A photon counting CdTe gamma- and X-ray camera

Abstract

A photon counting CdTe imaging camera suitable for gamma- and X-ray detection has been developed and tested. The current full active imaging area of the gamma/X-ray camera covers 44×44 mm 2. The camera is built of eight individual detector hybrids each consisting of a pixelated CdTe detector with dimensions of 22×11 mm 2 and solder bump-bonded to a photon counting custom-designed application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASICs are realized in a mixed signal, 0.35 μm 4 metal 2 poly CMOS process. The effective pixel size (image pixel pitch) is 0.5 mm. To enable higher count rate imaging and to achieve better position resolution in X-ray CT scanning each pixel is divided both on the CdTe detector and on the ASIC into two sub-pixels with dimensions 0.25×0.5 mm 2. Every pixel circuit has two preamps each connected to one sub-pixel and feeding signal to a separate comparator. The digital pulses of the two distinct comparators are recorded by one common 8-bit counter. The amplifier offsets can be adjusted individually with 3-bit accuracy to compensate for process mismatch. A similar 3-bit gain tuning common to the two amplifiers in one pixel circuit is also implemented. A globally tuneable threshold voltage generated externally with high accuracy is used for energy discrimination. The camera can be operated both in the real time imaging mode with a maximum speed of 100 frames/s and in the accumulation mode with user adjustable counting time. Experimental data collected from a fully operational eight hybrid gamma/X-ray camera is presented and compared to simulated data. The camera exhibits excellent sensitivity and a dynamic range of 1:14,000,000. A sharp line spread function indicates the spatial resolution to be limited only by the pixel size (0.5 mm). A single pixel energy resolution of FWHM 4.7 keV at 122 keV (3.9%) was determined from measured 57Co spectra. The peak width of the spectrum combined from all pixels was somewhat larger due to calibration inaccuracy. The photopeak efficiency was estimated from 241Am spectra to be 60%. The developed gamma/X-ray camera is intended for back scattering imaging and as a building block in future nuclear medicine and CT scanning systems and promises highly improved performance in these applications in comparison to conventional technology.