Single layer 3D tracking semiconductor detector
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IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G01T-001/24
G01T-001/29
H01L-027/146
H01L-031/08
H01L-031/115
출원번호
US-0346206
(2011-09-21)
등록번호
US-9297912
(2016-03-29)
국제출원번호
PCT/EP2011/004733
(2011-09-21)
§371/§102 date
20140730
(20140730)
국제공개번호
WO2013/041114
(2013-03-28)
발명자
/ 주소
Campbell, Michael
Michel, Thilo
Jakubek, Jan
출원인 / 주소
CERN—European Organization for Nuclear Resesarch
대리인 / 주소
Sunstein Kann Murphy & Timbers LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
6인용 특허 :
1
초록▼
The present invention relates to a pixel detector (10), comprising a semiconductor sensor layer (12), in which charges can be generated upon interaction with particles to be detected. The semiconductor layer defines an X-Y-plane and has a thickness extending in Z-direction. The detector further comp
The present invention relates to a pixel detector (10), comprising a semiconductor sensor layer (12), in which charges can be generated upon interaction with particles to be detected. The semiconductor layer defines an X-Y-plane and has a thickness extending in Z-direction. The detector further comprises a read-out electronics layer (14) connected to said semiconductor layer (12), said read-out electronics layer (14) comprising an array of read-out circuits (20) for detecting signals indicative of charges generated in a corresponding volume of said semiconductor sensor layer (12). The neighboring read-out circuits (20) are connected by a relative timing circuit configured to determine time difference information between signals detected at said neighboring read-out circuits (20). The time difference information is indicative of a difference in the Z-components of the locations of charge generations in the corresponding neighboring sensor volumes caused by a particle trajectory that is inclined with respect to the X-Y-plane.
대표청구항▼
1. A pixel detector, comprising a semiconductor sensor layer, in which charges can be liberated upon interaction with particles to be detected, said semiconductor layer defining an X-Y-plane and having a thickness d extending in a Z-direction, anda read-out electronics layer electrically connected t
1. A pixel detector, comprising a semiconductor sensor layer, in which charges can be liberated upon interaction with particles to be detected, said semiconductor layer defining an X-Y-plane and having a thickness d extending in a Z-direction, anda read-out electronics layer electrically connected to said semiconductor layer, said read-out electronics layer comprising an array of read-out circuits for detecting signals indicative of charges generated in a corresponding volume of said semiconductor sensor layer, wherein neighbouring read-out circuits are connected by a relative timing circuit configured to determine time difference information between signals detected at said neighbouring read-out circuits, said time difference information being indicative of a difference in Z-components of the locations of charge generations in the corresponding neighbouring sensor volumes caused by a particle trajectory that is inclined with respect to the X-Y-plane. 2. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein each read-out circuit is accommodated in a footprint of the corresponding volume of said semiconductor sensor layer, and said relative timing circuits are integrated in said read-out electronics layer. 3. The pixel detector of claim 2, wherein said relative timing circuits and said read-out electronics layer are integrated on a common chip. 4. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein each read-out circuit provides a pixel in a detector output image of the radiation field. 5. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the thickness d to the pitch a of read-out circuits in said array of read-out circuits is da>5. 6. The pixel detector of claim 5, wherein the ratio of the thickness d to the pitch a of read-out circuits in said array of read-out circuits is da>10. 7. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein the thickness d of the semiconductor sensor layer is between 100 μm and 500 mm. 8. The pixel detector of claim 7, wherein the thickness d of the semiconductor sensor layer is between 100 μm and 10 mm. 9. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein the pitch a of read-out circuits in said array of read-out circuits is between 10 μm and 1 mm. 10. The pixel detector of claim 9, wherein the pitch a of read-out circuits in said array of read-out circuits is between 30 μm and 80 μm. 11. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein said semiconductor material is one of the group consisting of Si, Ge, CdTe, CdZnTe, GaAs and diamond. 12. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein the time difference information comprises binary information indicating which one of the two neighbouring read-out circuits received said signal first. 13. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein the time difference information comprises information about the length of the time span between receiving signals at the respective ones of said neighbouring read-out circuits. 14. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein said relative timing circuit comprises a winner-takes-all circuit having two inputs, each connected with one of the neighbouring read-out circuits, said winner-takes-all circuit providing a binary output indicating which of the two inputs received a signal first. 15. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein said relative timing circuit comprises an XOR gate, wherein each of the inputs of the XOR gate is connected to one of the neighbouring readout circuits. 16. The pixel detector of claim 15, wherein the output of said XOR gate is connected with a device for measuring the time span during which the output of the XOR gate is “true”, and in particular, a capacitor that is charged while the output of the XOR gate is “true”. 17. The pixel detector of claim 15, wherein the inputs of the XOR gate are latched such that the XOR gate is only sensitive to the rising edge of the respective inputs. 18. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein each read-out circuit comprises a discriminator logic configured to compare an input signal with a predetermined threshold and to output a high signal if said input signal voltage exceeds said predetermined threshold. 19. The pixel detector of claim 18, wherein said read-out circuit comprises a time-over-threshold circuit configured to determine the time that the output of said discriminator logic exceeds a given threshold. 20. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein each read-out circuit comprises a preamplifier, in particular a charge sensitive amplifier for amplifying the charge generated in said corresponding sensor volume, the output of the charge sensitive amplifier being connected with the input of said discriminator logic. 21. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein each read-out circuit comprises a constant fraction discriminator. 22. The pixel detector of claim 1, wherein two neighbouring read-out circuits share a discriminator, said shared discriminator receiving pre-amplified signals from two neighbouring read-out electrodes or read-out diodes and determines which signal was received first. 23. The pixel detector of claim 1, further comprising an evaluation unit connected to said read-out electronic layer, said evaluation unit being suitable for constructing Z-coordinate information of particle trajectories based on time difference information from plural read-out circuits. 24. The pixel detector of claim 23, wherein said evaluation unit is configured to account for said time-over-threshold information associated with each read-out circuit such as to correct for a time-walk in the time difference information. 25. A Compton camera for reconstructing γ-ray emitting radio isotope distributions, said Compton camera comprising a pixel detector according to claim 1. 26. The Compton camera of claim 25, wherein the pixel detector functions as a scattering detector in which Compton scattering of γ-radiation is likely to occur and in which the trajectories of Compton electrons are detected, said detected trajectories serving as information in reconstructing the direction of impinging γ-radiation. 27. The Compton camera of claim 25, wherein said Compton camera is employed in a nuclear medicine diagnosis device, in particular a SPECT device, or a device for monitoring decommissioning of nuclear power plants. 28. A hadron therapy device, in particular a proton therapy device, comprising a pixel detector according to claim 1. 29. A neutron imaging device comprising a pixel detector according to claim 1. 30. An X-ray or γ-ray polarimeter comprising a pixel detector according to claim 1.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (1)
Warburton William K., X-ray detector method and apparatus for obtaining spatial, energy, and/or timing information using signals from neighboring electrodes in an electrode array.
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