Semiconductor Radiation Detector Signal Processing for Spectrometric Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ionizing radiation detection devices with semiconductor detectors face challenges in achieving accurate spectrometric response due to spurious signals from induction sharing, charge sharing, and electronic noise, which degrade the quality of images and energy estimation.
Innovation Solution
A device with a semiconductor detector biased by electrodes, featuring analog and digital processing means that digitize signals to reject spurious signals by determining time differences and amplitude thresholds, correcting for induction and charge sharing, and eliminating electronic noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If signal processing is performed to reject spurious signals, then spectrometric response is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The signal processing is divided into two distinct segments: analog processing means for initial signal conditioning and digitization, and digital processing means for advanced spurious signal rejection. This segmentation allows each processing stage to be optimized independently, improving overall spectrometric response while managing complexity through functional decomposition
Solution Approach 2:
A digitizer is introduced as an intermediary component between the analog processing means and the digital processing means. This intermediary converts analog signals to digital form, enabling the application of complex digital signal processing techniques to reject spurious signals while maintaining signal integrity and improving measurement precision
2Reliability
If analog and digital processing means are used to reject spurious signals, then energy estimation reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processing system is segmented into analog processing means for initial signal conditioning and digital processing means for spurious signal rejection. This segmentation enables reliable energy estimation by handling different aspects of signal processing in specialized circuits, improving reliability while managing complexity through functional division
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely electronic/analog signal processing with a hybrid system that incorporates digital processing. This substitution enables more sophisticated algorithms for rejecting spurious signals and improving energy estimation reliability, as digital processing can implement complex rejection criteria that would be difficult to achieve with analog circuits alone
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
The solution enhances the spectrometric response by reducing noise, improving sensitivity, and achieving better spatial resolution, resulting in more reliable energy estimation and image quality.
Implementation Method 1
an incident ionizing radiation of sufficient energy will snatch electrons from the atoms of the semiconductor material that it strikes
Implementation Method 2
When a bias voltage is applied between the cathode and the anodes, an electric field appears in the semiconductor material and it will drive the holes towards the cathode and the electrons towards the anodes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A
AI summary
The device has a detector (1) made of semiconductor material and connected to a read circuit (2) having a processing unit (2.3) to provide an impulse when a charge is collected by one of electrodes (3.1, 3.2) of the detector. A field programmable gate array circuit (2.4) includes a determination unit (202) to determine a time parameter or amplitude of the impulse between the start and the end of the impulse. A rejection unit (203) stores or rejects the impulse based on the value of the parameter. An operating unit e.g. personal computer (2.5), operates the impulse stored in the rejection unit. An independent claim is also included for a method for detecting ionizing radiation by a detector.