector, and an imaging plate detector in combination with a high resolution scanner. We analyze the strengths and limitations of each detector in the field of neutron radiography and tomography, and demonstrate that high resolution digitized imaging down to the 50 μm scale can be accomplished with weak beam intensities of 1.3×10 5 n/cm 2 s, if appropriate measures are taken for the inevitable extension of measurement times. In a separate paper we will present some promising first results from the fields of engineering and geology.

Active noise canceling system for mechanically cooled germanium radiation detectors

DOEpatents

Nelson, Karl Einar; Burks, Morgan T

2014-04-22

A microphonics noise cancellation system and method for improving the energy resolution for mechanically cooled high-purity Germanium (HPGe) detector systems. A classical adaptive noise canceling digital processing system using an adaptive predictor is used in an MCA to attenuate the microphonics noise source making the system more deployable.

Voss with Bonner Ball Neutron Detector Control Unit in Destiny laboratory

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-03-23

ISS002-E-5714 (23 March 2001) --- Astronaut James S. Voss, Expedition Two flight engineer, sets up the Bonner Ball Neutron Detector (BBND) in the Destiny laboratory. The BBND is connected to the Human Research Facility (HRF). This image was recorded with a digital still camera.

Quantitative single-particle digital autoradiography with α-particle emitters for targeted radionuclide therapy using the iQID camera

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Brian W., E-mail: brian.miller@pnnl.gov; Frost, Sofia H. L.; Frayo, Shani L.

2015-07-15

Purpose: Alpha-emitting radionuclides exhibit a potential advantage for cancer treatments because they release large amounts of ionizing energy over a few cell diameters (50–80 μm), causing localized, irreparable double-strand DNA breaks that lead to cell death. Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) approaches using monoclonal antibodies labeled with α emitters may thus inactivate targeted cells with minimal radiation damage to surrounding tissues. Tools are needed to visualize and quantify the radioactivity distribution and absorbed doses to targeted and nontargeted cells for accurate dosimetry of all treatment regimens utilizing α particles, including RIT and others (e.g., Ra-223), especially for organs and tumors with heterogeneous radionuclidemore » distributions. The aim of this study was to evaluate and characterize a novel single-particle digital autoradiography imager, the ionizing-radiation quantum imaging detector (iQID) camera, for use in α-RIT experiments. Methods: The iQID camera is a scintillator-based radiation detection system that images and identifies charged-particle and gamma-ray/x-ray emissions spatially and temporally on an event-by-event basis. It employs CCD-CMOS cameras and high-performance computing hardware for real-time imaging and activity quantification of tissue sections, approaching cellular resolutions. In this work, the authors evaluated its characteristics for α-particle imaging, including measurements of intrinsic detector spatial resolutions and background count rates at various detector configurations and quantification of activity distributions. The technique was assessed for quantitative imaging of astatine-211 ({sup 211}At) activity distributions in cryosections of murine and canine tissue samples. Results: The highest spatial resolution was measured at ∼20 μm full width at half maximum and the α-particle background was measured at a rate as low as (2.6 ± 0.5) × 10{sup −4} cpm/cm{sup 2} (40 mm diameter detector area). Simultaneous imaging of multiple tissue sections was performed using a large-area iQID configuration (ø 11.5 cm). Estimation of the {sup 211}At activity distribution was demonstrated at mBq/μg-levels. Conclusions: Single-particle digital autoradiography of α emitters has advantages over traditional film-based autoradiographic techniques that use phosphor screens, in terms of spatial resolution, sensitivity, and activity quantification capability. The system features and characterization results presented in this study show that the iQID is a promising technology for microdosimetry, because it provides necessary information for interpreting alpha-RIT outcomes and for predicting the therapeutic efficacy of cell-targeted approaches using α emitters.« less

Quantitative single-particle digital autoradiography with α-particle emitters for targeted radionuclide therapy using the iQID camera.

PubMed

Miller, Brian W; Frost, Sofia H L; Frayo, Shani L; Kenoyer, Aimee L; Santos, Erlinda; Jones, Jon C; Green, Damian J; Hamlin, Donald K; Wilbur, D Scott; Fisher, Darrell R; Orozco, Johnnie J; Press, Oliver W; Pagel, John M; Sandmaier, Brenda M

2015-07-01

Alpha-emitting radionuclides exhibit a potential advantage for cancer treatments because they release large amounts of ionizing energy over a few cell diameters (50-80 μm), causing localized, irreparable double-strand DNA breaks that lead to cell death. Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) approaches using monoclonal antibodies labeled with α emitters may thus inactivate targeted cells with minimal radiation damage to surrounding tissues. Tools are needed to visualize and quantify the radioactivity distribution and absorbed doses to targeted and nontargeted cells for accurate dosimetry of all treatment regimens utilizing α particles, including RIT and others (e.g., Ra-223), especially for organs and tumors with heterogeneous radionuclide distributions. The aim of this study was to evaluate and characterize a novel single-particle digital autoradiography imager, the ionizing-radiation quantum imaging detector (iQID) camera, for use in α-RIT experiments. The iQID camera is a scintillator-based radiation detection system that images and identifies charged-particle and gamma-ray/x-ray emissions spatially and temporally on an event-by-event basis. It employs CCD-CMOS cameras and high-performance computing hardware for real-time imaging and activity quantification of tissue sections, approaching cellular resolutions. In this work, the authors evaluated its characteristics for α-particle imaging, including measurements of intrinsic detector spatial resolutions and background count rates at various detector configurations and quantification of activity distributions. The technique was assessed for quantitative imaging of astatine-211 ((211)At) activity distributions in cryosections of murine and canine tissue samples. The highest spatial resolution was measured at ∼20 μm full width at half maximum and the α-particle background was measured at a rate as low as (2.6 ± 0.5) × 10(-4) cpm/cm(2) (40 mm diameter detector area). Simultaneous imaging of multiple tissue sections was performed using a large-area iQID configuration (ø 11.5 cm). Estimation of the (211)At activity distribution was demonstrated at mBq/μg-levels. Single-particle digital autoradiography of α emitters has advantages over traditional film-based autoradiographic techniques that use phosphor screens, in terms of spatial resolution, sensitivity, and activity quantification capability. The system features and characterization results presented in this study show that the iQID is a promising technology for microdosimetry, because it provides necessary information for interpreting alpha-RIT outcomes and for predicting the therapeutic efficacy of cell-targeted approaches using α emitters.

The Impact of Developing Technology on Media Communications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacDonald, Lindsay W.

1997-01-01

Examines changes in media communications resulting from new information technologies: communications technologies (networks, World Wide Web, digital set-top box); graphic arts (digital photography, CD and digital archives, desktop design and publishing, printing technology); television and video (digital editing, interactive television, news and…

Synchronous-digitization for Video Rate Polarization Modulated Beam Scanning Second Harmonic Generation Microscopy.

PubMed

Sullivan, Shane Z; DeWalt, Emma L; Schmitt, Paul D; Muir, Ryan M; Simpson, Garth J

2015-03-09

Fast beam-scanning non-linear optical microscopy, coupled with fast (8 MHz) polarization modulation and analytical modeling have enabled simultaneous nonlinear optical Stokes ellipsometry (NOSE) and linear Stokes ellipsometry imaging at video rate (15 Hz). NOSE enables recovery of the complex-valued Jones tensor that describes the polarization-dependent observables, in contrast to polarimetry, in which the polarization stated of the exciting beam is recorded. Each data acquisition consists of 30 images (10 for each detector, with three detectors operating in parallel), each of which corresponds to polarization-dependent results. Processing of this image set by linear fitting contracts down each set of 10 images to a set of 5 parameters for each detector in second harmonic generation (SHG) and three parameters for the transmittance of the fundamental laser beam. Using these parameters, it is possible to recover the Jones tensor elements of the sample at video rate. Video rate imaging is enabled by performing synchronous digitization (SD), in which a PCIe digital oscilloscope card is synchronized to the laser (the laser is the master clock.) Fast polarization modulation was achieved by modulating an electro-optic modulator synchronously with the laser and digitizer, with a simple sine-wave at 1/10th the period of the laser, producing a repeating pattern of 10 polarization states. This approach was validated using Z-cut quartz, and NOSE microscopy was performed for micro-crystals of naproxen.

Synchronous-digitization for video rate polarization modulated beam scanning second harmonic generation microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, Shane Z.; DeWalt, Emma L.; Schmitt, Paul D.; Muir, Ryan D.; Simpson, Garth J.

2015-03-01

Fast beam-scanning non-linear optical microscopy, coupled with fast (8 MHz) polarization modulation and analytical modeling have enabled simultaneous nonlinear optical Stokes ellipsometry (NOSE) and linear Stokes ellipsometry imaging at video rate (15 Hz). NOSE enables recovery of the complex-valued Jones tensor that describes the polarization-dependent observables, in contrast to polarimetry, in which the polarization stated of the exciting beam is recorded. Each data acquisition consists of 30 images (10 for each detector, with three detectors operating in parallel), each of which corresponds to polarization-dependent results. Processing of this image set by linear fitting contracts down each set of 10 images to a set of 5 parameters for each detector in second harmonic generation (SHG) and three parameters for the transmittance of the fundamental laser beam. Using these parameters, it is possible to recover the Jones tensor elements of the sample at video rate. Video rate imaging is enabled by performing synchronous digitization (SD), in which a PCIe digital oscilloscope card is synchronized to the laser (the laser is the master clock.) Fast polarization modulation was achieved by modulating an electro-optic modulator synchronously with the laser and digitizer, with a simple sine-wave at 1/10th the period of the laser, producing a repeating pattern of 10 polarization states. This approach was validated using Z-cut quartz, and NOSE microscopy was performed for micro-crystals of naproxen.

ASIC Readout Circuit Architecture for Large Geiger Photodiode Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vasile, Stefan; Lipson, Jerold

2012-01-01

The objective of this work was to develop a new class of readout integrated circuit (ROIC) arrays to be operated with Geiger avalanche photodiode (GPD) arrays, by integrating multiple functions at the pixel level (smart-pixel or active pixel technology) in 250-nm CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) processes. In order to pack a maximum of functions within a minimum pixel size, the ROIC array is a full, custom application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design using a mixed-signal CMOS process with compact primitive layout cells. The ROIC array was processed to allow assembly in bump-bonding technology with photon-counting infrared detector arrays into 3-D imaging cameras (LADAR). The ROIC architecture was designed to work with either common- anode Si GPD arrays or common-cathode InGaAs GPD arrays. The current ROIC pixel design is hardwired prior to processing one of the two GPD array configurations, and it has the provision to allow soft reconfiguration to either array (to be implemented into the next ROIC array generation). The ROIC pixel architecture implements the Geiger avalanche quenching, bias, reset, and time to digital conversion (TDC) functions in full-digital design, and uses time domain over-sampling (vernier) to allow high temporal resolution at low clock rates, increased data yield, and improved utilization of the laser beam.

Unfolding and unfoldability of digital pulses in the z-domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regadío, Alberto; Sánchez-Prieto, Sebastián

2018-04-01

The unfolding (or deconvolution) technique is used in the development of digital pulse processing systems applied to particle detection. This technique is applied to digital signals obtained by digitization of analog signals that represent the combined response of the particle detectors and the associated signal conditioning electronics. This work describes a technique to determine if the signal is unfoldable. For unfoldable signals the characteristics of the unfolding system (unfolder) are presented. Finally, examples of the method applied to real experimental setup are discussed.

Advanced Digital Signal Processing for Hybrid Lidar

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-31

usable range of hybrid lidar-radar in a turbid underwater environment. In a highly scattering enviromnent, many photons reaching the detector will...have scattered off particulates in the water, while relatively few photons reaching the detector will have made the round-trip to and from the object...Received power is attenuated according to where P is the power received by the detector , PQIS the power transmitted by the source, c is the beam

Digital Technologies as Education Innovation at Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kryukov, Vladimir; Gorin, Alexey

2017-01-01

This paper analyses the use of digital technology-based education innovations in higher education. It demonstrated that extensive implementation of digital technologies in universities is the main factor conditioning the acceleration of innovative changes in educational processes, while digital technologies themselves become one of the key…

Exploring Doctoral Students' Use of Digital Technologies: What Do They Use Them for and Why?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gouseti, Anastasia

2017-01-01

Digital technologies now form an integral feature of the university student experience and there is a range of studies that explore digital technology use within a higher education context. However, very few of these studies focus on how doctoral students engage with digital technologies. This article aims to throw light on the digital practices…

A study of pile-up in integrated time-correlated single photon counting systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arlt, Jochen; Tyndall, David; Rae, Bruce R.; Li, David D.-U.; Richardson, Justin A.; Henderson, Robert K.

2013-10-01

Recent demonstration of highly integrated, solid-state, time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) systems in CMOS technology is set to provide significant increases in performance over existing bulky, expensive hardware. Arrays of single photon single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors, timing channels, and signal processing can be integrated on a single silicon chip with a degree of parallelism and computational speed that is unattainable by discrete photomultiplier tube and photon counting card solutions. New multi-channel, multi-detector TCSPC sensor architectures with greatly enhanced throughput due to minimal detector transit (dead) time or timing channel dead time are now feasible. In this paper, we study the potential for future integrated, solid-state TCSPC sensors to exceed the photon pile-up limit through analytic formula and simulation. The results are validated using a 10% fill factor SPAD array and an 8-channel, 52 ps resolution time-to-digital conversion architecture with embedded lifetime estimation. It is demonstrated that pile-up insensitive acquisition is attainable at greater than 10 times the pulse repetition rate providing over 60 dB of extended dynamic range to the TCSPC technique. Our results predict future CMOS TCSPC sensors capable of live-cell transient observations in confocal scanning microscopy, improved resolution of near-infrared optical tomography systems, and fluorescence lifetime activated cell sorting.

A study of pile-up in integrated time-correlated single photon counting systems.

PubMed

Arlt, Jochen; Tyndall, David; Rae, Bruce R; Li, David D-U; Richardson, Justin A; Henderson, Robert K

2013-10-01

Recent demonstration of highly integrated, solid-state, time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) systems in CMOS technology is set to provide significant increases in performance over existing bulky, expensive hardware. Arrays of single photon single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors, timing channels, and signal processing can be integrated on a single silicon chip with a degree of parallelism and computational speed that is unattainable by discrete photomultiplier tube and photon counting card solutions. New multi-channel, multi-detector TCSPC sensor architectures with greatly enhanced throughput due to minimal detector transit (dead) time or timing channel dead time are now feasible. In this paper, we study the potential for future integrated, solid-state TCSPC sensors to exceed the photon pile-up limit through analytic formula and simulation. The results are validated using a 10% fill factor SPAD array and an 8-channel, 52 ps resolution time-to-digital conversion architecture with embedded lifetime estimation. It is demonstrated that pile-up insensitive acquisition is attainable at greater than 10 times the pulse repetition rate providing over 60 dB of extended dynamic range to the TCSPC technique. Our results predict future CMOS TCSPC sensors capable of live-cell transient observations in confocal scanning microscopy, improved resolution of near-infrared optical tomography systems, and fluorescence lifetime activated cell sorting.

78 FR 27441 - NIJ Evaluation of Hand-Held Cell Phone Detector Devices

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-10

... Hand-Held Cell Phone Detector Devices AGENCY: National Institute of Justice, Department of Justice...-held cell phone detector devices for participation in an evaluation by the NIJ Corrections Technology...-held cell phone detector devices for participation in an evaluation by the NIJ Corrections Technology...

From Doing Digital to Being Digital: Exploring Workplace Adoption of Technology in the Age of Digital Disruption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murdoch, Donna; Fichter, Rachel

2017-01-01

In this article, it is explored how digital transformation is reshaping existing conceptions of technology adoption in the workplace and, as part of this, why the adoption of enterprise technology often lags behind consumer technology. The effect of business intractability towards technological advancement is examined. Also, the inability to…

Processing circuitry for single channel radiation detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, Samuel D. (Inventor); Delaune, Paul B. (Inventor); Turner, Kathryn M. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

Processing circuitry is provided for a high voltage operated radiation detector. An event detector utilizes a comparator configured to produce an event signal based on a leading edge threshold value. A preferred event detector does not produce another event signal until a trailing edge threshold value is satisfied. The event signal can be utilized for counting the number of particle hits and also for controlling data collection operation for a peak detect circuit and timer. The leading edge threshold value is programmable such that it can be reprogrammed by a remote computer. A digital high voltage control is preferably operable to monitor and adjust high voltage for the detector.

Effective Use of Digital Technologies of High School Teachers as Digital Immigrants in Six Rural Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pattee, Andy

2012-01-01

Problem: A widening experiential gap of effective use of technology in K-12 schools between "digital immigrants" and "digital natives" (Prensky, 2001) is becoming more evident as digital natives become classroom teachers and showcase pedagogical strategies with digital technologies. There is a dearth of research on digital…

Access to digital technology among families coming to urban pediatric primary care clinics.

PubMed

Demartini, Tori L; Beck, Andrew F; Klein, Melissa D; Kahn, Robert S

2013-07-01

Digital technologies offer new platforms for health promotion and disease management. Few studies have evaluated the use of digital technology among families receiving care in an urban pediatric primary care setting. A self-administered survey was given to a convenience sample of caregivers bringing their children to 2 urban pediatric primary care centers in spring 2012. The survey assessed access to home Internet, e-mail, smartphone, and social media (Facebook and Twitter). A "digital technology" scale (0-4) quantified the number of available digital technologies and connections. Frequency of daily use and interest in receiving medical information digitally were also assessed. The survey was completed by 257 caregivers. The sample was drawn from a clinical population that was 73% African American and 92% Medicaid insured with a median patient age of 2.9 years (interquartile range 0.8-7.4). Eighty percent of respondents reported having Internet at home, and 71% had a smartphone. Ninety-one percent reported using e-mail, 78% Facebook, and 27% Twitter. Ninety-seven percent scored ≥1 on the digital technology scale; 49% had a digital technology score of 4. The digital technology score was associated with daily use of digital media in a graded fashion (P < .0001). More than 70% of respondents reported that they would use health care information supplied digitally if approved by their child's medical provider. Caregivers in an urban pediatric primary care setting have access to and frequently use digital technologies. Digital connections may help reach a traditionally hard-to-reach population.

Enhancing Soundtracks From Old Movies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frazer, Robert E.

1992-01-01

Proposed system enhances soundtracks of old movies. Signal on optical soundtrack of film digitized and processed to reduce noise and improve quality; timing signals added, and signal recorded on compact disk. Digital comparator and voltage-controlled oscillator synchronizes speed of film-drive motor and compact disk motor. Frame-coded detector reads binary frame-identifying marks on film. Digital comparator generates error signal if marks on film do not match those on compact disk.

Frequency Domain Multiplexing for Use With NaI[Tl] Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belling, Samuel; Coherent Collaboration

2017-09-01

A process used in many forms of signal communication known as multiplexing is adapted for the purpose of combining signals from NaI[Tl] detectors so that fewer digitizer channels can be used to process the signal information from large experiments within the COHERENT collaboration. Each signal is passed through a ringing circuit to modulate it with a characteristic frequency. Information about the signal can be extracted from its amplitude, frequency, and phase. Simulations in LTSpice show that an operational amplifier circuit with a parallel LRC feedback loop can serve as the modulating circuit. Several such circuits can be constructed and housed compactly in a unit, and fed to an inverting, summing amplifier with tunable gain, such that the signals are carried by one cable. The signals are analyzed based on a Fourier transform after being digitized. The results show that the energy, channel, and time of the original interaction can be recovered by this process. In some cases it is possible through filtering and deconvolution to recover the shape of the original signal. The effort is ongoing, but with the design presented it is possible to multiplex 10 detectors into a single digitizer channel. NSF REU Program at Duke University.

Anti-collusion forensics of multimedia fingerprinting using orthogonal modulation.

PubMed

Wang, Z Jane; Wu, Min; Zhao, Hong Vicky; Trappe, Wade; Liu, K J Ray

2005-06-01

Digital fingerprinting is a method for protecting digital data in which fingerprints that are embedded in multimedia are capable of identifying unauthorized use of digital content. A powerful attack that can be employed to reduce this tracing capability is collusion, where several users combine their copies of the same content to attenuate/remove the original fingerprints. In this paper, we study the collusion resistance of a fingerprinting system employing Gaussian distributed fingerprints and orthogonal modulation. We introduce the maximum detector and the thresholding detector for colluder identification. We then analyze the collusion resistance of a system to the averaging collusion attack for the performance criteria represented by the probability of a false negative and the probability of a false positive. Lower and upper bounds for the maximum number of colluders K(max) are derived. We then show that the detectors are robust to different collusion attacks. We further study different sets of performance criteria, and our results indicate that attacks based on a few dozen independent copies can confound such a fingerprinting system. We also propose a likelihood-based approach to estimate the number of colluders. Finally, we demonstrate the performance for detecting colluders through experiments using real images.

Investigating the Binary Offset Effect in the STIS CCD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debes, John H.; Lockwood, Sean A.

2018-05-01

Recently, Boone et al., (2018) presented the "Binary Offset Effect" for the SNIFS instrument, which uses a CCD detector. The source of this uncertainty is related to the analog-to-digital readout process, which converts the analog electronic signal of the detector into a digital number as represented by binary bits. The Binary Offset Effect is due to cross-talk between the digital conversion process for a source or driver pixel and pixels read out after the driver. In the course of Boone et al.'s experimentation with this effect they identified a similar effect with the STIS CCD. The STIS team has independently investigated the Binary Offset Effect for a range of bias images currently used for scientific observations, broadly confirming that the effect exists. However, our preliminary investigation suggests that the impact is smaller than reported in Boone et al. (2018) for biases taken with Amplifier=D and GAIN=1, and a lesser effect exists for Amplifier=D and GAIN=4. There is a hint that the effect is time variable for the detector. We broadly assess the potential impact of this effect and make recommendations both for users and future directions of investigation.

A Sub-Sampling Approach for Data Acquisition in Gamma Ray Emission Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fysikopoulos, Eleftherios; Kopsinis, Yannis; Georgiou, Maria; Loudos, George

2016-06-01

State of the art data acquisition systems for small animal imaging gamma ray detectors often rely on free running Analog to Digital Converters (ADCs) and high density Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) devices for digital signal processing. In this work, a sub-sampling acquisition approach, which exploits a priori information regarding the shape of the obtained detector pulses is proposed. Output pulses shape depends on the response of the scintillation crystal, photodetector's properties and amplifier/shaper operation. Using these known characteristics of the detector pulses prior to digitization, one can model the voltage pulse derived from the shaper (a low-pass filter, last in the front-end electronics chain), in order to reduce the desirable sampling rate of ADCs. Fitting with a small number of measurements, pulse shape estimation is then feasible. In particular, the proposed sub-sampling acquisition approach relies on a bi-exponential modeling of the pulse shape. We show that the properties of the pulse that are relevant for Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) event detection (i.e., position and energy) can be calculated by collecting just a small fraction of the number of samples usually collected in data acquisition systems used so far. Compared to the standard digitization process, the proposed sub-sampling approach allows the use of free running ADCs with sampling rate reduced by a factor of 5. Two small detectors consisting of Cerium doped Gadolinium Aluminum Gallium Garnet (Gd3Al2Ga3O12 : Ce or GAGG:Ce) pixelated arrays (array elements: 2 × 2 × 5 mm3 and 1 × 1 × 10 mm3 respectively) coupled to a Position Sensitive Photomultiplier Tube (PSPMT) were used for experimental evaluation. The two detectors were used to obtain raw images and energy histograms under 140 keV and 661.7 keV irradiation respectively. The sub-sampling acquisition technique (10 MHz sampling rate) was compared with a standard acquisition method (52 MHz sampling rate), in terms of energy resolution and image signal to noise ratio for both gamma ray energies. The Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) non-linear least-squares algorithm was used, in post processing, in order to fit the acquired data with the proposed model. The results showed that analog pulses prior to digitization are being estimated with high accuracy after fitting with the bi-exponential model.

Compressive Video Acquisition, Fusion and Processing

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-14

architecture that comprises an optical computer (comprising a digital micromirror device, two lenses, a single photon detector, and an analog-to-digital (A/D...of the missing video frames with reasonable accuracy. Also, the similar nature of the four curves suggests that the actual values of (Ωx,Ωh,Γ) are not

Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Using Digital Technologies in Literacy Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierczynski, Melissa

2015-01-01

In order to best prepare our preservice teachers to incorporate digital technologies into future literacy instruction, we must first explore how they perceive implementation of digital technologies in literacy instruction. Limited research exists which examines the employment of digital technologies in literacy instruction, and even less considers…

Interactive Digital Technologies' Use in Southwest Nigerian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agbatogun, Alaba Olaoluwakotansibe

2013-01-01

The interactive digital technologies in education is an effective means used to widen educational opportunities. However, many faculty members do not use or adopt digital technologies as instructional tools. The purpose of this study was to predict faculty members' use of digital technologies in Nigerian Universities. 492 university lecturers from…

Prototype of a gigabit data transmitter in 65 nm CMOS for DEPFET pixel detectors at Belle-II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kishishita, T.; Krüger, H.; Hemperek, T.; Lemarenko, M.; Koch, M.; Gronewald, M.; Wermes, N.

2013-08-01

This paper describes the recent development of a gigabit data transmitter for the Belle-II pixel detector (PXD). The PXD is an innermost detector currently under development for the upgraded KEK-B factory in Japan. The PXD consists of two layers of DEPFET sensor modules located at 1.8 and 2.2 cm radii. Each module is equipped with three different ASIC types mounted on the detector substrate with a flip-chip technique: (a) SWITCHER for generating steering signals for the DEPFET sensors, (b) DCD for digitizing the signal currents, and (c) DHP for performing data processing and sending the data off the module to the back-end data handling hybrid via ∼ 40 cm Kapton flex and 12-15 m twisted pair (TWP) cables. To meet the requirements of the PXD data transmission, a prototype of the DHP data transmitter has been developed in a 65-nm standard CMOS technology. The transmitter test chip consists of current-mode logic (CML) drivers and a phase-locked loop (PLL) which generates a clock signal for a 1.6 Gbit/s output data stream from an 80 cm reference clock. A programmable pre-emphasis circuit is also implemented in the CML driver to compensate signal losses in the long cable by shaping the transmitted pulse response. The jitter performance was measured as 25 ps (1 σ distribution) by connecting the chip with 38 cm flex and 10 m TWP cables.

Perforated semiconductor neutron detectors for battery operated portable modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGregor, Douglas S.; Bellinger, Steven L.; Bruno, David; McNeil, Walter J.; Patterson, Eric; Shultis, J. Kenneth; Solomon, C. J.; Unruh, Troy

2007-09-01

Perforated semiconductor diode detectors have been under development for several years at Kansas State University for a variety of neutron detection applications. The fundamental device configuration is a pin diode detector fabricated from high-purity float zone refined Si wafers. Perforations are etched into the diode surface with inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) reactive ion etching (RIE) and backfilled with 6LiF neutron reactive material. The perforation shapes and depths can be optimized to yield a flat response to neutrons over a wide variation of angles. The prototype devices delivered over 3.8% thermal neutron detection efficiency while operating on only 15 volts. The highest efficiency devices thus far have delivered over 12% thermal neutron detection efficiency. The miniature devices are 5.6 mm in diameter and require minimal power to operate, ranging from 3.3 volts to 15 volts, depending upon the amplifying electronics. The battery operated devices have been incorporated into compact modules with a digital readout. Further, the new modules have incorporated wireless readout technology and can be monitored remotely. The neutron detection modules can be used for neutron dosimetry and neutron monitoring. When coupled with high-density polyethylene, the detectors can be used to measure fission neutrons from spontaneous fission sources. Monto Carlo analysis indicates that the devices can be used in cargo containers as a passive search tool for spontaneous fission sources, such as 240Pu. Measurements with a 252Cf source are being conducted for verification.

High spatial resolution shortwave infrared imaging technology based on time delay and digital accumulation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Jianxin; Wang, Yueming; Zhuang, Xiaoqiong; Yao, Yi; Wang, Shengwei; Zhao, Ding; Shu, Rong; Wang, Jianyu

2017-03-01

Shortwave infrared (SWIR) imaging technology attracts more and more attention by its fascinating ability of penetrating haze and smoke. For application of spaceborne remote sensing, spatial resolution of SWIR is lower compared with that of visible light (VIS) wavelength. It is difficult to balance between the spatial resolution and signal to noise ratio (SNR). Some conventional methods, such as enlarging aperture of telescope, image motion compensation, and analog time delay and integration (TDI) technology are used to gain SNR. These techniques bring in higher cost of satellite, complexity of system or other negative factors. In this paper, time delay and digital accumulation (TDDA) method is proposed to achieve higher spatial resolution. The method can enhance the SNR and non-uniformity of system theoretically. A prototype of SWIR imager consists of opto-mechanical, 1024 × 128 InGaAs detector, and electronics is designed and integrated to prove TDDA method. Both of measurements and experimental results indicate TDDA method can promote SNR of system approximated of the square root of accumulative stage. The results exhibit that non-uniformity of system is also improved by this approach to some extent. The experiment results are corresponded with the theoretical analysis. Based on the experiments results, it is proved firstly that the goal of 1 m ground sample distance (GSD) in orbit of 500 km is feasible with the TDDA stage of 30 for SWIR waveband (0.9-1.7 μm).

A simple apparatus for quick qualitative analysis of CR39 nuclear track detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gautier, D. C.; Kline, J. L.; Flippo, K. A.

2008-10-15

Quantifying the ion pits in Columbia Resin 39 (CR39) nuclear track detector from Thomson parabolas is a time consuming and tedious process using conventional microscope based techniques. A simple inventive apparatus for fast screening and qualitative analysis of CR39 detectors has been developed, enabling efficient selection of data for a more detailed analysis. The system consists simply of a green He-Ne laser and a high-resolution digital single-lens reflex camera. The laser illuminates the edge of the CR39 at grazing incidence and couples into the plastic, acting as a light pipe. Subsequently, the laser illuminates all ion tracks on the surface.more » A high-resolution digital camera is used to photograph the scattered light from the ion tracks, enabling one to quickly determine charge states and energies measured by the Thomson parabola.« less

Ultra-wide Range Gamma Detector System for Search and Locate Operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Odell, D. Mackenzie Odell; Harpring, Larry J.; Moore, Frank S. Jr.

2005-10-26

Collecting debris samples following a nuclear event requires that operations be conducted from a considerable stand-off distance. An ultra-wide range gamma detector system has been constructed to accomplish both long range radiation search and close range hot sample collection functions. Constructed and tested on a REMOTEC Andros platform, the system has demonstrated reliable operation over six orders of magnitude of gamma dose from 100's of uR/hr to over 100 R/hr. Functional elements include a remotely controlled variable collimator assembly, a NaI(Tl)/photomultiplier tube detector, a proprietary digital radiation instrument, a coaxially mounted video camera, a digital compass, and both local andmore » remote control computers with a user interface designed for long range operations. Long range sensitivity and target location, as well as close range sample selection performance are presented.« less

Digital signal processing for the ATLAS/LUCID detector

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

2015-07-01

Both the detector and the associated read-out electronics have been improved in order to cope with the LHC luminosity increase foreseen for RUN 2 and RUN 3. The new operating conditions require a careful tuning of the read-out electronics in order to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio. The new read-out electronics will allow the use of digital filtering of the photo multiplier tube signals. In this talk, we will present the first results that we obtained in the optimization of the signal-to-noise ratio. In addition, we will introduce the next steps to adapt this system to high performance read-out chains formore » low energy gamma rays. Such systems are based, for instance, on Silicon Drift Detector devices and can be used in applications at Free-Electron-Laser facilities such as the XFEL under construction at DESY. (authors)« less

PANDORA, a large volume low-energy neutron detector with real-time neutron-gamma discrimination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stuhl, L.; Sasano, M.; Yako, K.; Yasuda, J.; Baba, H.; Ota, S.; Uesaka, T.

2017-09-01

The PANDORA (Particle Analyzer Neutron Detector Of Real-time Acquisition) system, which was developed for use in inverse kinematics experiments with unstable isotope beams, is a neutron detector based on a plastic scintillator coupled to a digital readout. PANDORA can be used for any reaction study involving the emission of low energy neutrons (100 keV-10 MeV) where background suppression and an increased signal-to-noise ratio are crucial. The digital readout system provides an opportunity for pulse shape discrimination (PSD) of the detected particles as well as intelligent triggering based on PSD. The figure of merit results of PANDORA are compared to the data in literature. Using PANDORA, 91 ± 1% of all detected neutrons can be separated, while 91 ± 1% of the detected gamma rays can be excluded, reducing the gamma ray background by one order of magnitude.

Proceedings of the Third Infrared Detector Technology Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccreight, Craig R. (Compiler)

1989-01-01

This volume consists of 37 papers which summarize results presented at the Third Infrared Detector Technology Workshop, held February 7-9, 1989, at Ames Research Center. The workshop focused on infrared (IR) detector, detector array, and cryogenic electronic technologies relevant to low-background space astronomy. Papers on discrete IR detectors, cryogenic readouts, extrinsic and intrinsic IR arrays, and recent results from ground-based observations with integrated arrays were given. Recent developments in the second-generation Hubble Space Telescope (HST) infrared spectrometer and in detectors and arrays for the European Space Agency's Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) are also included, as are status reports on the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) and the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) projects.

Novel Hybrid CMOS X-ray Detector Developments for Future Large Area and High Resolution X-ray Astronomy Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falcone, Abe

In the coming years, X-ray astronomy will require new soft X-ray detectors that can be read very quickly with low noise and can achieve small pixel sizes over a moderately large focal plane area. These requirements will be present for a variety of X-ray missions that will attempt to address science that was highly ranked by the 2010 Decadal Survey, including missions with science that overlaps with that of IXO and Athena, as well as other missions addressing science topics beyond those of IXO and Athena. An X-ray Surveyor mission was recently chosen by NASA for study by a Science & Technology Definition Team (STDT) so it can be considered as an option for an upcom-ing flagship mission. A mission such as this was endorsed by the NASA long term planning document entitled "Enduring Quests, Daring Visions," and a detailed description of one possible reali-zation of such a mission has been referred to as SMART-X, which was described in a recent NASA RFI response. This provides an example of a future mission concept with these requirements since it has high X-ray throughput and excellent spatial resolution. We propose to continue to modify current active pixel sensor designs, in particular the hybrid CMOS detectors that we have been working with for several years, and implement new in-pixel technologies that will allow us to achieve these ambitious and realistic requirements on a timeline that will make them available to upcoming X-ray missions. This proposal is a continuation of our program that has been work-ing on these developments for the past several years. The first 3 years of the program led to the development of a new circuit design for each pixel, which has now been shown to be suitable for a larger detector array. The proposed activity for the next four years will be to incorporate this pixel design into a new design of a full detector array (2k×2k pixels with digital output) and to fabricate this full-sized device so it can be thoroughly tested and characterized.

Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants: Teaching with Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Ellen Marie Peterson

2011-01-01

Education is witnessing an increasing demand for technology use in the classroom. At the same time, new teachers are entering the profession in high numbers, some being labeled as "Digital Natives" while others are labeled "Digital Immigrants". This qualitative case study investigated the technology practices of Digital Native and Digital…

LWIR detector requirements for low-background space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deluccia, Frank J.

1990-01-01

Detection of cold bodies (200 to 300 K) against space backgrounds has many important applications, both military and non-military. The detector performance and design characteristics required to support low-background applications are discussed, with particular emphasis on those characteristics required for space surveillance. The status of existing detector technologies under active development for these applications is also discussed. In order to play a role in future systems, new, potentially competing detector technologies such as multiple quantum well detectors must not only meet system-derived requirements, but also offer distinct performance or other advantages over these incumbent technologies.

Guidance, Navigation and Control Digital Emulation Technology Laboratory. Volume 1. Part 2. Task 1: Digital Emulation Technology Laboratory

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-27

AD-A241 692 II I] II I11 ANNUAL REPORT VOLUME 1 PART 2 TASK 1: DIGITAL EMULATION TECHNOLOGY LABORATOIRY REPORT NO. AR-0142-91-001 September 27, 1991... DIGITAL EMULATION TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY Contract No. DASG60-89-C-0142 Sponsored By The United States Army ? trategic Defense Command COMPUTER...ANNUAL REPORT VOLUME 1 PART 2 TASK 1: DIGITAL EMULATION TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY September 27, 1991 Authors Thomas R. Collins and Stephen R. Wachtel

Pictorial Review of Digital Radiography Artifacts.

PubMed

Walz-Flannigan, Alisa I; Brossoit, Kimberly J; Magnuson, Dayne J; Schueler, Beth A

2018-01-01

Visual familiarity with the variety of digital radiographic artifacts is needed to identify, resolve, or prevent image artifacts from creating issues with patient imaging. Because the mechanism for image creation is different between flat-panel detectors and computed radiography, the causes and appearances of some artifacts can be unique to these different modalities. Examples are provided of artifacts that were found on clinical images or during quality control testing with flat-panel detectors. The examples are meant to serve as learning tools for future identification and troubleshooting of artifacts and as a reminder for steps that can be taken for prevention. The examples of artifacts provided are classified according to their causal connection in the imaging chain, including an equipment defect as a result of an accident or mishandling, debris or gain calibration flaws, a problematic acquisition technique, signal transmission failures, and image processing issues. Specific artifacts include those that are due to flat-panel detector drops, backscatter, debris in the x-ray field during calibration, detector saturation or underexposure, or collimation detection errors, as well as a variety of artifacts that are processing induced. © RSNA, 2018.

Figures of merit for detectors in digital radiography. II. Finite number of secondaries and structured backgrounds.

PubMed

Pineda, Angel R; Barrett, Harrison H

2004-02-01

The current paradigm for evaluating detectors in digital radiography relies on Fourier methods. Fourier methods rely on a shift-invariant and statistically stationary description of the imaging system. The theoretical justification for the use of Fourier methods is based on a uniform background fluence and an infinite detector. In practice, the background fluence is not uniform and detector size is finite. We study the effect of stochastic blurring and structured backgrounds on the correlation between Fourier-based figures of merit and Hotelling detectability. A stochastic model of the blurring leads to behavior similar to what is observed by adding electronic noise to the deterministic blurring model. Background structure does away with the shift invariance. Anatomical variation makes the covariance matrix of the data less amenable to Fourier methods by introducing long-range correlations. It is desirable to have figures of merit that can account for all the sources of variation, some of which are not stationary. For such cases, we show that the commonly used figures of merit based on the discrete Fourier transform can provide an inaccurate estimate of Hotelling detectability.

Microminiature rotary Stirling cryocooler for compact, lightweight, and low-power thermal imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filis, Avishai; Bar Haim, Zvi; Pundak, Nachman; Broyde, Ramon

2009-05-01

Novel compact and low power consuming cooled infrared thermal imagers as used in gyro-stabilized payloads of miniature unmanned aerial vehicles, Thermal small arms sights and tactical night vision goggles often rely on integral rotary micro-miniature closed cycle Stirling cryogenic engines. Development of EPI Antimonides technology and optimization of MCT technology allowed decreasing in order of magnitudes the level of dark current in infrared detectors thus enabling an increase in the optimal focal plane temperature in excess of 95K while keeping the same radiometric performances as achieved at 77K using regular technologies. Maintaining focal plane temperature in the range of 95K to 110K instead of 77K improves the efficiency of Stirling thermodynamic cycle thus enlarging cooling power and enabling the development of a mini micro cooler similar to RICOR's K562S model which is three times smaller, lighter and more compact than a standard tactical cryocooler like RICOR's K508 model. This cooler also features a new type of ball bearings and internal components which were optimized to fit tight bulk constraints and maintain the required life span, while keeping a low level of vibration and noise signature. Further, the functions of management the brushless DC motor and temperature stabilization are delivered by the newly developed high performance sensorless digital controller. By reducing Dewar Detector thermal losses and increasing the focal plane temperature, longer life time operation is expected as was proved with RICOR's K508 model. Resulting from this development, the RICOR K562S model cryogenic engine consumes 1.2 - 3.0 WDC while operating in the closed loop mode and maintaining the typical focal plane arrays at 200-100K. This makes it compatible with very compact battery packages allowing further reduction of the overall thermal imager weight thus making it comparable with the compatible uncooled infrared thermal imager relying on a microbolometer detector in terms of power consumption and bulk.

First Tests of a New Fast Waveform Digitizer for PMT Signal Read-out from Liquid Argon Dark Matter Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szelc, A. M.; Canci, N.; Cavanna, F.; Cortopassi, A.; D'Incecco, M.; Mini, G.; Pietropaolo, F.; Romboli, A.; Segreto, E.; Acciarri, R.

A new generation Waveform Digitizer board as been recently made available on the market by CAEN. The new board CAEN V1751 with 8 Channels per board, 10 bit, 1 GS/s Flash ADC Waveform Digitizer (or 4 channel, 10 bit, 2 GS/s Flash ADC Waveform Digitizer -Dual Edge Sampling mode) with threshold and Auto-Trigger capabilities provides an ideal (relatively low-cost) solution for reading signals from liquid Argon detectors for Dark Matter search equipped with an array of PMTs for the detection of scintillation light. The board was extensively used in real experimental conditions to test its usefulness for possible future uses and to compare it with a state of the art digital oscilloscope. As results, PMT Signal sampling at 1 or 2 GS/s is appropriate for the reconstruction of the fast component of the signal scintillation in Argon (characteristic time of about 4 ns) and the extended dynamic range, after a small customization, allows for the detection of signals in the range of energy needed. The bandwidth is found to be adequate and the intrinsic noise is very low.

NASA's Ultraviolet Astrophysics Branch: Present and future detector program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welsh, Barry Y.

1992-01-01

The various concepts in ultraviolet detector technology currently being funded by NASA's Astrophysics Division to carry out observations in the 100 to 3000 A region are reviewed. In order to match the science objectives of future space missions with new observational techniques, critical detector technology needs in the ultraviolet regime have been identified. The attempt by NASA's Astrophysics Division Advanced Programs Branch to formulate an integrated detector technology plan as part of the ongoing 'Astrotech 21' program in order to provide the technology base for these astrophysics missions of the 21st century is described.

Image quality and radiation dose on digital chest imaging: comparison of amorphous silicon and amorphous selenium flat-panel systems.

PubMed

Bacher, Klaus; Smeets, Peter; Vereecken, Ludo; De Hauwere, An; Duyck, Philippe; De Man, Robert; Verstraete, Koenraad; Thierens, Hubert

2006-09-01

The aim of this study was to compare the image quality and radiation dose in chest imaging using an amorphous silicon flat-panel detector system and an amorphous selenium flat-panel detector system. In addition, the low-contrast performance of both systems with standard and low radiation doses was compared. In two groups of 100 patients each, digital chest radiographs were acquired with either an amorphous silicon or an amorphous selenium flat-panel system. The effective dose of the examination was measured using thermoluminescent dosimeters placed in an anthropomorphic Rando phantom. The image quality of the digital chest radiographs was assessed by five experienced radiologists using the European Guidelines on Quality Criteria for Diagnostic Radiographic Images. In addition, a contrast-detail phantom study was set up to assess the low-contrast performance of both systems at different radiation dose levels. Differences between the two groups were tested for significance using the two-tailed Mann-Whitney test. The amorphous silicon flat-panel system allowed an important and significant reduction in effective dose in comparison with the amorphous selenium flat-panel system (p < 0.0001) for both the posteroanterior and lateral views. In addition, clinical image quality analysis showed that the dose reduction was not detrimental to image quality. Compared with the amorphous selenium flat-panel detector system, the amorphous silicon flat-panel detector system performed significantly better in the low-contrast phantom study, with phantom entrance dose values of up to 135 muGy. Chest radiographs can be acquired with a significantly lower patient radiation dose using an amorphous silicon flat-panel system than using an amorphous selenium flat-panel system, thereby producing images that are equal or even superior in quality to those of the amorphous selenium flat-panel detector system.

Digital radiography using amorphous selenium: photoconductively activated switch (PAS) readout system.

PubMed

Reznik, Nikita; Komljenovic, Philip T; Germann, Stephen; Rowlands, John A

2008-03-01

A new amorphous selenium (a-Se) digital radiography detector is introduced. The proposed detector generates a charge image in the a-Se layer in a conventional manner, which is stored on electrode pixels at the surface of the a-Se layer. A novel method, called photoconductively activated switch (PAS), is used to read out the latent x-ray charge image. The PAS readout method uses lateral photoconduction at the a-Se surface which is a revolutionary modification of the bulk photoinduced discharge (PID) methods. The PAS method addresses and eliminates the fundamental weaknesses of the PID methods--long readout times and high readout noise--while maintaining the structural simplicity and high resolution for which PID optical readout systems are noted. The photoconduction properties of the a-Se surface were investigated and the geometrical design for the electrode pixels for a PAS radiography system was determined. This design was implemented in a single pixel PAS evaluation system. The results show that the PAS x-ray induced output charge signal was reproducible and depended linearly on the x-ray exposure in the diagnostic exposure range. Furthermore, the readout was reasonably rapid (10 ms for pixel discharge). The proposed detector allows readout of half a pixel row at a time (odd pixels followed by even pixels), thus permitting the readout of a complete image in 30 s for a 40 cm x 40 cm detector with the potential of reducing that time by using greater readout light intensity. This demonstrates that a-Se based x-ray detectors using photoconductively activated switches could form a basis for a practical integrated digital radiography system.

Conversion of mammographic images to appear with the noise and sharpness characteristics of a different detector and x-ray system.

PubMed

Mackenzie, Alistair; Dance, David R; Workman, Adam; Yip, Mary; Wells, Kevin; Young, Kenneth C

2012-05-01

Undertaking observer studies to compare imaging technology using clinical radiological images is challenging due to patient variability. To achieve a significant result, a large number of patients would be required to compare cancer detection rates for different image detectors and systems. The aim of this work was to create a methodology where only one set of images is collected on one particular imaging system. These images are then converted to appear as if they had been acquired on a different detector and x-ray system. Therefore, the effect of a wide range of digital detectors on cancer detection or diagnosis can be examined without the need for multiple patient exposures. Three detectors and x-ray systems [Hologic Selenia (ASE), GE Essential (CSI), Carestream CR (CR)] were characterized in terms of signal transfer properties, noise power spectra (NPS), modulation transfer function, and grid properties. The contributions of the three noise sources (electronic, quantum, and structure noise) to the NPS were calculated by fitting a quadratic polynomial at each spatial frequency of the NPS against air kerma. A methodology was developed to degrade the images to have the characteristics of a different (target) imaging system. The simulated images were created by first linearizing the original images such that the pixel values were equivalent to the air kerma incident at the detector. The linearized image was then blurred to match the sharpness characteristics of the target detector. Noise was then added to the blurred image to correct for differences between the detectors and any required change in dose. The electronic, quantum, and structure noise were added appropriate to the air kerma selected for the simulated image and thus ensuring that the noise in the simulated image had the same magnitude and correlation as the target image. A correction was also made for differences in primary grid transmission, scatter, and veiling glare. The method was validated by acquiring images of a CDMAM contrast detail test object (Artinis, The Netherlands) at five different doses for the three systems. The ASE CDMAM images were then converted to appear with the imaging characteristics of target CR and CSI detectors. The measured threshold gold thicknesses of the simulated and target CDMAM images were closely matched at normal dose level and the average differences across the range of detail diameters were -4% and 0% for the CR and CSI systems, respectively. The conversion was successful for images acquired over a wide dose range. The average difference between simulated and target images for a given dose was a maximum of 11%. The validation shows that the image quality of a digital mammography image obtained with a particular system can be degraded, in terms of noise magnitude and color, sharpness, and contrast to account for differences in the detector and antiscatter grid. Potentially, this is a powerful tool for observer studies, as a range of image qualities can be examined by modifying an image set obtained at a single (better) image quality thus removing the patient variability when comparing systems.

Transitioning towards the Digital Native: Examining Digital Technologies, Video Games, and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salomon, John

2010-01-01

Although digital technologies have become commonplace among people who grew up around them, little is known about the effect that such technology will have on learners or its impact on traditional methods of educational delivery. This dissertation examines how certain technologies affect digital natives and seeks to understand specific…

Redefining Student Affairs through Digital Technology: A Ten-Year Historiography of Digital Technology Use by Student Affairs Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabellon, Edmund T.

2016-01-01

The student affairs profession is at a crossroads (Torres & Walbert, 2010) given digital technology's growth and the academy's administrative expansion (Bowen, 2013). Student affairs administrators must simultaneously respond to digital technology's implications in students' lives (Kirschner & Karpinski, 2010) and to new state and federal…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Brian W.; Frost, Sophia; Frayo, Shani

Abstract Alpha emitting radionuclides exhibit a potential advantage for cancer treatments because they release large amounts of ionizing energy over a few cell diameters (50–80 μm) causing localized, irreparable double-strand DNA breaks that lead to cell death. Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) approaches using monoclonal antibodies labeled with alpha emitters may inactivate targeted cells with minimal radiation damage to surrounding tissues. For accurate dosimetry in alpha-RIT, tools are needed to visualize and quantify the radioactivity distribution and absorbed dose to targeted and non-targeted cells, especially for organs and tumors with heterogeneous radionuclide distributions. The aim of this study was to evaluate and characterizemore » a novel single-particle digital autoradiography imager, iQID (ionizing-radiation Quantum Imaging Detector), for use in alpha-RIT experiments. Methods: The iQID camera is a scintillator-based radiation detection technology that images and identifies charged-particle and gamma-ray/X-ray emissions spatially and temporally on an event-by-event basis. It employs recent advances in CCD/CMOS cameras and computing hardware for real-time imaging and activity quantification of tissue sections, approaching cellular resolutions. In this work, we evaluated this system’s characteristics for alpha particle imaging including measurements of spatial resolution and background count rates at various detector configurations and quantification of activity distributions. The technique was assessed for quantitative imaging of astatine-211 (211At) activity distributions in cryosections of murine and canine tissue samples. Results: The highest spatial resolution was measured at ~20 μm full width at half maximum (FWHM) and the alpha particle background was measured at a rate of (2.6 ± 0.5) × 10–4 cpm/cm2 (40 mm diameter detector area). Simultaneous imaging of multiple tissue sections was performed using a large-area iQID configuration (ø 11.5 cm). Estimation of the 211At activity distribution was demonstrated at mBq/μg levels. Conclusion: Single-particle digital autoradiography of alpha emitters has advantages over traditional autoradiographic techniques in terms of spatial resolution, sensitivity, and activity quantification capability. The system features and characterization results presented in this study show that iQID is a promising technology for microdosimetry, because it provides necessary information for interpreting alpha-RIT outcomes and for predicting the therapeutic efficacy of cell-targeted approaches using alpha emitters.« less

Analyzing Noise for the Muon Silicon Scanner

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marchan, Miguelangel; Utes, Michael

2017-01-01

The development of a silicon muon tomography detector is a joint project between Fermilab and National Security Technologies, LLC. The goal of this detector is to detect nuclear materials better than technology in the past. Using silicon strip detectors and readout chips used by experiments at CERN we have been developing the detector. This summer we have been testing components of the detector and have been analyzing noise characteristics.

Progress on uncooled PbSe detectors for low-cost applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vergara, German; Gomez, Luis J.; Villamayor, Victor; Alvarez, M.; Rodrigo, Maria T.; del Carmen Torquemada, Maria; Sanchez, Fernando J.; Verdu, Marina; Diezhandino, Jorge; Rodriguez, Purificacion; Catalan, Irene; Almazan, Rosa; Plaza, Julio; Montojo, Maria T.

2004-08-01

This work reports on progress on development of polycrystalline PbSe infrared detectors at the Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo de la Armada (CIDA). Since mid nineties, the CIDA owns an innovative technology for processing uncooled MWIR detectors of polycrystalline PbSe. Based on this technology, some applications have been developed. However, future applications demand smarter, more complex, faster yet cheaper detectors. Aiming to open new perspectives to polycrystalline PbSe detectors, we are currently working on different directions: 1) Processing of 2D arrays: a) Designing and processing low density x-y addressed arrays with 16x16 and 32x32 elements, as an extension of our standard technology. b) Trying to make compatible standard CMOS and polycrystalline PbSe technologies in order to process monolithic large format arrays. 2) Adding new features to the detector such as monolithically integrated spectral discrimination.

Analog-to-digital conversion techniques for precision photometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Opal, Chet B.

1988-01-01

Three types of analog-to-digital converters are described: parallel, successive-approximation, and integrating. The functioning of comparators and sample-and-hold amplifiers is explained. Differential and integral linearity are defined, and good and bad examples are illustrated. The applicability and relative advantages of the three types of converters for precision astronomical photometric measurements are discussed. For most measurements, integral linearity is more important than differential linearity. Successive-approximation converters should be used with multielement solid state detectors because of their high speed, but dual slope integrating converters may be superior for use with single element solid state detectors where speed of digitization is not a factor. In all cases, the input signal should be tailored so that they occupy the upper part of the converter's dynamic range; this can be achieved by providing adjustable gain, or better by varying the integration time of the observation if possible.

Steady-state probability density function of the phase error for a DPLL with an integrate-and-dump device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, M.; Mileant, A.

1986-01-01

The steady-state behavior of a particular type of digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) with an integrate-and-dump circuit following the phase detector is characterized in terms of the probability density function (pdf) of the phase error in the loop. Although the loop is entirely digital from an implementation standpoint, it operates at two extremely different sampling rates. In particular, the combination of a phase detector and an integrate-and-dump circuit operates at a very high rate whereas the loop update rate is very slow by comparison. Because of this dichotomy, the loop can be analyzed by hybrid analog/digital (s/z domain) techniques. The loop is modeled in such a general fashion that previous analyses of the Real-Time Combiner (RTC), Subcarrier Demodulator Assembly (SDA), and Symbol Synchronization Assembly (SSA) fall out as special cases.

Digital optical tomography system for dynamic breast imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flexman, Molly L.; Khalil, Michael A.; Al Abdi, Rabah; Kim, Hyun K.; Fong, Christopher J.; Desperito, Elise; Hershman, Dawn L.; Barbour, Randall L.; Hielscher, Andreas H.

2011-07-01

Diffuse optical tomography has shown promising results as a tool for breast cancer screening and monitoring response to chemotherapy. Dynamic imaging of the transient response of the breast to an external stimulus, such as pressure or a respiratory maneuver, can provide additional information that can be used to detect tumors. We present a new digital continuous-wave optical tomography system designed to simultaneously image both breasts at fast frame rates and with a large number of sources and detectors. The system uses a master-slave digital signal processor-based detection architecture to achieve a dynamic range of 160 dB and a frame rate of 1.7 Hz with 32 sources, 64 detectors, and 4 wavelengths per breast. Included is a preliminary study of one healthy patient and two breast cancer patients showing the ability to identify an invasive carcinoma based on the hemodynamic response to a breath hold.

A digital acquisition and elaboration system for nuclear fast pulse detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esposito, B.; Riva, M.; Marocco, D.; Kaschuck, Y.

2007-03-01

A new digital acquisition and elaboration system has been developed and assembled in ENEA-Frascati for the direct sampling of fast pulses from nuclear detectors such as scintillators and diamond detectors. The system is capable of performing the digital sampling of the pulses (200 MSamples/s, 14-bit) and the simultaneous (compressed) data transfer for further storage and software elaboration. The design (FPGA-based) is oriented to real-time applications and has been developed in order to allow acquisition with no loss of pulses and data storage for long-time intervals (tens of s at MHz pulse count rates) without the need of large on-board memory. A dedicated pulse analysis software, written in LabVIEWTM, performs the treatment of the acquired pulses, including pulse recognition, pile-up rejection, baseline removal, pulse shape particle separation and pulse height spectra analysis. The acquisition and pre-elaboration programs have been fully integrated with the analysis software.

Graphical Environment Tools for Application to Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking Arrays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Todd, Richard A.; Radford, David C.

2013-12-30

Highly segmented, position-sensitive germanium detector systems are being developed for nuclear physics research where traditional electronic signal processing with mixed analog and digital function blocks would be enormously complex and costly. Future systems will be constructed using pipelined processing of high-speed digitized signals as is done in the telecommunications industry. Techniques which provide rapid algorithm and system development for future systems are desirable. This project has used digital signal processing concepts and existing graphical system design tools to develop a set of re-usable modular functions and libraries targeted for the nuclear physics community. Researchers working with complex nuclear detector arraysmore » such as the Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking Array (GRETA) have been able to construct advanced data processing algorithms for implementation in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) through application of these library functions using intuitive graphical interfaces.« less

Modeling and analysis of hybrid pixel detector deficiencies for scientific applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fahim, Farah; Deptuch, Grzegorz W.; Hoff, James R.; Mohseni, Hooman

2015-08-01

Semiconductor hybrid pixel detectors often consist of a pixellated sensor layer bump bonded to a matching pixelated readout integrated circuit (ROIC). The sensor can range from high resistivity Si to III-V materials, whereas a Si CMOS process is typically used to manufacture the ROIC. Independent, device physics and electronic design automation (EDA) tools are used to determine sensor characteristics and verify functional performance of ROICs respectively with significantly different solvers. Some physics solvers provide the capability of transferring data to the EDA tool. However, single pixel transient simulations are either not feasible due to convergence difficulties or are prohibitively long. A simplified sensor model, which includes a current pulse in parallel with detector equivalent capacitor, is often used; even then, spice type top-level (entire array) simulations range from days to weeks. In order to analyze detector deficiencies for a particular scientific application, accurately defined transient behavioral models of all the functional blocks are required. Furthermore, various simulations, such as transient, noise, Monte Carlo, inter-pixel effects, etc. of the entire array need to be performed within a reasonable time frame without trading off accuracy. The sensor and the analog front-end can be modeling using a real number modeling language, as complex mathematical functions or detailed data can be saved to text files, for further top-level digital simulations. Parasitically aware digital timing is extracted in a standard delay format (sdf) from the pixel digital back-end layout as well as the periphery of the ROIC. For any given input, detector level worst-case and best-case simulations are performed using a Verilog simulation environment to determine the output. Each top-level transient simulation takes no more than 10-15 minutes. The impact of changing key parameters such as sensor Poissonian shot noise, analog front-end bandwidth, jitter due to clock distribution etc. can be accurately analyzed to determine ROIC architectural viability and bottlenecks. Hence the impact of the detector parameters on the scientific application can be studied.

The DCU: the detector control unit of the SAFARI instrument onboard SPICA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clénet, A.; Ravera, L.; Bertrand, B.; Cros, A.; Hou, R.; Jackson, B. D.; van Leeuwen, B. J.; Van Loon, D.; Parot, Y.; Pointecouteau, E.; Sournac, A.; Ta, N.

2012-09-01

The SpicA FAR infrared Instrument (SAFARI) is a European instrument for the infrared domain telescope SPICA, a JAXA space mission. The SAFARI detectors are Transistor Edge Sensors (TES) arranged in 3 matrixes. The TES front end electronic is based on Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUIDs) and it does the readout of the 3500 detectors with Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) type architecture. The Detector Control Unit (DCU), contributed by IRAP, manages the readout of the TES by computing and providing the AC-bias signals (1 - 3 MHz) to the TES and by computing the demodulation of the returning signals. The SQUID being highly non-linear, the DCU has also to provide a feedback signal to increase the SQUID dynamic. Because of the propagation delay in the cables and the processing time, a classic feedback will not be stable for AC-bias frequencies up to 3 MHz. The DCU uses a specific technique to compensate for those delays: the BaseBand FeedBack (BBFB). This digital data processing is done for the 3500 pixels in parallel. Thus, to keep the DCU power budget within its allocation we have to specifically optimize the architecture of the digital circuit with respect to the power consumption. In this paper we will mainly present the DCU architecture. We will particularly focus on the BBFB technique used to linearize the SQUID and on the optimization done to reduce the power consumption of the digital processing circuit.

Grid artifact reduction for direct digital radiography detectors based on rotated stationary grids with homomorphic filtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Dong Sik; Lee, Sanggyun

2013-06-15

Purpose: Grid artifacts are caused when using the antiscatter grid in obtaining digital x-ray images. In this paper, research on grid artifact reduction techniques is conducted especially for the direct detectors, which are based on amorphous selenium. Methods: In order to analyze and reduce the grid artifacts, the authors consider a multiplicative grid image model and propose a homomorphic filtering technique. For minimal damage due to filters, which are used to suppress the grid artifacts, rotated grids with respect to the sampling direction are employed, and min-max optimization problems for searching optimal grid frequencies and angles for given sampling frequenciesmore » are established. The authors then propose algorithms for the grid artifact reduction based on the band-stop filters as well as low-pass filters. Results: The proposed algorithms are experimentally tested for digital x-ray images, which are obtained from direct detectors with the rotated grids, and are compared with other algorithms. It is shown that the proposed algorithms can successfully reduce the grid artifacts for direct detectors. Conclusions: By employing the homomorphic filtering technique, the authors can considerably suppress the strong grid artifacts with relatively narrow-bandwidth filters compared to the normal filtering case. Using rotated grids also significantly reduces the ringing artifact. Furthermore, for specific grid frequencies and angles, the authors can use simple homomorphic low-pass filters in the spatial domain, and thus alleviate the grid artifacts with very low implementation complexity.« less

Digital technology and human development: a charter for nature conservation.

PubMed

Maffey, Georgina; Homans, Hilary; Banks, Ken; Arts, Koen

2015-11-01

The application of digital technology in conservation holds much potential for advancing the understanding of, and facilitating interaction with, the natural world. In other sectors, digital technology has long been used to engage communities and share information. Human development-which holds parallels with the nature conservation sector-has seen a proliferation of innovation in technological development. Throughout this Perspective, we consider what nature conservation can learn from the introduction of digital technology in human development. From this, we derive a charter to be used before and throughout project development, in order to help reduce replication and failure of digital innovation in nature conservation projects. We argue that the proposed charter will promote collaboration with the development of digital tools and ensure that nature conservation projects progress appropriately with the development of new digital technologies.

Imaging and computational considerations for image computed permeability: Operating envelope of Digital Rock Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saxena, Nishank; Hows, Amie; Hofmann, Ronny; Alpak, Faruk O.; Freeman, Justin; Hunter, Sander; Appel, Matthias

2018-06-01

This study defines the optimal operating envelope of the Digital Rock technology from the perspective of imaging and numerical simulations of transport properties. Imaging larger volumes of rocks for Digital Rock Physics (DRP) analysis improves the chances of achieving a Representative Elementary Volume (REV) at which flow-based simulations (1) do not vary with change in rock volume, and (2) is insensitive to the choice of boundary conditions. However, this often comes at the expense of image resolution. This trade-off exists due to the finiteness of current state-of-the-art imaging detectors. Imaging and analyzing digital rocks that sample the REV and still sufficiently resolve pore throats is critical to ensure simulation quality and robustness of rock property trends for further analysis. We find that at least 10 voxels are needed to sufficiently resolve pore throats for single phase fluid flow simulations. If this condition is not met, additional analyses and corrections may allow for meaningful comparisons between simulation results and laboratory measurements of permeability, but some cases may fall outside the current technical feasibility of DRP. On the other hand, we find that the ratio of field of view and effective grain size provides a reliable measure of the REV for siliciclastic rocks. If this ratio is greater than 5, the coefficient of variation for single-phase permeability simulations drops below 15%. These imaging considerations are crucial when comparing digitally computed rock flow properties with those measured in the laboratory. We find that the current imaging methods are sufficient to achieve both REV (with respect to numerical boundary conditions) and required image resolution to perform digital core analysis for coarse to fine-grained sandstones.

Bio-inspired multi-mode optic flow sensors for micro air vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Seokjun; Choi, Jaehyuk; Cho, Jihyun; Yoon, Euisik

2013-06-01

Monitoring wide-field surrounding information is essential for vision-based autonomous navigation in micro-air-vehicles (MAV). Our image-cube (iCube) module, which consists of multiple sensors that are facing different angles in 3-D space, can be applied to the wide-field of view optic flows estimation (μ-Compound eyes) and to attitude control (μ- Ocelli) in the Micro Autonomous Systems and Technology (MAST) platforms. In this paper, we report an analog/digital (A/D) mixed-mode optic-flow sensor, which generates both optic flows and normal images in different modes for μ- Compound eyes and μ-Ocelli applications. The sensor employs a time-stamp based optic flow algorithm which is modified from the conventional EMD (Elementary Motion Detector) algorithm to give an optimum partitioning of hardware blocks in analog and digital domains as well as adequate allocation of pixel-level, column-parallel, and chip-level signal processing. Temporal filtering, which may require huge hardware resources if implemented in digital domain, is remained in a pixel-level analog processing unit. The rest of the blocks, including feature detection and timestamp latching, are implemented using digital circuits in a column-parallel processing unit. Finally, time-stamp information is decoded into velocity from look-up tables, multiplications, and simple subtraction circuits in a chip-level processing unit, thus significantly reducing core digital processing power consumption. In the normal image mode, the sensor generates 8-b digital images using single slope ADCs in the column unit. In the optic flow mode, the sensor estimates 8-b 1-D optic flows from the integrated mixed-mode algorithm core and 2-D optic flows with an external timestamp processing, respectively.

Digital Baseband Architecture For Transponder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Tien M.; Yeh, Hen-Geul

1995-01-01

Proposed advanced transponder for long-distance radio communication system with turnaround ranging contains carrier-signal-tracking loop including baseband digital "front end." For reduced cost, transponder includes analog intermediate-frequency (IF) section and analog automatic gain control (AGC) loop at first of two IF mixers. However, second IF mixer redesigned to ease digitization of baseband functions. To conserve power and provide for simpler and smaller transponder hardware, baseband digital signal-processing circuits designed to implement undersampling scheme. Furthermore, sampling scheme and sampling frequency chosen so redesign involves minimum modification of command-detector unit (CDU).

On-board multicarrier demodulator for mobile applications using DSP implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yim, W. H.; Kwan, C. C. D.; Coakley, F. P.; Evans, B. G.

1990-11-01

This paper describes the design and implementation of an on-board multicarrier demodulator using commercial digital signal processors. This is for use in a mobile satellite communication system employing an up-link SCPC/FDMA scheme. Channels are separated by a flexible multistage digital filter bank followed by a channel multiplexed digital demodulator array. The cross/dot product design approach of error detector leads to a new QPSK frequency control algorithm that allows fast acquisition without special preamble pattern. Timing correction is performed digitally using an extended stack of polyphase sub-filters.

Adopting Digital Technologies in the Classroom: 10 Assessment Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staley, David J.

2004-01-01

Technology has long been a part of the classroom space. Sometime in the 1990s, the word technology was co-opted to refer only to digital tools. "Technology in the classroom" or "technology stocks" or "the dangers posed by technology" came to refer only to digital technology rather than to technology as a whole. As such, much of the discussion…

MS Detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koppenaal, David W.; Barinaga, Charles J.; Denton, M Bonner B.

2005-11-01

Good eyesight is often taken for granted, a situation that everyone appreciates once vision begins to fade with age. New eyeglasses or contact lenses are traditional ways to improve vision, but recent new technology, i.e. LASIK laser eye surgery, provides a new and exciting means for marked vision restoration and improvement. In mass spectrometry, detectors are the 'eyes' of the MS instrument. These 'eyes' have also been taken for granted. New detectors and new technologies are likewise needed to correct, improve, and extend ion detection and hence, our 'chemical vision'. The purpose of this report is to review and assessmore » current MS detector technology and to provide a glimpse towards future detector technologies. It is hoped that the report will also serve to motivate interest, prompt ideas, and inspire new visions for ion detection research.« less

Performance evaluation of the analogue front-end and ADC prototypes for the Gotthard-II development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J.; Andrä, M.; Barten, R.; Bergamaschi, A.; Brückner, M.; Dinapoli, R.; Fröjdh, E.; Greiffenberg, D.; Lopez-Cuenca, C.; Mezza, D.; Mozzanica, A.; Ramilli, M.; Redford, S.; Ruat, M.; Ruder, C.; Schmitt, B.; Shi, X.; Thattil, D.; Tinti, G.; Turcato, M.; Vetter, S.

2017-12-01

Gotthard-II is a silicon microstrip detector developed for the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (XFEL.EU). Its potential scientific applications include X-ray absorption/emission spectroscopy, hard X-ray high resolution single-shot spectrometry (HiREX), energy dispersive experiments at 4.5 MHz frame rate, beam diagnostics, as well as veto signal generation for pixel detectors. Gotthard-II uses a silicon microstrip sensor with a pitch of 50 μm or 25 μm and with 1280 or 2560 channels wire-bonded to readout chips (ROCs). In the ROC, an adaptive gain switching pre-amplifier (PRE), a fully differential Correlated-Double-Sampling (CDS) stage, an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) as well as a Static Random-Access Memory (SRAM) capable of storing all the 2700 images in an XFEL.EU bunch train will be implemented. Several prototypes with different designs of the analogue front-end (PRE and CDS) and ADC test structures have been fabricated in UMC-110 nm CMOS technology and their performance has been evaluated. In this paper, the performance of the analogue front-end and ADC will be summarized.

Optical digital techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Optical interface losses between transmitter-to-fiber interface, connector-to-connector interface, and fiber-to-receiver interface were studied. System effects such as pulse dispersion, risetimes of the sources and detectors, type of fibers used, output power of the sources, and detector sensitivity were considered. Data bus systems such as TEE, Star, and Hybrid were analyzed. The matter of single fiber versus bundle technologies for future avionics systems was considered. The existing data bus system on Space Shuttle was examined and an optical analog was derived for a fiber bundle system, along with the associated power margin. System tests were performed on a feasibility model of a 9-port Star data bus system including BER, star losses, connector losses, etc. The same system was subjected to EMI between the range of 200 Hz to 10 GHz at 20V/m levels. A lightning test was also performed which simulated the conditions similar to those on Space Shuttle. The data bus system was found to be EMI and lightning hard. It is concluded that an optical data bus system is feasible for shuttle orbiter type vehicles.

A new generation scanning system for the high-speed analysis of nuclear emulsions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexandrov, A.; Buonaura, A.; Consiglio, L.; D'Ambrosio, N.; De Lellis, G.; Di Crescenzo, A.; Galati, G.; Lauria, A.; Montesi, M. C.; Tioukov, V.; Vladymyrov, M.

2016-06-01

The development of automatic scanning systems was a fundamental issue for large scale neutrino detectors exploiting nuclear emulsions as particle trackers. Such systems speed up significantly the event analysis in emulsion, allowing the feasibility of experiments with unprecedented statistics. In the early 1990s, R&D programs were carried out by Japanese and European laboratories leading to automatic scanning systems more and more efficient. The recent progress in the technology of digital signal processing and of image acquisition allows the fulfillment of new systems with higher performances. In this paper we report the description and the performance of a new generation scanning system able to operate at the record speed of 84 cm2/hour and based on the Large Angle Scanning System for OPERA (LASSO) software infrastructure developed by the Naples scanning group. Such improvement, reduces the scanning time by a factor 4 with respect to the available systems, allowing the readout of huge amount of nuclear emulsions in reasonable time. This opens new perspectives for the employment of such detectors in a wider variety of applications.

A GPU-Based Architecture for Real-Time Data Assessment at Synchrotron Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chilingaryan, Suren; Mirone, Alessandro; Hammersley, Andrew; Ferrero, Claudio; Helfen, Lukas; Kopmann, Andreas; Rolo, Tomy dos Santos; Vagovic, Patrik

2011-08-01

Advances in digital detector technology leads presently to rapidly increasing data rates in imaging experiments. Using fast two-dimensional detectors in computed tomography, the data acquisition can be much faster than the reconstruction if no adequate measures are taken, especially when a high photon flux at synchrotron sources is used. We have optimized the reconstruction software employed at the micro-tomography beamlines of our synchrotron facilities to use the computational power of modern graphic cards. The main paradigm of our approach is the full utilization of all system resources. We use a pipelined architecture, where the GPUs are used as compute coprocessors to reconstruct slices, while the CPUs are preparing the next ones. Special attention is devoted to minimize data transfers between the host and GPU memory and to execute memory transfers in parallel with the computations. We were able to reduce the reconstruction time by a factor 30 and process a typical data set of 20 GB in 40 seconds. The time needed for the first evaluation of the reconstructed sample is reduced significantly and quasi real-time visualization is now possible.

The LiteBIRD Satellite Mission: Sub-Kelvin Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, A.; Ade, P. A. R.; Akiba, Y.; Alonso, D.; Arnold, K.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Barron, D.; Basak, S.; Beckman, S.; Borrill, J.; Boulanger, F.; Bucher, M.; Calabrese, E.; Chinone, Y.; Cho, S.; Crill, B.; Cukierman, A.; Curtis, D. W.; de Haan, T.; Dobbs, M.; Dominjon, A.; Dotani, T.; Duband, L.; Ducout, A.; Dunkley, J.; Duval, J. M.; Elleflot, T.; Eriksen, H. K.; Errard, J.; Fischer, J.; Fujino, T.; Funaki, T.; Fuskeland, U.; Ganga, K.; Goeckner-Wald, N.; Grain, J.; Halverson, N. W.; Hamada, T.; Hasebe, T.; Hasegawa, M.; Hattori, K.; Hattori, M.; Hayes, L.; Hazumi, M.; Hidehira, N.; Hill, C. A.; Hilton, G.; Hubmayr, J.; Ichiki, K.; Iida, T.; Imada, H.; Inoue, M.; Inoue, Y.; Irwin, K. D.; Ishino, H.; Jeong, O.; Kanai, H.; Kaneko, D.; Kashima, S.; Katayama, N.; Kawasaki, T.; Kernasovskiy, S. A.; Keskitalo, R.; Kibayashi, A.; Kida, Y.; Kimura, K.; Kisner, T.; Kohri, K.; Komatsu, E.; Komatsu, K.; Kuo, C. L.; Kurinsky, N. A.; Kusaka, A.; Lazarian, A.; Lee, A. T.; Li, D.; Linder, E.; Maffei, B.; Mangilli, A.; Maki, M.; Matsumura, T.; Matsuura, S.; Meilhan, D.; Mima, S.; Minami, Y.; Mitsuda, K.; Montier, L.; Nagai, M.; Nagasaki, T.; Nagata, R.; Nakajima, M.; Nakamura, S.; Namikawa, T.; Naruse, M.; Nishino, H.; Nitta, T.; Noguchi, T.; Ogawa, H.; Oguri, S.; Okada, N.; Okamoto, A.; Okamura, T.; Otani, C.; Patanchon, G.; Pisano, G.; Rebeiz, G.; Remazeilles, M.; Richards, P. L.; Sakai, S.; Sakurai, Y.; Sato, Y.; Sato, N.; Sawada, M.; Segawa, Y.; Sekimoto, Y.; Seljak, U.; Sherwin, B. D.; Shimizu, T.; Shinozaki, K.; Stompor, R.; Sugai, H.; Sugita, H.; Suzuki, J.; Tajima, O.; Takada, S.; Takaku, R.; Takakura, S.; Takatori, S.; Tanabe, D.; Taylor, E.; Thompson, K. L.; Thorne, B.; Tomaru, T.; Tomida, T.; Tomita, N.; Tristram, M.; Tucker, C.; Turin, P.; Tsujimoto, M.; Uozumi, S.; Utsunomiya, S.; Uzawa, Y.; Vansyngel, F.; Wehus, I. K.; Westbrook, B.; Willer, M.; Whitehorn, N.; Yamada, Y.; Yamamoto, R.; Yamasaki, N.; Yamashita, T.; Yoshida, M.

2018-05-01

Inflation is the leading theory of the first instant of the universe. Inflation, which postulates that the universe underwent a period of rapid expansion an instant after its birth, provides convincing explanation for cosmological observations. Recent advancements in detector technology have opened opportunities to explore primordial gravitational waves generated by the inflation through "B-mode" (divergent-free) polarization pattern embedded in the cosmic microwave background anisotropies. If detected, these signals would provide strong evidence for inflation, point to the correct model for inflation, and open a window to physics at ultra-high energies. LiteBIRD is a satellite mission with a goal of detecting degree-and-larger-angular-scale B-mode polarization. LiteBIRD will observe at the second Lagrange point with a 400 mm diameter telescope and 2622 detectors. It will survey the entire sky with 15 frequency bands from 40 to 400 GHz to measure and subtract foregrounds. The US LiteBIRD team is proposing to deliver sub-Kelvin instruments that include detectors and readout electronics. A lenslet-coupled sinuous antenna array will cover low-frequency bands (40-235 GHz) with four frequency arrangements of trichroic pixels. An orthomode-transducer-coupled corrugated horn array will cover high-frequency bands (280-402 GHz) with three types of single frequency detectors. The detectors will be made with transition edge sensor (TES) bolometers cooled to a 100 milli-Kelvin base temperature by an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator. The TES bolometers will be read out using digital frequency multiplexing with Superconducting QUantum Interference Device (SQUID) amplifiers. Up to 78 bolometers will be multiplexed with a single SQUID amplifier. We report on the sub-Kelvin instrument design and ongoing developments for the LiteBIRD mission.

Performance comparison of an active matrix flat panel imager, computed radiography system, and a screen-film system at four standard radiation qualities.

PubMed

Monnin, P; Gutierrez, D; Bulling, S; Lepori, D; Valley, J F; Verdun, F R

2005-02-01

Four standard radiation qualities (from RQA 3 to RQA 9) were used to compare the imaging performance of a computed radiography (CR) system (general purpose and high resolution phosphor plates of a Kodak CR 9000 system), a selenium-based direct flat panel detector (Kodak Direct View DR 9000), and a conventional screen-film system (Kodak T-MAT L/RA film with a 3M Trimax Regular screen of speed 400) in conventional radiography. Reference exposure levels were chosen according to the manufacturer's recommendations to be representative of clinical practice (exposure index of 1700 for digital systems and a film optical density of 1.4). With the exception of the RQA 3 beam quality, the exposure levels needed to produce a mean digital signal of 1700 were higher than those needed to obtain a mean film optical density of 1.4. In spite of intense developments in the field of digital detectors, screen-film systems are still very efficient detectors for most of the beam qualities used in radiology. An important outcome of this study is the behavior of the detective quantum efficiency of the digital radiography (DR) system as a function of beam energy. The practice of users to increase beam energy when switching from a screen-film system to a CR system, in order to improve the compromise between patient dose and image quality, might not be appropriate when switching from screen-film to selenium-based DR systems.

Simple algorithms for digital pulse-shape discrimination with liquid scintillation detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alharbi, T.

2015-01-01

The development of compact, battery-powered digital liquid scintillation neutron detection systems for field applications requires digital pulse processing (DPP) algorithms with minimum computational overhead. To meet this demand, two DPP algorithms for the discrimination of neutron and γ-rays with liquid scintillation detectors were developed and examined by using a NE213 liquid scintillation detector in a mixed radiation field. The first algorithm is based on the relation between the amplitude of a current pulse at the output of a photomultiplier tube and the amount of charge contained in the pulse. A figure-of-merit (FOM) value of 0.98 with 450 keVee (electron equivalent energy) energy threshold was achieved with this method when pulses were sampled at 250 MSample/s and with 8-bit resolution. Compared to the similar method of charge-comparison this method requires only a single integration window, thereby reducing the amount of computations by approximately 40%. The second approach is a digital version of the trailing-edge constant-fraction discrimination method. A FOM value of 0.84 with an energy threshold of 450 keVee was achieved with this method. In comparison with the similar method of rise-time discrimination this method requires a single time pick-off, thereby reducing the amount of computations by approximately 50%. The algorithms described in this work are useful for developing portable detection systems for applications such as homeland security, radiation dosimetry and environmental monitoring.

Design of a hybrid receiver for the OLYMPUS spacecraft beacons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sweeney, D. G.; Mckeeman, J. C.

1990-01-01

The theory and design of a hybrid analogue/digital receiver which acquires and monitors the OLYMPUS satellite beacons is presented. The analogue portion of this receiver uses a frequency locked loop for signal tracking. A digital sampling detector operating at IF is used to obtain the I and Q outputs.

Geiger-Mode Avalanche Photodiode Arrays Integrated to All-Digital CMOS Circuits.

PubMed

Aull, Brian

2016-04-08

This article reviews MIT Lincoln Laboratory's work over the past 20 years to develop photon-sensitive image sensors based on arrays of silicon Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes. Integration of these detectors to all-digital CMOS readout circuits enable exquisitely sensitive solid-state imagers for lidar, wavefront sensing, and passive imaging.

Multi-Velocity Component LDV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Dennis A. (Inventor)

1996-01-01

A laser doppler velocimeter uses frequency shifting of a laser beam to provide signal information for each velocity component. A composite electrical signal generated by a light detector is digitized and a processor produces a discrete Fourier transform based on the digitized electrical signal. The transform includes two peak frequencies corresponding to the two velocity components.

Method and apparatus for digitally based high speed x-ray spectrometer for direct coupled use with continuous discharge preamplifiers

DOEpatents

Warburton, W.K.

1998-06-30

A high speed, digitally based, signal processing system is disclosed which accepts directly coupled input data from a detector with a continuous discharge type preamplifier and produces a spectral analysis of the x-rays illuminating the detector. The system`s principal elements are an analog signal conditioning section, a combinatorial logic section which implements digital triangular filtering and pileup inspection, and a microprocessor which accepts values captured by the logic section and uses them to compute x-ray energy values. Operating without pole-zero correction, the system achieves high resolution by capturing, in conjunction with each peak value from the digital filter, an associated value of the unfiltered signal, and using this latter signal to correct the former for errors which arise from its local slope terms. This correction greatly reduces both energy resolution degradation and peak centroid shifting in the output spectrum as a function of input count rate. When the noise of this correction is excessive, a modification allows two filtered averages of the signal to be captured and a corrected peak amplitude computed therefrom. 14 figs.

Method and apparatus for digitally based high speed x-ray spectrometer for direct coupled use with continuous discharge preamplifiers

DOEpatents

Warburton, William K.

1998-01-01

A high speed, digitally based, signal processing system which accepts directly coupled input data from a detector with a continuous discharge type preamplifier and produces a spectral analysis of the x-rays illuminating the detector. The system's principal elements are an analog signal conditioning section, a combinatorial logic section which implements digital triangular filtering and pileup inspection, and a microprocessor which accepts values captured by the logic section and uses them to compute x-ray energy values. Operating without pole-zero correction, the system achieves high resolution by capturing, in conjunction with each peak value from the digital filter, an associated value of the unfiltered signal, and using this latter signal to correct the former for errors which arise from its local slope terms. This correction greatly reduces both energy resolution degradation and peak centroid shifting in the output spectrum as a function of input count rate. When the noise of this correction is excessive, a modification allows two filtered averages of the signal to be captured and a corrected peak amplitude computed therefrom.

Measuring noise equivalent irradiance of a digital short-wave infrared imaging system using a broadband source to simulate the night spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, John R.; Robinson, Timothy

2015-05-01

There is a growing interest in developing helmet-mounted digital imaging systems (HMDIS) for integration into military aircraft cockpits. This interest stems from the multiple advantages of digital vs. analog imaging such as image fusion from multiple sensors, data processing to enhance the image contrast, superposition of non-imaging data over the image, and sending images to remote location for analysis. There are several properties an HMDIS must have in order to aid the pilot during night operations. In addition to the resolution, image refresh rate, dynamic range, and sensor uniformity over the entire Focal Plane Array (FPA); the imaging system must have the sensitivity to detect the limited night light available filtered through cockpit transparencies. Digital sensor sensitivity is generally measured monochromatically using a laser with a wavelength near the peak detector quantum efficiency, and is generally reported as either the Noise Equivalent Power (NEP) or Noise Equivalent Irradiance (NEI). This paper proposes a test system that measures NEI of Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) digital imaging systems using a broadband source that simulates the night spectrum. This method has a few advantages over a monochromatic method. Namely, the test conditions provide spectrum closer to what is experienced by the end-user, and the resulting NEI may be compared directly to modeled night glow irradiance calculation. This comparison may be used to assess the Technology Readiness Level of the imaging system for the application. The test system is being developed under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Optimization of a Fast Neutron Scintillator for Real-Time Pulse Shape Discrimination in the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) Hodoscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, James T.; Thompson, Scott J.; Watson, Scott M.

We present a multi-channel, fast neutron/gamma ray detector array system that utilizes ZnS(Ag) scintillator detectors. The system employs field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to do real-time all digital neutron/gamma ray discrimination with pulse height and time histograms to allow count rates in excess of 1,000,000 pulses per second per channel. The system detector number is scalable in blocks of 16 channels.

Quantitative secondary electron detection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Agrawal, Jyoti; Joy, David C.; Nayak, Subuhadarshi

Quantitative Secondary Electron Detection (QSED) using the array of solid state devices (SSD) based electron-counters enable critical dimension metrology measurements in materials such as semiconductors, nanomaterials, and biological samples (FIG. 3). Methods and devices effect a quantitative detection of secondary electrons with the array of solid state detectors comprising a number of solid state detectors. An array senses the number of secondary electrons with a plurality of solid state detectors, counting the number of secondary electrons with a time to digital converter circuit in counter mode.

Xenon gamma-ray detector for ecological applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novikov, Alexander S.; Ulin, Sergey E.; Chernysheva, Irina V.; Dmitrenko, Valery V.; Grachev, Victor M.; Petrenko, Denis V.; Shustov, Alexander E.; Uteshev, Ziyaetdin M.; Vlasik, Konstantin F.

2015-01-01

A description of the xenon detector (XD) for ecological applications is presented. The detector provides high energy resolution and is able to operate under extreme environmental conditions (wide temperature range and unfavorable acoustic action). Resistance to acoustic noise as well as improvement in energy resolution has been achieved by means of real-time digital pulse processing. Another important XD feature is the ionization chamber's thin wall with composite housing, which significantly decreases the mass of the device and expands its energy range, especially at low energies.

A new product for photon-limited imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonsiorowski, Thomas

1986-01-01

A new commercial low-light imaging detector, the Photon Digitizing Camera (PDC), is based on the PAPA detector developed at Harvard University. The PDC generates (x, y, t)-coordinate data of each detected photoevent. Because the positional address computation is performed optically, very high counting rates are achieved even at full spatial resolution. Careful optomechanical and electronic design results in a compact, rugged detector with superb performance. The PDC will be used for speckle imaging of astronomical sources and other astronomical and low-light applications.

Study of pulse shape discrimination for a neutron phoswich detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartman, Jessica; Barzilov, Alexander

2017-09-01

A portable phoswich detector capable of differentiating between fast neutrons and thermal neutrons, and photons was developed. The detector design is based on the use of two solid-state scintillators with dissimilar scintillation time properties coupled with a single optical sensor: a 6Li loaded glass and EJ-299-33A plastic. The on-the-fly digital pulse shape discrimination and the wavelet treatment of measured waveforms were employed in the data analysis. The instrument enabled neutron spectrum evaluation.

Digital Analysis and Sorting of Fluorescence Lifetime by Flow Cytometry

PubMed Central

Houston, Jessica P.; Naivar, Mark A.; Freyer, James P.

2010-01-01

Frequency-domain flow cytometry techniques are combined with modifications to the digital signal processing capabilities of the Open Reconfigurable Cytometric Acquisition System (ORCAS) to analyze fluorescence decay lifetimes and control sorting. Real-time fluorescence lifetime analysis is accomplished by rapidly digitizing correlated, radiofrequency modulated detector signals, implementing Fourier analysis programming with ORCAS’ digital signal processor (DSP) and converting the processed data into standard cytometric list mode data. To systematically test the capabilities of the ORCAS 50 MS/sec analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and our DSP programming, an error analysis was performed using simulated light scatter and fluorescence waveforms (0.5–25 ns simulated lifetime), pulse widths ranging from 2 to 15 µs, and modulation frequencies from 2.5 to 16.667 MHz. The standard deviations of digitally acquired lifetime values ranged from 0.112 to >2 ns, corresponding to errors in actual phase shifts from 0.0142° to 1.6°. The lowest coefficients of variation (<1%) were found for 10-MHz modulated waveforms having pulse widths of 6 µs and simulated lifetimes of 4 ns. Direct comparison of the digital analysis system to a previous analog phase-sensitive flow cytometer demonstrated similar precision and accuracy on measurements of a range of fluorescent microspheres, unstained cells and cells stained with three common fluorophores. Sorting based on fluorescence lifetime was accomplished by adding analog outputs to ORCAS and interfacing with a commercial cell sorter with a radiofrequency modulated solid-state laser. Two populations of fluorescent microspheres with overlapping fluorescence intensities but different lifetimes (2 and 7 ns) were separated to ~98% purity. Overall, the digital signal acquisition and processing methods we introduce present a simple yet robust approach to phase-sensitive measurements in flow cytometry. The ability to simply and inexpensively implement this system on a commercial flow sorter will both allow better dissemination of this technology and better exploit the traditionally underutilized parameter of fluorescence lifetime. PMID:20662090

Performance evaluation of a modular detector unit for X-ray computed tomography.

PubMed

Guo, Zhe; Tang, Zhiwei; Wang, Xinzeng; Deng, Mingliang; Hu, Guangshu; Zhang, Hui

2013-04-18

A research prototype CT scanner is currently under development in our lab. One of the key components in this project is the CT detector. This paper describes the design and performance evaluation of the modular CT detector unit for our proposed scanner. It consists of a Photodiode Array Assembly which captures irradiating X-ray photons and converts the energy into electrical current, and a mini Data Acquisition System which performs current integration and converts the analog signal into digital samples. The detector unit can be easily tiled together to form a CT detector. Experiments were conducted to characterize the detector performance both at the single unit level and system level. The noise level, linearity and uniformity of the proposed detector unit were reported and initial imaging studies were also presented which demonstrated the potential application of the proposed detector unit in actual CT scanners.

Applications of Digitized 3-D Position-Sensitive CdZnTe Spectrometers for National Security and Nuclear Nonproliferation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Streicher, Michael W.

A nuclear weapon detonation remains one of the gravest threats to the global community. Although the likelihood of a nuclear event remains small, the economic and political ramifications of an event are vast. The surest way to reduce the probability of an incident is to account for the special nuclear materials (SNM) which can be used to produce a nuclear weapon. Materials which can be used to manufacture a radiological dispersion device ("dirty bomb") must also be monitored. Rapidly-deployable, commercially-available, room-temperature imaging gamma-ray spectrometers are improving the ability of authorities to intelligently and quickly respond to threats. New electronics which digitally-sample the radiation-induced signals in CdZnTe detectors have expanded the capabilities of these sensors. This thesis explores national security applications where digital readout of CdZnTe detectors significantly enhances capabilities. Radioactive sources can be detected more quickly using digitally-sampled CdZnTe detector due to the improved energy resolution. The excellent energy resolution also improves the accuracy of measurements of uranium enrichment and allows users to measure plutonium grade. Small differences in the recorded gamma-ray energy spectrum can be used to estimate the effective atomic number and mass thickness of materials shielding SNM sources. Improved position resolution of gamma-ray interactions through digital readout allows high resolution gamma-ray images of SNM revealing information about the source configuration. CdZnTe sensors can detect the presence of neutrons, indirectly, through measurement of gamma rays released during capture of thermal neutrons by Cd-113 or inelastic scattering with any constituent nuclei. Fast neutrons, such as those released following fission, can be directly detected through elastic scattering interactions in the detector. Neutrons are a strong indicator of fissile material, and the background neutron rate is much lower than the gamma-ray background rate. Neutrons can more easily penetrate shielding materials as well which can greatly aid in the detection of shielded SNM. Digital CdZnTe readout enables the sensors to maintain excellent energy resolution at high count rates. Pulse pile-up and preamplifier decay can be monitored and corrected for on an event-by-event basis limiting energy resolution degradation in dose rates higher than 100 mR/hr. Finally, new iterations of the digital electronics have enhanced gamma-ray detection capabilities at high photon energies. Currently, gamma rays with energy up to 4.4 MeV have been detected. High-energy photon detection is critical for many proposed active interrogation systems.

TU-FG-209-04: Testing of Digital Image Receptors Using AAPM TG-150’s Draft Recommendations - Investigating the Impact of Different Processing Parameters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finley, C; Dave, J

Purpose: To evaluate implementation of AAPM TG-150’s draft recommendations via a parameter study for testing the performance of digital image receptors. Methods: Flat field images were acquired from 9 calibrated digital image receptors associated with 9 new portable digital radiography systems (Carestream Health, Inc.) based on the draft recommendations and manufacturer-specified calibration conditions (set of 4 images at input detector air kerma ranging from 1 to 25 µGy). Effects of exposure response function (linearized and logarithmic), ‘Presentation Intent Type’ (‘For Processing’ and ‘For Presentation’), detector orientation with respect to the anode-cathode axis (4 orientations; 900 rotations per iteration), different ROImore » sizes (5×5–40×40 mm{sup 2}) and elimination of varying dimensions of image border (0 mm i.e., without boundary elimination to 150 mm) on signal, noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the associated nonuniformities were evaluated. Images were analyzed in Matlab and quantities were compared using ANOVA. Results: Signal, noise and SNR values averaged over 9 systems with default parameter values in draft recommendations were 4837.2±139.4, 19.7±0.9 and 246.4±10.1 (mean ± standard deviation), respectively (at input detector air kerma: 12.5 µGy). Signal, noise and SNR showed characteristic dependency on exposure response function and on ‘Presentation Intent Type’. These values were not affected by ROI size and detector orientation, but analysis showed that eliminating the edge pixels along the boundary was required for the noise parameter (coefficient of variation range for noise: 72%–106% and 3%–4% without and with boundary elimination; respectively). Local and global nonuniformities showed a similar dependence on the need for boundary elimination. Interestingly, computed non-uniformities showed agreement with manufacturer-reported values except for noise non-uniformities in two units; artifacts were seen in images from these two units highlighting the importance of independent evaluations. Conclusion: The effect of different parameters on performance characterization of digital image receptors was evaluated based on TG-150’s draft recommendations.« less

The phase 1 upgrade of the CMS Pixel Front-End Driver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedl, M.; Pernicka, M.; Steininger, H.

2010-12-01

The pixel detector of the CMS experiment at the LHC is read out by analog optical links, sending the data to 9U VME Front-End Driver (FED) boards located in the electronics cavern. There are plans for the phase 1 upgrade of the pixel detector (2016) to add one more layer, while significantly cutting down the overall material budget. At the same time, the optical data transmission will be replaced by a serialized digital scheme. A plug-in board solution with a high-speed digital optical receiver has been developed for the Pixel-FED readout boards and will be presented along with first tests of the future optical link.

Skin contamination dosimeter

DOEpatents

Hamby, David M [Corvallis, OR; Farsoni, Abdollah T [Corvallis, OR; Cazalas, Edward [Corvallis, OR

2011-06-21

A technique and device provides absolute skin dosimetry in real time at multiple tissue depths simultaneously. The device uses a phoswich detector which has multiple scintillators embedded at different depths within a non-scintillating material. A digital pulse processor connected to the phoswich detector measures a differential distribution (dN/dH) of count rate N as function of pulse height H for signals from each of the multiple scintillators. A digital processor computes in real time from the differential count-rate distribution for each of multiple scintillators an estimate of an ionizing radiation dose delivered to each of multiple depths of skin tissue corresponding to the multiple scintillators embedded at multiple corresponding depths within the non-scintillating material.

Nuclear Science Symposium, 25th, and Symposium on Nuclear Power Systems, 10th, Washington, D.C., October 18-20, 1978, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Detectors of various types are discussed, taking into account drift chambers, calorimetry, multiwire proportional chambers, signal processing, the use of semiconductors, and photo/optical applications. Circuits are considered along with instrumentation for space, nuclear medicine instrumentation, data acquisition and systems, environmental instrumentation, reactor instrumentation, and nuclear power systems. Attention is given to a new approach to high accuracy gaseous detectors, the current status of electron mobility and free-ion yield in high mobility liquids, a digital drift chamber digitizer system, the stability of oxides in high purity germanium, the quadrant photomultiplier, and the theory of imaging with a very limited number of projections.

Status of the photomultiplier-based FlashCam camera for the Cherenkov Telescope Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pühlhofer, G.; Bauer, C.; Eisenkolb, F.; Florin, D.; Föhr, C.; Gadola, A.; Garrecht, F.; Hermann, G.; Jung, I.; Kalekin, O.; Kalkuhl, C.; Kasperek, J.; Kihm, T.; Koziol, J.; Lahmann, R.; Manalaysay, A.; Marszalek, A.; Rajda, P. J.; Reimer, O.; Romaszkan, W.; Rupinski, M.; Schanz, T.; Schwab, T.; Steiner, S.; Straumann, U.; Tenzer, C.; Vollhardt, A.; Weitzel, Q.; Winiarski, K.; Zietara, K.

2014-07-01

The FlashCam project is preparing a camera prototype around a fully digital FADC-based readout system, for the medium sized telescopes (MST) of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). The FlashCam design is the first fully digital readout system for Cherenkov cameras, based on commercial FADCs and FPGAs as key components for digitization and triggering, and a high performance camera server as back end. It provides the option to easily implement different types of trigger algorithms as well as digitization and readout scenarios using identical hardware, by simply changing the firmware on the FPGAs. The readout of the front end modules into the camera server is Ethernet-based using standard Ethernet switches and a custom, raw Ethernet protocol. In the current implementation of the system, data transfer and back end processing rates of 3.8 GB/s and 2.4 GB/s have been achieved, respectively. Together with the dead-time-free front end event buffering on the FPGAs, this permits the cameras to operate at trigger rates of up to several ten kHz. In the horizontal architecture of FlashCam, the photon detector plane (PDP), consisting of photon detectors, preamplifiers, high voltage-, control-, and monitoring systems, is a self-contained unit, mechanically detached from the front end modules. It interfaces to the digital readout system via analogue signal transmission. The horizontal integration of FlashCam is expected not only to be more cost efficient, it also allows PDPs with different types of photon detectors to be adapted to the FlashCam readout system. By now, a 144-pixel mini-camera" setup, fully equipped with photomultipliers, PDP electronics, and digitization/ trigger electronics, has been realized and extensively tested. Preparations for a full-scale, 1764 pixel camera mechanics and a cooling system are ongoing. The paper describes the status of the project.

Proceedings of the Second Infrared Detector Technology Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccreight, C. R. (Compiler)

1986-01-01

The workshop focused on infrared detector, detector array, and cryogenic electronic technologies relevant to low-background space astronomy. Papers are organized into the following categories: discrete infrared detectors and readout electronics; advanced bolometers; intrinsic integrated infrared arrays; and extrinsic integrated infrared arrays. Status reports on the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) and Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) programs are also included.

Terahertz detectors and focal plane arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogalski, A.; Sizov, F.

2011-09-01

Terahertz (THz) technology is one of emerging technologies that will change our life. A lot of attractive applications in security, medicine, biology, astronomy, and non-destructive materials testing have been demonstrated already. However, the realization of THz emitters and receivers is a challenge because the frequencies are too high for conventional electronics and the photon energies are too small for classical optics. As a result, THz radiation is resistant to the techniques commonly employed in these well established neighbouring bands. In the paper, issues associated with the development and exploitation of THz radiation detectors and focal plane arrays are discussed. Historical impressive progress in THz detector sensitivity in a period of more than half century is analyzed. More attention is put on the basic physical phenomena and the recent progress in both direct and heterodyne detectors. After short description of general classification of THz detectors, more details concern Schottky barrier diodes, pair braking detectors, hot electron mixers and field-effect transistor detectors, where links between THz devices and modern technologies such as micromachining are underlined. Also, the operational conditions of THz detectors and their upper performance limits are reviewed. Finally, recent advances in novel nanoelectronic materials and technologies are described. It is expected that applications of nanoscale materials and devices will open the door for further performance improvement in THz detectors.

An Investigation of Pre-Service Primary School Teachers' Attitudes towards Digital Technology and Digital Citizenship Levels in Terms of Some Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çiftci, Serdar; Aladag, Soner

2018-01-01

This study aims at investigating the relationship between pre-service primary school teachers' attitudes towards digital technology and digital citizenship scale levels. The research was designed in descriptive survey model. The data collection tools were "Attitude Scale for Digital Technology" (ASDT) developed by Cabi (2016) and…

Discussion on the management system technology implementation of multimedia classrooms in the digital campus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Bo

2018-04-01

Based on the digitized information and network, digital campus is an integration of teaching, management, science and research, life service and technology service, and it is one of the current mainstream construction form of campus function. This paper regarded the "mobile computing" core digital environment construction development as the background, explored the multiple management system technology content design and achievement of multimedia classrooms in digital campus and scientifically proved the technology superiority of management system.

γγ coincidence spectrometer for instrumental neutron-activation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomlin, B. E.; Zeisler, R.; Lindstrom, R. M.

2008-05-01

Neutron-activation analysis (NAA) is an important technique for the accurate and precise determination of trace and ultra-trace elemental compositions. The application of γγ coincidence counting to NAA in order to enhance specificity was first explored over 40 years ago but has not evolved into a regularly used technique. A γγ coincidence spectrometer has been constructed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, using two HPGe γ-ray detectors and an all-digital data-acquisition system, for the purpose of exploring coincidence NAA and its value in characterizing reference materials. This paper describes the initial evaluation of the quantitative precision of coincidence counting versus singles spectrometry, based upon a sample of neutron-irradiated bovine liver material.

Applications of iQID cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Ling; Miller, Brian W.; Barrett, Harrison H.; Barber, H. Bradford; Furenlid, Lars R.

2017-09-01

iQID is an intensified quantum imaging detector developed in the Center for Gamma-Ray Imaging (CGRI). Originally called BazookaSPECT, iQID was designed for high-resolution gamma-ray imaging and preclinical gamma-ray single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). With the use of a columnar scintillator, an image intensifier and modern CCD/CMOS sensors, iQID cameras features outstanding intrinsic spatial resolution. In recent years, many advances have been achieved that greatly boost the performance of iQID, broadening its applications to cover nuclear and particle imaging for preclinical, clinical and homeland security settings. This paper presents an overview of the recent advances of iQID technology and its applications in preclinical and clinical scintigraphy, preclinical SPECT, particle imaging (alpha, neutron, beta, and fission fragment), and digital autoradiography.

Characteristic of x-ray tomography performance using CdTe timepix detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zain, R. M.; O'Shea, V.; Maneuski, D.

2017-01-01

X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) is a non-destructive technique for visualizing interior features within solid objects, and for obtaining digital information on their 3-D geometries and properties. The selection of CdTe Timepix detector has a sufficient performance of imaging detector is based on quality of detector performance and energy resolution. The study of Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) shows a 70% contrast at 4 lp/mm was achieved for the 55 µm pixel pitch detector with the 60 kVp X-ray tube and 5 keV noise level. No significant degradation in performance was observed for X-ray tube energies of 20 - 60 keV. The paper discusses the application of the CdTe Timepix detector to produce a good quality image of X-ray tomography imaging.

VEGA: A low-power front-end ASIC for large area multi-linear X-ray silicon drift detectors: Design and experimental characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahangarianabhari, Mahdi; Macera, Daniele; Bertuccio, Giuseppe; Malcovati, Piero; Grassi, Marco

2015-01-01

We present the design and the first experimental characterization of VEGA, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) designed to read out large area monolithic linear Silicon Drift Detectors (SDD's). VEGA consists of an analog and a digital/mixed-signal section to accomplish all the functionalities and specifications required for high resolution X-ray spectroscopy in the energy range between 500 eV and 50 keV. The analog section includes a charge sensitive preamplifier, a shaper with 3-bit digitally selectable shaping times from 1.6 μs to 6.6 μs and a peak stretcher/sample-and-hold stage. The digital/mixed-signal section includes an amplitude discriminator with coarse and fine threshold level setting, a peak discriminator and a logic circuit to fulfill pile-up rejection, signal sampling, trigger generation, channel reset and the preamplifier and discriminators disabling functionalities. A Serial Peripherical Interface (SPI) is integrated in VEGA for loading and storing all configuration parameters in an internal register within few microseconds. The VEGA ASIC has been designed and manufactured in 0.35 μm CMOS mixed-signal technology in single and 32 channel versions with dimensions of 200 μm×500 μm per channel. A minimum intrinsic Equivalent Noise Charge (ENC) of 12 electrons r.m.s. at 3.6 μs peaking time and room temperature is measured and the linearity error is between -0.9% and +0.6% in the whole input energy range. The total power consumption is 481 μW and 420 μW per channel for the single and 32 channels version, respectively. A comparison with other ASICs for X-ray SDD's shows that VEGA has a suitable low noise and offers high functionality as ADC-ready signal processing but at a power consumption that is a factor of four lower than other similar existing ASICs.

Development of Thermal Infrared Sensor to Supplement Operational Land Imager

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shu, Peter; Waczynski, Augustyn; Kan, Emily; Wen, Yiting; Rosenberry, Robert

2012-01-01

The thermal infrared sensor (TIRS) is a quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP)-based instrument intended to supplement the Operational Land Imager (OLI) for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM). The TIRS instrument is a far-infrared imager operating in the pushbroom mode with two IR channels: 10.8 and 12 m. The focal plane will contain three 640 512 QWIP arrays mounted onto a silicon substrate. The readout integrated circuit (ROIC) addresses each pixel on the QWIP arrays and reads out the pixel value (signal). The ROIC is controlled by the focal plane electronics (FPE) by means of clock signals and bias voltage value. The means of how the FPE is designed to control and interact with the TIRS focal plane assembly (FPA) is the basis for this work. The technology developed under the FPE is for the TIRS focal plane assembly (FPA). The FPE must interact with the FPA to command and control the FPA, extract analog signals from the FPA, and then convert the analog signals to digital format and send them via a serial link (USB) to a computer. The FPE accomplishes the described functions by converting electrical power from generic power supplies to the required bias power that is needed by the FPA. The FPE also generates digital clocking signals and shifts the typical transistor-to-transistor logic (TTL) to }5 V required by the FPA. The FPE also uses an application- specific integrated circuit (ASIC) named System Image, Digitizing, Enhancing, Controlling, And Retrieving (SIDECAR) from Teledyne Corp. to generate the clocking patterns commanded by the user. The uniqueness of the FPE for TIRS lies in that the TIRS FPA has three QWIP detector arrays, and all three detector arrays must be in synchronization while in operation. This is to avoid data skewing while observing Earth flying in space. The observing scenario may be customized by uploading new control software to the SIDECAR.

Re-Mixing Multimodal Resources: Multiliteracies and Digital Production in Norwegian Media Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erstad, Ola; Gilje, Oystein; de Lange, Thomas

2007-01-01

Youngsters are increasingly using digital technologies through participation in informal settings. Schools, however, seem to be struggling with implementing digital technologies into formal school activities. With the impact of digital technologies, media education can be seen as an increasingly important "transactional learning space"…

[Application of three-dimensional digital technology in the diagnosis and treatment planning in orthodontics].

PubMed

Bai, Y X

2016-06-01

Three-dimensional(3D)digital technology has been widely used in the field of orthodontics in clinical examination, diagnosis, treatment and curative effect evaluation. 3D digital technology greatly improves the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment, and provides effective means for personalized orthodontic treatment. This review focuses on the application of 3D digital technology in the field of orthodontics.

Small animal bone density and morphometry analysis with a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry bone densitometer using a 2D digital radiographic detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boudousq, V.; Bordy, T.; Gonon, G.; Dinten, J. M.

2005-04-01

The LEXXOS (DMS, Montpellier, France) is the first axial and total body cone beam bone densitometer using a 2D digital radiographic detector. Technical principles and performances for BMD measurements have been presented in previous papers. Bone densitometers are also used on small animals for drug development. In this paper, we show how the LEXXOS system can be adapted to small animals examinations, and its performances are evaluated. At first, in order to take advantage of the whole area of the digital flat panel X-ray detector, the geometrical configuration has been adapted. Secondly, as small animals present low BMD, a specific dual energy calibration has been defined. This adapted system has then been evaluated on two sets of mice: six reference mice and six ovariectomized mice. Each month, these two populations have been examined and the total body BMD has been measured. This evaluation has shown that the right order of BMD magnitude has been obtained and, as expected, BMD increases on the two sets until age of puberty and after this period, decreases significantly for the ovariectomized set. Moreover, the bone image obtained by dual energy processing on LEXXOS presents a radiographic image quality providing with useful complementary information on bone morphometry and architecture.

Design and image-quality performance of high resolution CMOS-based X-ray imaging detectors for digital mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, B. K.; Kim, J. Y.; Kim, Y. J.; Yun, S.; Cho, G.; Kim, H. K.; Seo, C.-W.; Jeon, S.; Huh, Y.

2012-04-01

In digital X-ray imaging systems, X-ray imaging detectors based on scintillating screens with electronic devices such as charge-coupled devices (CCDs), thin-film transistors (TFT), complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) flat panel imagers have been introduced for general radiography, dental, mammography and non-destructive testing (NDT) applications. Recently, a large-area CMOS active-pixel sensor (APS) in combination with scintillation films has been widely used in a variety of digital X-ray imaging applications. We employed a scintillator-based CMOS APS image sensor for high-resolution mammography. In this work, both powder-type Gd2O2S:Tb and a columnar structured CsI:Tl scintillation screens with various thicknesses were fabricated and used as materials to convert X-ray into visible light. These scintillating screens were directly coupled to a CMOS flat panel imager with a 25 × 50 mm2 active area and a 48 μm pixel pitch for high spatial resolution acquisition. We used a W/Al mammographic X-ray source with a 30 kVp energy condition. The imaging characterization of the X-ray detector was measured and analyzed in terms of linearity in incident X-ray dose, modulation transfer function (MTF), noise-power spectrum (NPS) and detective quantum efficiency (DQE).

Digital video technology, today and tomorrow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liberman, J.

1994-10-01

Digital video is probably computing's fastest moving technology today. Just three years ago, the zenith of digital video technology on the PC was the successful marriage of digital text and graphics with analog audio and video by means of expensive analog laser disc players and video overlay boards. The state of the art involves two different approaches to fully digital video on computers: hardware-assisted and software-only solutions.

Sub-200 ps CRT in monolithic scintillator PET detectors using digital SiPM arrays and maximum likelihood interaction time estimation.

PubMed

van Dam, Herman T; Borghi, Giacomo; Seifert, Stefan; Schaart, Dennis R

2013-05-21

Digital silicon photomultiplier (dSiPM) arrays have favorable characteristics for application in monolithic scintillator detectors for time-of-flight positron emission tomography (PET). To fully exploit these benefits, a maximum likelihood interaction time estimation (MLITE) method was developed to derive the time of interaction from the multiple time stamps obtained per scintillation event. MLITE was compared to several deterministic methods. Timing measurements were performed with monolithic scintillator detectors based on novel dSiPM arrays and LSO:Ce,0.2%Ca crystals of 16 × 16 × 10 mm(3), 16 × 16 × 20 mm(3), 24 × 24 × 10 mm(3), and 24 × 24 × 20 mm(3). The best coincidence resolving times (CRTs) for pairs of identical detectors were obtained with MLITE and measured 157 ps, 185 ps, 161 ps, and 184 ps full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM), respectively. For comparison, a small reference detector, consisting of a 3 × 3 × 5 mm(3) LSO:Ce,0.2%Ca crystal coupled to a single pixel of a dSiPM array, was measured to have a CRT as low as 120 ps FWHM. The results of this work indicate that the influence of the optical transport of the scintillation photons on the timing performance of monolithic scintillator detectors can at least partially be corrected for by utilizing the information contained in the spatio-temporal distribution of the collection of time stamps registered per scintillation event.

Cryogenic readout techniques for germanium detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Benato, G.; Cattadori, C.; Di Vacri, A.

High Purity Germanium detectors are used in many applications, from nuclear and astro-particle physics, to homeland security or environment protection. Although quite standard configurations are often used, with cryostats, charge sensitive amplifiers and analog or digital acquisition systems all commercially available, it might be the case that a few specific applications, e.g. satellites, portable devices, cryogenic physics experiments, etc. also require the development of a few additional or complementary techniques. An interesting case is for sure GERDA, the Germanium Detector Array experiment, searching for neutrino-less double beta decay of {sup 76}Ge at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory of INFN -more » Italy. In GERDA the entire detector array, composed of semi-coaxial and BEGe naked crystals, is operated suspended inside a cryostat filled with liquid argon, that acts not only as cooling medium and but also as an active shield, thanks to its scintillation properties. These peculiar circumstances, together with the additional requirement of a very low radioactive background from all the materials adjacent to the detectors, clearly introduce significant constraints on the design of the Ge front-end readout electronics. All the Ge readout solutions developed within the framework of the GERDA collaboration, for both Phase I and Phase II, will be briefly reviewed, with their relative strength and weakness compared together and with respect to ideal Ge readout. Finally, the digital processing techniques developed by the GERDA collaboration for energy estimation of Ge detector signals will be recalled. (authors)« less

Sub-200 ps CRT in monolithic scintillator PET detectors using digital SiPM arrays and maximum likelihood interaction time estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dam, Herman T.; Borghi, Giacomo; Seifert, Stefan; Schaart, Dennis R.

2013-05-01

Digital silicon photomultiplier (dSiPM) arrays have favorable characteristics for application in monolithic scintillator detectors for time-of-flight positron emission tomography (PET). To fully exploit these benefits, a maximum likelihood interaction time estimation (MLITE) method was developed to derive the time of interaction from the multiple time stamps obtained per scintillation event. MLITE was compared to several deterministic methods. Timing measurements were performed with monolithic scintillator detectors based on novel dSiPM arrays and LSO:Ce,0.2%Ca crystals of 16 × 16 × 10 mm3, 16 × 16 × 20 mm3, 24 × 24 × 10 mm3, and 24 × 24 × 20 mm3. The best coincidence resolving times (CRTs) for pairs of identical detectors were obtained with MLITE and measured 157 ps, 185 ps, 161 ps, and 184 ps full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM), respectively. For comparison, a small reference detector, consisting of a 3 × 3 × 5 mm3 LSO:Ce,0.2%Ca crystal coupled to a single pixel of a dSiPM array, was measured to have a CRT as low as 120 ps FWHM. The results of this work indicate that the influence of the optical transport of the scintillation photons on the timing performance of monolithic scintillator detectors can at least partially be corrected for by utilizing the information contained in the spatio-temporal distribution of the collection of time stamps registered per scintillation event.

Integrated detector array technology for infrared astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccreight, c. R.; Goebel, J. H.; Mckelvey, M. E.; Stafford, P. S.; Lee, J. H.

1984-01-01

The status of laboratory and telescope tests of integrated infrared detector array technology for astronomical applications is described. The devices tested represent a number of extrinsic and intrinsic detector materials and various multiplexer designs. Infrared arrays have now been used in successful astronomical applications. These have shown that device sensitivities can be comparable to those of discrete detector systems and excellent astronomical imagery can be produced.

Digital Actuator Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ken Thomas; Ted Quinn; Jerry Mauck

There are significant developments underway in new types of actuators for power plant active components. Many of these make use of digital technology to provide a wide array of benefits in performance of the actuators and in reduced burden to maintain them. These new product offerings have gained considerable acceptance in use in process plants. In addition, they have been used in conventional power generation very successfully. This technology has been proven to deliver the benefits promised and substantiate the claims of improved performance. The nuclear industry has been reluctant to incorporate digital actuator technology into nuclear plant designs duemore » to concerns due to a number of concerns. These could be summarized as cost, regulatory uncertainty, and a certain comfort factor with legacy analog technology. The replacement opportunity for these types of components represents a decision point for whether to invest in more modern technology that would provide superior operational and maintenance benefits. Yet, the application of digital technology has been problematic for the nuclear industry, due to qualification and regulatory issues. With some notable exceptions, the result has been a continuing reluctance to undertake the risks and uncertainties of implementing digital actuator technology when replacement opportunities present themselves. Rather, utilities would typically prefer to accept the performance limitations of the legacy analog actuator technologies to avoid impacts to project costs and schedules. The purpose of this report is to demonstrate that the benefits of digital actuator technology can be significant in terms of plant performance and that it is worthwhile to address the barriers currently holding back the widespread development and use of this technology. It addresses two important objectives in pursuit of the beneficial use of digital actuator technology for nuclear power plants: 1. To demonstrate the benefits of digital actuator technology over legacy analog sensor technology in both quantitative and qualitative ways. 2. To recognize and address the added difficulty of digital technology qualification, especially in regard to software common cause failure (SCCF), that is introduced by the use of digital actuator technology.« less

Real time quantitative colourimetric test for methamphetamine detection using digital and mobile phone technology.

PubMed

Choodum, Aree; Parabun, Kaewalee; Klawach, Nantikan; Daeid, Niamh Nic; Kanatharana, Proespichaya; Wongniramaikul, Worawit

2014-02-01

The Simon presumptive color test was used in combination with the built-in digital camera on a mobile phone to detect methamphetamine. The real-time Red-Green-Blue (RGB) basic color data was obtained using an application installed on the mobile phone and the relationship profile between RGB intensity, including other calculated values, and the colourimetric product was investigated. A wide linear range (0.1-2.5mg mL(-1)) and a low detection limit (0.0110±0.0001-0.044±0.002mg mL(-1)) were achieved. The method also required a small sample size (20μL). The results obtained from the analysis of illicit methamphetamine tablets were comparable to values obtained from gas chromatograph-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) analysis. Method validation indicated good intra- and inter-day precision (2.27-4.49%RSD and 2.65-5.62%RSD, respectively). The results suggest that this is a powerful real-time mobile method with the potential to be applied in field tests. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Detection of lung nodules. New opportunities in chest radiography].

PubMed

Pötter-Lang, S; Schalekamp, S; Schaefer-Prokop, C; Uffmann, M

2014-05-01

Chest radiography still represents the most commonly performed X-ray examination because it is readily available, requires low radiation doses and is relatively inexpensive. However, as previously published, many initially undetected lung nodules are retrospectively visible in chest radiographs. The great improvements in detector technology with the increasing dose efficiency and improved contrast resolution provide a better image quality and reduced dose needs. The dual energy acquisition technique and advanced image processing methods (e.g. digital bone subtraction and temporal subtraction) reduce the anatomical background noise by reduction of overlapping structures in chest radiography. Computer-aided detection (CAD) schemes increase the awareness of radiologists for suspicious areas. The advanced image processing methods show clear improvements for the detection of pulmonary lung nodules in chest radiography and strengthen the role of this method in comparison to 3D acquisition techniques, such as computed tomography (CT). Many of these methods will probably be integrated into standard clinical treatment in the near future. Digital software solutions offer advantages as they can be easily incorporated into radiology departments and are often more affordable as compared to hardware solutions.

Professional Ethics for Digital Age Psychiatry: Boundaries, Privacy, and Communication.

PubMed

Sabin, James E; Harland, Jonathan Clark

2017-09-01

Internet and social media use continue to expand rapidly. Many patients and psychiatrists are bringing digital technologies into the treatment process, but relatively little attention has been paid to the ethical challenges in doing this. This review presents ethical guidelines for psychiatry in the digital age. Surveys demonstrate that patients are eager to make digital technologies part of their treatment. Substantial numbers search for professional and personal information about their therapists. Attitudes among psychiatrists about using digital technologies with patients range from dread to enthusiastic adoption. Digital technologies create four major ethical challenges for psychiatry: managing clinical boundaries; maintaining privacy and confidentiality; establishing realistic expectations regarding digital communications; and upholding professional ideals. Traditional ethical expectations are valid for the evolving digital arena, but guidance must be adapted for actual application in practice.

Can New Digital Technologies Support Parasitology Teaching and Learning?

PubMed

Jabbar, Abdul; Gasser, Robin B; Lodge, Jason

2016-07-01

Traditionally, parasitology courses have mostly been taught face-to-face on campus, but now digital technologies offer opportunities for teaching and learning. Here, we give a perspective on how new technologies might be used through student-centred teaching approaches. First, a snapshot of recent trends in the higher education is provided; then, a brief account is given of how digital technologies [e.g., massive open online courses (MOOCs), flipped classroom (FC), games, quizzes, dedicated Facebook, and digital badges] might promote parasitology teaching and learning in digital learning environments. In our opinion, some of these digital technologies might be useful for competency-based, self-regulated, learner-centred teaching and learning in an online or blended teaching environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Application of digital earth technology in research of traditional Chinese medicine resources].

PubMed

Liu, Jinxin; Liu, Xinxin; Gao, Lu; Wei, Yingqin; Meng, Fanyun; Wang, Yongyan

2011-02-01

This paper describes the digital earth technology and its core technology-"3S" integration technology. The advance and promotion of the "3S" technology provide more favorable means and technical support for Chinese medicine resources survey, evaluation and appropriate zoning. Grid is a mature and popular technology that can connect all kinds of information resources. The author sums up the application of digital earth technology in the research of traditional Chinese medicine resources in recent years, and proposes the new method and technical route of investigation in traditional Chinese medicine resources, traditional Chinese medicine zoning and suitability assessment by combining the digital earth technology and grid.

Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starkey, Louise

2012-01-01

"Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age" is for all those interested in considering the impact of emerging digital technologies on teaching and learning. It explores the concept of a digital age and perspectives of knowledge, pedagogy and practice within a digital context. By examining teaching with digital technologies through new learning…

Radiation response issues for infrared detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalma, Arne H.

1990-01-01

Researchers describe the most important radiation response issues for infrared detectors. In general, the two key degradation mechanisms in infrared detectors are the noise produced by exposure to a flux of ionizing particles (e.g.; trapped electronics and protons, debris gammas and electrons, radioactive decay of neutron-activated materials) and permanent damage produced by exposure to total dose. Total-dose-induced damage is most often the result of charge trapping in insulators or at interfaces. Exposure to short pulses of ionization (e.g.; prompt x rays or gammas, delayed gammas) will cause detector upset. However, this upset is not important to a sensor unless the recovery time is too long. A few detector technologies are vulnerable to neutron-induced displacement damage, but fortunately most are not. Researchers compare the responses of the new technologies with those of the mainstream technologies of PV HgCdTe and IBC Si:As. One important reason for this comparison is to note where some of the newer technologies have the potential to provide significantly improved radiation hardness compared with that of the mainstream technologies, and thus to provide greater motivation for the pursuit of these technologies.

Development of Γ-ray tracking detectors

DOE PAGES

Lieder, R. M.; Gast, W.; Jäger, H. M.; ...

2001-12-01

The next generation of 4π arrays for high-precision γ-ray spectroscopy AGATA will consist of γ-ray tracking detectors. They represent high-fold segmented Ge detectors and a front-end electronics, based on digital signal processing techniques, which allows to extract energy, timing and spatial information on the interactions of a γ-ray in the Ge detector by pulse shape analysis of its signals. Utilizing the information on the positions of the interaction points and the energies released at each point the tracks of the γ-rays in a Ge shell can be reconstructed in three dimensions on the basis of the Compton-scattering formula.

Detector signal correction method and system

DOEpatents

Carangelo, Robert M.; Duran, Andrew J.; Kudman, Irwin

1995-07-11

Corrective factors are applied so as to remove anomalous features from the signal generated by a photoconductive detector, and to thereby render the output signal highly linear with respect to the energy of incident, time-varying radiation. The corrective factors may be applied through the use of either digital electronic data processing means or analog circuitry, or through a combination of those effects.

Detector signal correction method and system

DOEpatents

Carangelo, R.M.; Duran, A.J.; Kudman, I.

1995-07-11

Corrective factors are applied so as to remove anomalous features from the signal generated by a photoconductive detector, and to thereby render the output signal highly linear with respect to the energy of incident, time-varying radiation. The corrective factors may be applied through the use of either digital electronic data processing means or analog circuitry, or through a combination of those effects. 5 figs.

Shake, Rattle and Roll: James Webb Telescope Components Pass Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

This image shows a model of one of three detectors for the Mid-Infrared Instrument on NASA's upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. The detector, which looks green in this picture, and is similar to the charge-coupled devices, or 'CCDs,' in digital cameras, is housed in the brick-like unit shown here, called a focal plane module.

Plastic scintillation detectors for dose monitoring in digital breast tomosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antunes, J.; Machado, J.; Peralta, L.; Matela, N.

2018-01-01

Plastic scintillators detectors (PSDs) have been studied as dosimeters, since they provide a cost-effective alternative to conventional ionization chambers. Measurement and analysis of energy dependency were performed on a Siemens Mammomat tomograph for two different peak kilovoltages: 26 kV and 35 kV. Both PSD displayed good linearity for each energy considered and almost no energy dependence.

Collection of holes in thick TlBr detectors at low temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dönmez, Burçin; He, Zhong; Kim, Hadong; Cirignano, Leonard J.; Shah, Kanai S.

2012-10-01

A 3.5×3.5×4.6 mm3 thick TlBr detector with pixellated Au/Cr anodes made by Radiation Monitoring Devices Inc. was studied. The detector has a planar cathode and nine anode pixels surrounded by a guard ring. The pixel pitch is 1.0 mm. Digital pulse waveforms of preamplifier outputs were recorded using a multi-channel GaGe PCI digitizer board. Several experiments were carried out at -20 °C, with the detector under bias for over a month. An energy resolution of 1.7% FWHM at 662 keV was measured without any correction at -2400 V bias. Holes generated at all depths can be collected by the cathode at -2400 V bias which made depth correction using the cathode-to-anode ratio technique difficult since both charge carriers contribute to the signal. An energy resolution of 5.1% FWHM at 662 keV was obtained from the best pixel electrode without depth correction at +1000 V bias. In this positive bias case, the pixel electrode was actually collecting holes. A hole mobility-lifetime of 0.95×10-4 cm2/V has been estimated from measurement data.

Energy and Timing Measurement with Time-Based Detector Readout for PET Applications: Principle and Validation with Discrete Circuit Components

PubMed Central

Sun, Xishan; Lan, Allan K.; Bircher, Chad; Deng, Zhi; Liu, Yinong; Shao, Yiping

2011-01-01

A new signal processing method for PET application has been developed, with discrete circuit components to measure energy and timing of a gamma interaction based solely on digital timing processing without using an amplitude-to-digital convertor (ADC) or a constant fraction discriminator (CFD). A single channel discrete component time-based readout (TBR) circuit was implemented in a PC board. Initial circuit functionality and performance evaluations have been conducted. Accuracy and linearity of signal amplitude measurement were excellent, as measured with test pulses. The measured timing accuracy from test pulses reached to less than 300 ps, a value limited mainly by the timing jitter of the prototype electronics circuit. Both suitable energy and coincidence timing resolutions (~18% and ~1.0 ns) have been achieved with 3 × 3 × 20 mm3 LYSO scintillator and photomultiplier tube-based detectors. With its relatively simple circuit and low cost, TBR is expected to be a suitable front-end signal readout electronics for compact PET or other radiation detectors requiring the reading of a large number of detector channels and demanding high performance for energy and timing measurement. PMID:21743761

Detector Apparatus and Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arndt, G. Dickey (Inventor); Ngo, Phong H. (Inventor); Carl, James R. (Inventor); Byerly, Kent A. (Inventor); Dusl, John (Inventor)

2003-01-01

Transceiver and methods are included that are especially suitable for detecting metallic materials, such as metallic mines, within an environment. The transceiver includes a digital waveform generator used to transmit a signal into the environment and a receiver that produces a digital received signal. A tracking module preferably compares an in-phase and quadrature transmitted signal with an in-phase and quadrature received signal to produce a spectral transfer function of the magnetic transceiver over a selected range of frequencies. The transceiver initially preferably creates a reference transfer function which is then stored in a memory. Subsequently measured transfer functions will vary depending on the presence of metal in the environment which was not in the environment when the reference transfer function was determined. The system may be utilized in the presence of other antennas, metal, and electronics which may comprise a plastic mine detector for detecting plastic mines. Despite the additional antennas and other metallic materials that may be in the environment due to the plastic mine detector, the magnetic transceiver remains highly sensitive to metallic material which may be located in various portions of the environment and which may be detected by sweeping the detector over ground that may contain metals or mines.

Low level radioactivity measurements with phoswich detectors using coincident techniques and digital pulse processing analysis.

PubMed

de la Fuente, R; de Celis, B; del Canto, V; Lumbreras, J M; de Celis Alonso, B; Martín-Martín, A; Gutierrez-Villanueva, J L

2008-10-01

A new system has been developed for the detection of low radioactivity levels of fission products and actinides using coincidence techniques. The device combines a phoswich detector for alpha/beta/gamma-ray recognition with a fast digital card for electronic pulse analysis. The phoswich can be used in a coincident mode by identifying the composed signal produced by the simultaneous detection of alpha/beta particles and X-rays/gamma particles. The technique of coincidences with phoswich detectors was proposed recently to verify the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (NTBT) which established the necessity of monitoring low levels of gaseous fission products produced by underground nuclear explosions. With the device proposed here it is possible to identify the coincidence events and determine the energy and type of coincident particles. The sensitivity of the system has been improved by employing liquid scintillators and a high resolution low energy germanium detector. In this case it is possible to identify simultaneously by alpha/gamma coincidence transuranic nuclides present in environmental samples without necessity of performing radiochemical separation. The minimum detectable activity was estimated to be 0.01 Bq kg(-1) for 0.1 kg of soil and 1000 min counting.

Are Digital Natives a Myth or Reality? University Students' Use of Digital Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margaryan, Anoush; Littlejohn, Allison; Vojt, Gabrielle

2011-01-01

This study investigated the extent and nature of university students' use of digital technologies for learning and socialising. The findings show that students use a limited range of mainly established technologies. Use of collaborative knowledge creation tools, virtual worlds, and social networking sites was low. "Digital natives" and students of…

OSIRIS-REx OCAMS detector assembly characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hancock, J.; Crowther, B.; Whiteley, M.; Burt, R.; Watson, M.; Nelson, J.; Fellows, C.; Rizk, B.; Kinney-Spano, E.; Perry, M.; Hunten, M.

2013-09-01

The OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission carries a suite of three cameras referred to as OCAMS. The Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) at Utah State University is providing the CCD-based detector assemblies for OCAMS to the Lunar Planetary Lab (LPL) at the University of Arizona. Working with the LPL, SDL has designed the electronics to operate a 1K by 1K frame transfer Teledyne DALSA Multi-Pinned Phase (MPP) CCD. The detector assembly electronics provides the CCD clocking, biasing, and digital interface with the OCAMS payload Command Control Module (CCM). A prototype system was built to verify the functionality of the detector assembly design and to characterize the detector system performance at the intended operating temperatures. The characterization results are described in this paper.

Photodetectors and front-end electronics for the LHCb RICH upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassina, L.; LHCb RICH

2017-12-01

The RICH detectors of the LHCb experiment provide identification of hadrons produced in high energy proton-proton collisions in the LHC at CERN over a wide momentum range (2-100 GeV/c). Cherenkov light is collected on photon detector planes sensitive to single photons. The RICH will be upgraded (in 2019) to read out every bunch crossing, at a rate of 40 MHz. The current hybrid photon detectors (HPD) will be replaced with multi-anode photomultiplier tubes (customisations of the Hamamatsu R11265 and the H12699 MaPMTs). These 8×8 pixel devices meet the experimental requirements thanks to their small pixel size, high gain, negligible dark count rate (∼50 Hz/cm2) and moderate cross-talk. The measured performance of several tubes is reported, together with their long-term stability. A new 8-channel front-end chip, named CLARO, has been designed in 0.35 μm CMOS AMS technology for the MaPMT readout. The CLARO chip operates in binary mode and combines low power consumption (∼1 mW/Ch), wide bandwidth (baseline restored in ⩽ 25 ns) and radiation hardness. A 12-bit digital register permits the optimisation of the dynamic range and the threshold level for each channel and provides tools for the on-site calibration. The design choices and the characterization of the electronics are presented.

Single Pass Stripline Beam Position Monitor Design, Fabrication and Commissioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Y.-R. E.; Wang, D.; Van Garderen, E.; McKinlay, J.

2012-10-01

To monitor the position of the electron beam during transport from the Booster Synchrotron to the Storage Ring at the Australian Synchrotron, a stripline Beam Position Monitor (BPM) has been designed, fabricated and installed in-house. The design was based on an existing stripline in the Booster and modified for the transfer line with a particular emphasis on ensuring the line impedance is properly matched to the detector system. The initial bench tests of a prototype stripline showed that the fabrication of the four individual striplines in the BPM was made precisely, each with a measured standing wave ratio (SWR) of 1.8 at 500 MHz. Further optimization for impedance matching will be done for new stripline BPMs. The linearity and gain factor was measured with the detector system. The detector system that digitizes the signals is an Instrumentation Technologies Brilliance Single Pass [1]. The results show an error of 1 mm at an offset (from the electrical centre) of 10 mm when a linear gain factor is assumed and an RMS noise of ~150 um that decreases to < 10 um with increasing signal intensity. The results were under our requirements for the transport line. The commissioning results of the stripline will also be presented showing a strong signal for an electron beam with an estimated integrated charge of ~50 nC with a position stability of 28 um (horizontal) and 75 um (vertical).

Physical characterization of a scanning photon counting digital mammography system based on Si-strip detectors.

PubMed

Aslund, Magnus; Cederström, Björn; Lundqvist, Mats; Danielsson, Mats

2007-06-01

The physical performance of a scanning multislit full field digital mammography system was determined using basic image quality parameters. The system employs a direct detection detector comprised of linear silicon strip sensors in an edge-on geometry connected to photon counting electronics. The pixel size is 50 microm and the field of view 24 x 26 cm2. The performance was quantified using the presampled modulation transfer function, the normalized noise power spectrum and the detective quantum efficiency (DQE). Compared to conventional DQE methods, the scanning geometry with its intrinsic scatter rejection poses additional requirements on the measurement setup, which are investigated in this work. The DQE of the photon counting system was found to be independent of the dose level to the detector in the 7.6-206 microGy range. The peak DQE was 72% and 73% in the scan and slit direction, respectively, measured with a 28 kV W-0.5 mm Al anode-filter combination with an added 2 mm Al filtration.

A direct electron detector for time-resolved MeV electron microscopy

DOE PAGES

Vecchione, T.; Denes, P.; Jobe, R. K.; ...

2017-03-15

The introduction of direct electron detectors enabled the structural biology revolution of cryogenic electron microscopy. Direct electron detectors are now expected to have a similarly dramatic impact on time-resolved MeV electron microscopy, particularly by enabling both spatial and temporal jitter correction. Here in this paper, we report on the commissioning of a direct electron detector for time-resolved MeV electron microscopy. The direct electron detector demonstrated MeV single electron sensitivity and is capable of recording megapixel images at 180 Hz. The detector has a 15-bit dynamic range, better than 30-μm spatial resolution and less than 20 analogue-to-digital converter count RMS pixelmore » noise. The unique capabilities of the direct electron detector and the data analysis required to take advantage of these capabilities are presented. The technical challenges associated with generating and processing large amounts of data are also discussed.« less

A direct electron detector for time-resolved MeV electron microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vecchione, T.; Denes, P.; Jobe, R. K.

The introduction of direct electron detectors enabled the structural biology revolution of cryogenic electron microscopy. Direct electron detectors are now expected to have a similarly dramatic impact on time-resolved MeV electron microscopy, particularly by enabling both spatial and temporal jitter correction. Here we report on the commissioning of a direct electron detector for time-resolved MeV electron microscopy. The direct electron detector demonstrated MeV single electron sensitivity and is capable of recording megapixel images at 180 Hz. The detector has a 15-bit dynamic range, better than 30-μmμm spatial resolution and less than 20 analogue-to-digital converter count RMS pixel noise. The uniquemore » capabilities of the direct electron detector and the data analysis required to take advantage of these capabilities are presented. The technical challenges associated with generating and processing large amounts of data are also discussed.« less