PET Detector Crystal Array With Light-Splitting for Higher Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current PET detectors face resolution issues due to optical transmission loss caused by light guides, leading to lower image quality.
Innovation Solution
A PET detector design featuring a crystal array with light-splitting structures on each crystal element and a semiconductor sensor array that directly receives photons, eliminating the need for a light guide, allowing for flexible sensor placement and reduced costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a light guide is used to transmit photons from the crystal array to the APD array, then the structural complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but optical transmission loss occurs leading to degraded measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the light guide component from the system entirely. Instead of using a light guide to transmit photons, the invention directly couples semiconductor sensors to the crystal elements, eliminating the source of optical transmission loss and improving measurement precision while maintaining ease of manufacture through direct integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces light-splitting structures as intermediary elements mounted on the crystal elements. These structures directly divide and guide photons to multiple semiconductor sensors without requiring a separate light guide, thereby eliminating transmission loss while maintaining structural simplicity and ease of assembly.
2Measurement precision
If a light guide is eliminated and semiconductor sensors are directly coupled to crystal elements, then measurement precision is improved by reducing optical transmission loss, but device complexity increases due to direct coupling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the light output surface of each crystal element into multiple segments using light-splitting structures. Each segment corresponds to a specific semiconductor sensor, enabling direct coupling without complex alignment requirements. This segmentation simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining high measurement precision through reduced optical transmission loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies light-splitting structures with specific reflective properties to localized regions of the crystal elements. Each light-splitting structure is designed with tailored optical characteristics to direct photons to specific semiconductor sensors, enabling precise local control of photon paths and simplifying the overall coupling architecture.
3Measurement precision
If light-splitting structures are mounted on crystal elements to define a light output surface, then photons are more efficiently directed to semiconductor sensors improving measurement precision, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates light-splitting structures during the crystal element manufacturing process itself. By pre-mounting these structures on the crystal elements before final assembly, the patent eliminates the need for complex post-assembly alignment and coupling operations, thereby improving ease of manufacture while maintaining the precision benefits of direct sensor coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the light-splitting function with the crystal element structure itself. Rather than treating light-splitting structures as separate components requiring independent assembly, the invention integrates them directly onto the crystal elements, merging multiple functions into a single manufacturing step and simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances resolution by minimizing light transmission loss and reducing the number of semiconductor sensors required, while simplifying the determination of photon locations using the center-of-gravity readout method.
Implementation Method 1
the light-splitting structures on the surfaces of the crystal elements may be set based on light-receiving areas of the semiconductor sensors
Implementation Method 2
a semiconductor sensor array comprising a plurality of semiconductor sensors for receiving photons from the light output surface
Data Source
AI summary
A PET detector and method thereof are provided. The PET detector may include: a crystal array including a plurality of crystal elements arranged in an array and light-splitting structures set on surfaces of the plurality of crystal elements, the light-splitting structures jointly define a light output surface of the crystal array; a semiconductor sensor array, which is set in opposite to the light output surface of the crystal array and is suitable to receive photons from the light output surface, the semiconductor sensor array comprises a plurality of semiconductor sensors arranged in an array.