8 results about "Optical photon" patented technology

The present invention relates to a photon counting detector and method. The detector (20) comprises a scintillator (21) configured to convert incident gamma radiation into optical photons, a pixelated photodetector (22) configured to detect the flux of optical photons, and circuitry (23). The circuitry (23) is configured to iteratively determine, per photodetector pixel, a photon count by accumulating the number of optical photons detected by the respective photodetector pixel during an integration time, assign the photon count, per photodetector pixel, to one of multiple energy bins by use of energy thresholds separating the multiple energy bins, and dynamically adapt, per photodetector pixel or group of photodetector pixels, the energy thresholds for use in a subsequent iteration based on information on the estimated photon count of said photodetector pixel or group of photodetector pixels in the subsequent iteration.

A method of improving a generated image obtained from a gamma camera for medical imaging, the image being improved by excluding the contribution of low-energy and scattered gamma rays to the generated image, the method comprising the steps of: detecting gamma ray photons by the gamma camera; converting the detected gamma ray photons into one or more optical photons; detecting the resulting optical photons on the photosensitive surface; processing the detected optical photons into a primary data array comprising pixels, where the pixels map the detection of the optical photons on the photosensitive surface, where the filling pixels correspond to the detection of the optical photons on the photosensitive surface; identifying a cluster of padding pixels in the primary data array; determining a density of fill pixels in the identified clusters; classifying the clusters into high-density clusters (clusters with high-density filled pixels) and low-density clusters (clusters with low-density filled pixels); the contributions of low-density clusters to the generated image are excluded, the low-density clusters corresponding to low-energy and scattered gamma rays.

Provided herein are systems and methods that combine the use of first and second optical transformations (e.g., implemented using optical photon reassignment (OPRA)) with time delay and integration (TDI) imaging and external illumination to provide high throughput imaging while maintaining a high signal to noise ratio and providing enhanced image resolution.

The present invention relates to a photon counting detector and method. The detector comprises a scintillator (21) configured to convert incident gamma radiation into optical photons; a pixelated photodetector (20, 30) configured to detect the flux of optical photons wherein the pixelated photodetector is a silicon photomultiplier, SiPM, detector, wherein each photodetector pixel comprises an array of silicon avalanche photo diodes, SPADs; and circuitry (23, 90) configured to carry out, per photodetector pixel, the steps of controlling a stop timing at which one or more functions of the photodetector pixel are stopped; determining a first photon count by accumulating the number of optical photons detected by the SPADs of the respective photodetector pixel from the start of an integration period up to the stop timing; and estimating a second photon count based on the first photon count and the stop timing, the second photon count representing an estimate of the photon count for the total integration period.

Microwave-optical interface apparatus and methods are disclosed. In one example embodiment, a microwave-optical interface apparatus comprises: a microwave cavity operable to, at least, host at least one microwave signal photon; and an optical cavity comprising a plurality of embedded defects, the optical cavity operable to, at least, host at least one optical signal photon and at least one optical pump electric field, the optical cavity positioned relative to the microwave cavity to cause, using the plurality of embedded defects and induced by the at least one optical pump electric field, three-wave mixing magneto-optic transduction between the at least one microwave signal photon, the at least one optical signal photon and the at least one optical pump electric field within the optical cavity; wherein the at least one optical signal photon and the at least one optical pump electric field are evanescently confined within the optical cavity in at least two dimensions.

A microwave-optical interface apparatus and method are disclosed. In one example embodiment, a microwave-optical interface device comprises: a microwave cavity operable to receive at least one microwave signal photon; and an optical cavity comprising a plurality of embedded defects, the optical cavity operable to receive at least at least one optical signal photon and at least one optical pump electric field, the optical cavity positioned relative to the microwave cavity, to cause a three-wave mixing magneto-optical transduction between the at least one microwave signal photon, the at least one optical signal photon, and the at least one optical pump electric field within the optical cavity using the plurality of embedded defects and induced by the at least one optical pump electric field; wherein the at least one optical signal photon and the at least one optical pump electric field are evanescently confined within the optical cavity in at least two dimensions.

The present invention relates to a photon counting detector and method. The detector (2) comprises a scintillator (10) configured to convert incident gamma radiation into optical photons, a pixelated photodetector (11) configured to detect the flux of optical photons, and circuitry (12). The circuitry is configured to determine, per photodetector pixel, a photon count by accumulating the number of optical photons detected by the respective photodetector pixel during an integration time period, compare, per photodetector pixel or group of photodetector pixels, a single photon count or multiple photon counts to a counting threshold, detect an event if, per photodetector pixel or group of photodetector pixels, the one or more photon counts exceed the counting threshold, and temporarily adapt the counting threshold for use in the comparison in one or more subsequent integration time periods based on the energy of the detected event.