Pixelated Anode Radiation Detection with Dual Shaper Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radiation detectors face challenges in accurately identifying and locating events due to the suppression of non-collected energy signals by shaper circuits, which results in poor signal-to-noise ratios and errors in determining the event location.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize dual channel pairs with different shaper circuits to attenuate and compare candidate and authentication energy signals, allowing for the identification of collected and non-collected energy signals, and subdividing the collecting anode into sub-pixels to accurately determine the event location based on non-collected energy signals from peripheral anodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a shaper circuit with long peaking time (250 ns) is used to optimize SNR of collected signals, then the SNR of collected energy signals is improved, but the non-collected energy signals are suppressed and lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the signal processing into two separate channels: a first channel with a first shaper circuit optimized for collected energy signals (long peaking time for high SNR), and a second channel with a second shaper circuit optimized for non-collected energy signals (short peaking time to preserve narrow pulses). This segmentation allows each channel to be optimized for its specific signal type without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing stage where signals from both channels are combined and analyzed. The system uses the relationship between signals from the first and second channels to identify and locate events, effectively using the intermediary analysis to recover information about non-collected signals that would otherwise be lost.
2Reliability
If conventional shaper circuits are used to process signals, then collected energy signals are processed with optimal SNR, but non-collected energy signals become indistinguishable from noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the measurement process into two parallel measurement paths: one path measures collected energy signals with high precision using long peaking time shapers, while the other path measures non-collected energy signals using short peaking time shapers. By comparing results from both paths, the system achieves accurate event location determination without sacrificing measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by comparing the ratio of signals from the first and second channels to identify events and determine their locations. This feedback mechanism allows the system to distinguish true non-collected energy signals from noise by verifying their relationship with collected energy signals, thereby improving measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If low noise application specific integrated circuits are used to acquire non-collected energy signals, then signal acquisition capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the shaper circuits universal by designing them to process both collected and non-collected energy signals through different peaking time configurations. The same hardware infrastructure (pixelated detector array, dual-channel readout electronics) serves multiple functions: detecting primary events, detecting scatter events, and providing location information, thereby reducing the need for specialized low-noise circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the peaking time parameter of the shaper circuits based on the signal type being processed. By dynamically adjusting or selectively configuring the peaking time parameter (short for non-collected signals, long for collected signals), the system achieves adaptive optimization without requiring separate specialized hardware for each signal type, thus reducing device complexity.
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 approach enhances the signal-to-noise ratio of non-collected energy signals and provides accurate location derivation of events within the collecting anode, eliminating the need for low noise application-specific integrated circuits.
Implementation Method 1
a shaper circuit is a band-pass filter designed to improve the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of the collecting and non-collecting signals and is utilized to conform the non-collected energy signals to a standard shape
Implementation Method 2
A collected energy signal represents a signal created by a collecting anode in response to absorption of a photon at the voxel under the collecting anode
Data Source
AI summary
The systems and methods receive signals from pixelated anodes for at least one event, and pass the signals from the pixelated anodes through corresponding channel pairs, attenuate the signal from a plurality of select anodes at the first and second shaper circuits coupled to the plurality of the select anodes to form a candidate energy signals and an authentication energy signals, respectively, compare a ratio to identify whether the select anode is a collected energy signal or a non-collected energy signal, repeat the attenuating and comparing operations for a plurality of select anodes have one or more collecting anode and a plurality of peripheral anodes, subdivide the collecting anode having the collected energy signal into a plurality of sub-pixels, and identify a location of the at least one event relative to the plurality of sub-pixels based on non-collected energy signals from the plurality of peripheral anodes.