WO2000014573A1 - Capteur de particules - Google Patents

Capteur de particules Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2000014573A1
WO2000014573A1 PCT/GB1999/003001 GB9903001W WO0014573A1 WO 2000014573 A1 WO2000014573 A1 WO 2000014573A1 GB 9903001 W GB9903001 W GB 9903001W WO 0014573 A1 WO0014573 A1 WO 0014573A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
detectors
sensor according
column
row
pulse
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1999/003001
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
John Morris Lumley
Vladimir Polushkin
Original Assignee
Oxford Instruments (Uk) Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Oxford Instruments (Uk) Limited filed Critical Oxford Instruments (Uk) Limited
Priority to AU58720/99A priority Critical patent/AU5872099A/en
Publication of WO2000014573A1 publication Critical patent/WO2000014573A1/fr

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01T—MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
    • G01T1/00—Measuring X-radiation, gamma radiation, corpuscular radiation, or cosmic radiation
    • G01T1/16—Measuring radiation intensity
    • G01T1/24—Measuring radiation intensity with semiconductor detectors
    • G01T1/244—Auxiliary details, e.g. casings, cooling, damping or insulation against damage by, e.g. heat, pressure or the like
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01T—MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
    • G01T1/00—Measuring X-radiation, gamma radiation, corpuscular radiation, or cosmic radiation
    • G01T1/16—Measuring radiation intensity
    • G01T1/24—Measuring radiation intensity with semiconductor detectors
    • G01T1/247—Detector read-out circuitry
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01T—MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
    • G01T1/00—Measuring X-radiation, gamma radiation, corpuscular radiation, or cosmic radiation
    • G01T1/29—Measurement performed on radiation beams, e.g. position or section of the beam; Measurement of spatial distribution of radiation
    • G01T1/2914—Measurement of spatial distribution of radiation
    • G01T1/2921—Static instruments for imaging the distribution of radioactivity in one or two dimensions; Radio-isotope cameras
    • G01T1/2928—Static instruments for imaging the distribution of radioactivity in one or two dimensions; Radio-isotope cameras using solid state detectors

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a particle sensor comprising an array of detectors for detecting incident particles such as photons, phonons, ions, atoms etc.
  • Position sensitive particle sensors require an array of detectors and suitable processing electronics to read out each detector.
  • a particle sensor comprising a plurality of detectors arranged in an array of rows and columns, wherein each detector generates a pulse in both its row and column when activated by an incident particle; a plurality of pulse sensors, each pulse sensor being arranged to generate an output signal when it senses a pulse from one of a plurality of detectors in a respective row or column of the array; and means for deducing the location of an incident particle from the output signals of the pulse sensors in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.
  • a method of operating a particle sensor comprising monitoring the output signals of the pulse sensors; and deducing the location of an incident particle from the output signals of the pulse sensors in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.
  • the present invention arranges the pulse sensors to sense pulses from a plurality of detectors. By analysing the outputs of the pulse sensors, it is then possible to deduce which detector has been activated. In comparison with US 5532485 this greatly reduces the number of pulse sensors required, thus reducing manufacturing costs. It also reduces the number of connections required, thus enabling the detectors to be more closely packed and increasing the positional resolution of the sensor.
  • the predetermined algorithm can identify pairs of output pulses which are generated substantially simultaneously, and assign the pulses to a particular detector accordingly. More sophisticated forms of time correlation may also be used. For instance if the pulse sensors have response times which vary in accordance with the distance between the pulse sensor and the activated detector, then when a single particle is incident on a corner of the array it will be sensed at different times by its respective row and column senors . This additional time information can be utilised by the algorithm.
  • the senor further comprises means for cooling the detectors.
  • the reduced number of connections gives the added advantage of reducing heat transfer to the detectors. This is particularly important where the detectors are cooled cryogenically (ie. at or below the temperature of liquid Nitrogen) .
  • the pulse sensors may comprise semiconducting amplifiers or SQUIDs. Both have advantages and disadvantages and wiring schemes can be implemented which allow the use of either for many types of particle detector. SQUIDs are uniquely suited to readout of low impedance devices and in all cases can be placed in very close proximity to the detector. In what follows, the examples indicating how the schemes work will be based around SQUIDs as the current sensing element.
  • the detectors may comprise bolometer detectors but preferably the detectors comprise superconducting detectors such as transition edge detectors or superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) detectors (e.g. NIS or SIS junction detectors) .
  • STJ superconducting tunnel junction
  • the pulse sensors may each have sufficient energy resolution to sense the energy of a pulse from a detector, thus enabling the energy spectrum of the incident particles to be determined.
  • an additional pulse sensor may be arranged to sense pulses generated by detectors from a plurality of rows or a plurality of columns. This enables cheaper low energy resolution pulse sensors to be used which merely indicate that a detector has been activated on a respective row or column.
  • Each pulse sensor may be coupled to a respective row or column of detectors by a plurality of read-out lines.
  • the sensor comprises a set of row readout lines and a set of column read-out lines, wherein each detector is coupled to a respective row read-out line and a respective column read-out line, and each read-out line is coupled to a plurality of detectors forming a respective row or column of the array.
  • the detectors are voltage or current biassed.
  • the detectors may be biassed using dedicated bias lines which are separate from the row and column read-out lines. This enables the read-out lines to be inductively coupled to a plurality of detectors forming a respective row or column of the array, which provides advantages in terms of inductance matching.
  • the sensor further comprises bias means for providing a voltage or current bias signal to the row read-out lines and/or the column read-out lines, thus combining the biassing and read-out function. This enables the detectors to be more closely packed and reduces manufacturing costs.
  • Each row or column read-out line may be voltage or current biassed independently to a different level. However preferably the row and/or column read-out lines are coupled in parallel to a row and/or column bias rail . This ensures that the detectors are biassed to substantially the same level. Where an additional pulse sensor is provided, it can conveniently sense pulses in the row bias rail or the column bias rail.
  • the senor If the sensor is used to detect small numbers of particles only (eg X-rays from a distant weakly emitting astronomical body) the sensor will rarely (if ever) receive a pair of particles simultaneously. In this case it is sufficient for the sensor to use time correlation only to deconvolve the output signals from the sensors (eg. by identifying pairs of sensors which generate output pulses simultaneously) . However in some cases it may be necessary to resolve ambiguous information from the pulse sensors when two or more particles are incident simultaneously. In this case other information (such as pulse width, shape or amplitude) must be used to deduce the respective locations of the incident particles. In a preferred embodiment the predetermined algorithm deduces the location of an incident particle by amplitude correlating the output pulses of the pulse sensors.
  • the sensor can be used in a variety of applications, including astronomy, X-ray and optical spectroscopy, remote sensing and mass spectrometry.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a particle sensor and associated processing electronics
  • Figure 2 is a first example of the detector array
  • Figure 3 illustrates the deconvolution process when a pair of particles is simultaneously incident on the array
  • Figure 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an algorithm for deconvolving the X and Y memories ;
  • Figure 5 is an example of the data in the X and Y memories and the calculated U ⁇ values;
  • Figure 6 is a second example of the detector array;
  • Figure 7 is a third example of the detector array.
  • Figure 1 we present a schematic diagram of a position sensitive particle sensor and associated processing electronics.
  • An nxm array of primary detectors and associated SQUID preamplifiers is indicated at 1.
  • the detectors and preamplifiers are biassed by bias circuitry 2.
  • the detectors and SQUIDs are cooled to millikelvin temperatures by a cryogenic cooling system 5.
  • the detector array 1 comprises a plurality of detectors 7 (for instance SIS tunnel junction detectors) arranged in an array of m rows
  • the bias circuitry 2 provides a bias current I bias via bias resistor R.
  • the condition for voltage bias (which is preferable for tunnel junction detectors) is R ⁇ R dyn , where R dyn is the dynamic resistance of the array 1 at the operation point.
  • R dyn is the dynamic resistance of the array 1 at the operation point.
  • the advantages of voltage biassing are discussed in US5641961.
  • the bias circuitry 2 provides a column bias voltage V on column bias rail 12 and a row bias voltage V 0 on row bias rail 20.
  • a set of column readout lines are coupled in parallel to the column bias rail 12.
  • One of the column read-out lines is indicated at 21.
  • a set of row read-out lines are coupled in parallel to the row bias rail 20.
  • One of the row read-out lines is indicated at 22.
  • each column bias rail 12 is omitted, and each column read-out line is biassed independently (optionally at different voltages) .
  • Each detector 7 is coupled to a respective row readout line and a respective column read-out line.
  • the detector (i, j) When a particle interacts with detector (i,j) indicated at 23 in Figure 2 (where i is a row number and j is a column number) , the detector (i, j) generates a current pulse which passes along the ith row read-out line and the jth column readout line. This current pulse is sensed by row read-out SQUID Y which is coupled to an inductor 24, and by a column read-out SQUID X : which is coupled to an inductor 25.
  • the SQUIDs Y ⁇ X- j will each sense the current pulse substantially simultaneously, it can be deduced that a particle has been incident on the detector (i,j) .
  • the SQUIDs 8 generate pulsed output signals Y ⁇ X-, on n+m output lines 3,4 which are digitised by respective analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) 9 and multiplexed by respective multiplexers 10.
  • ADCs analog-to-digital converters
  • the multiplexers 10 serially input n or m digital values into respective memories 13,14. Therefore the m digital values in Y-memory 13 and the n digital values in X-memory 14 are updated once every cycle .
  • a central processing unit (CPU) 15 deconvolves the output signals Y lf X D based on their amplitude and time coincidence using the algorithm of Figure 4 to update a pixel memory 16 ⁇ O X ⁇ 3 ) and display 20.
  • Figure 3 illustrates signals generated during six ADC clock cycles T 1 -T 6 .
  • a first particle is incident on the particle detector (PD 1(3 ) in the 1st row and 3rd column which generates a pulse 30 which is sensed by SQUIDs Y x and X 3 .
  • PD 1(3 ) is incident on the particle detector (PD 1(3 ) in the 1st row and 3rd column which generates a pulse 30 which is sensed by SQUIDs Y x and X 3 .
  • PD 3(3 which generates a pulse 31 which is sensed by SQUIDs Y 3 and X 3 .
  • a third particle is incident on PD 1/D which generates a pulse 32 which is sensed by SQUIDs Y., and X., .
  • the pulse 36 from SQUID X 3 has an amplitude equal to the sum of the pulses 37,38.
  • This amplitude information is used by the algorithm of Figure 4 to assign the pulses 39,40 to the pixels U 1#3 and U 3,3 .
  • the values in X-memory 14 and Y-memory 15 during clock cycle T 5 are illustrated in Figure 5.
  • Figure 5 also shows the corresponding pixel values U 1/D in pixel memory 16 which are processed by the algorithm during the clock cycle ⁇ 5 .
  • Figure 4 illustrates a deconvolution algorithm which is implemented once every ADC clock cycle.
  • the next value Y A in Y-memory 13 is read out by CPU 15.
  • the algorithm tests at 42 whether Y x is >0.
  • Y 1 is >0 and the algorithm then reads out the X D values at 43 until the first X 3 value >0 is read out at 44.
  • X 3 is >0.
  • a digital 1 is then recorded at memory address O lr l at step 45.
  • the first U lr] address to be updated is
  • step 46 the memory addresses Y x and X : are decremented by 1.
  • Y ⁇ is decremented to 0
  • X- is decremented to 1.
  • memory address U 3>3 is updated with value 1 as shown in Figure 5.
  • the algorithm of Figure 4 uses time correlation to deduce the location of a single incident particle (ie. by identifying pairs of pulse sensors which have generated output pulses simultaneously, ie. during the same clock cycle) . It also uses amplitude correlation to resolve ambiguities when two or more particles are simultaneously incident on the array.
  • the memory addresses U 1(3 are simply updated with a binary 1 to indicate the location of an incident particle.
  • the memory addresses U 1 may be updated with a digital or analog value indicative of the energy of the incident particle.
  • the algorithm of Figure 4 is able to correctly deconvolve the X and Y memories 13,14 when two or more particles are simultaneously incident on the array, but only when the particles are incident on detectors in the same row or column. When particles are simultaneously incident or detectors which do not share a common row or column, then the data cannot be deconvolved unambiguously.
  • One way of dealing with this problem is to utilise the difference in response times of the row and column read-out SQUIDS.
  • SQUID Y x will output a pulse before SQUID X 100 (because the SQUID Y ⁇ is closer to detector PD lfl00 than the SQUID X 100 ) •
  • This time information can be used to correctly deconvolve the X and Y memories in all cases .
  • simultaneous events will be so rare that they can be ignored.
  • each row of detectors is biassed by a bias line and read out by a separate read-out line.
  • the row of detectors 64-66 are each read out by a SQUID 60 which is coupled to a read-out line 17.
  • the read-out line 17 couples inductively with each detector in its associated row.
  • the detector 61 has a series inductor 18 which couples with an inductor 19 on the read-out line 17.
  • the array of Figure 6 requires more connection wires than the array of Figure 2, but has advantages in terms of inductance matching.
  • the row and column read-out SQUIDS 62,63 etc. are low energy resolution SQUIDS which are merely used to indicate that a detector in a respective row/column has been activated.
  • the height of the current pulse is then sensed accurately by a single high energy resolution SQUID 21 which is inductively coupled to the column bias rail 12.
  • the SQUID 21 can be inductively coupled to the row bias rail 20.
  • Figures 2,6 and 7 all illustrate rectangular detector arrays, it will appreciated that other row/column arrays could be used, for instance triangular, hexagonal or circular arrays.
  • a serial read-out interface is shown in Figure 1 (ie. utilising multiplexers 10) in some applications where greater speed is required, a parallel readout interface may be used (ie. without the multiplexers 10) .

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Radiation (AREA)

Abstract

Un capteur de particules comprend une pluralité de détecteurs (7) agencés en un réseau de rangées et colonnes. Chaque détecteur génère une impulsion lorsqu'il est activé par une particule incidente. Une pluralité de capteurs (8) d'impulsions, tels que des dispositifs supraconducteurs à interférence quantique SQUID, sont chacun agencés pour produire un signal de sortie lorsqu'ils détectent une impulsion provenant d'un des détecteurs dans une rangée ou une colonne respective du réseau. Des dispositifs (15) sont prévus pour déduire l'emplacement d'une particule incidente à partir des signaux de sortie des capteurs d'impulsions selon un algorithme prédéterminé.
PCT/GB1999/003001 1998-09-09 1999-09-09 Capteur de particules WO2000014573A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU58720/99A AU5872099A (en) 1998-09-09 1999-09-09 Particle sensor

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98307278.6 1998-09-09
EP98307278 1998-09-09

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2000014573A1 true WO2000014573A1 (fr) 2000-03-16

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PCT/GB1999/003001 WO2000014573A1 (fr) 1998-09-09 1999-09-09 Capteur de particules

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2875606A1 (fr) * 2004-09-22 2006-03-24 Commissariat Energie Atomique Detecteur de rayonnement electromagnetique et de particules a nombre de connexions reduit

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0287197A1 (fr) * 1987-02-16 1988-10-19 Shimadzu Corporation Méthode de détection d'image de rayonnement utilisant un réseau de détecteurs
US5023455A (en) * 1988-05-31 1991-06-11 Interuniversitair Micro-Elektronica Centrum Vzw Radiation-sensitive detector array and pre-amplification readout integrated circuit
WO1992014169A1 (fr) * 1991-02-11 1992-08-20 The University Of New Mexico Dispositif d'imagerie aux rayons gamma de type numerique
US5532485A (en) * 1994-10-14 1996-07-02 Northrop Grumman Corp. Multispectral superconductive quantum detector
US5619040A (en) * 1994-03-29 1997-04-08 Shapiro; Stephen L. Data acquisition system
US5641961A (en) * 1995-12-28 1997-06-24 Stanford University Application of electrothermal feedback for high resolution cryogenic particle detection using a transition edge sensor

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0287197A1 (fr) * 1987-02-16 1988-10-19 Shimadzu Corporation Méthode de détection d'image de rayonnement utilisant un réseau de détecteurs
US5023455A (en) * 1988-05-31 1991-06-11 Interuniversitair Micro-Elektronica Centrum Vzw Radiation-sensitive detector array and pre-amplification readout integrated circuit
WO1992014169A1 (fr) * 1991-02-11 1992-08-20 The University Of New Mexico Dispositif d'imagerie aux rayons gamma de type numerique
US5619040A (en) * 1994-03-29 1997-04-08 Shapiro; Stephen L. Data acquisition system
US5532485A (en) * 1994-10-14 1996-07-02 Northrop Grumman Corp. Multispectral superconductive quantum detector
US5641961A (en) * 1995-12-28 1997-06-24 Stanford University Application of electrothermal feedback for high resolution cryogenic particle detection using a transition edge sensor

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2875606A1 (fr) * 2004-09-22 2006-03-24 Commissariat Energie Atomique Detecteur de rayonnement electromagnetique et de particules a nombre de connexions reduit
WO2006032807A1 (fr) * 2004-09-22 2006-03-30 Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Detecteur de rayonnement electromagnetique et de particules a nombre de connexions reduit
US7659515B2 (en) 2004-09-22 2010-02-09 Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Electromagnetic and particle detector with reduced number of connections

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU5872099A (en) 2000-03-27

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