Abstract: There is provided a photon-counting x-ray detector system (200) comprising a plurality of photon-counting channels (220), and at least one anti-coincidence circuit (230), each of which is connected to least two of the channels and configured to detect coincident events in the connected channels. The x-ray detector system (200) further comprises an anti-coincidence controller (240) configured to control the operation of said at least one anti-coincidence circuit based on photon count information by gradually adapting the operation of said at least one anti-coincidence circuit with increasing count rates, starting from a threshold count rate.

Abstract: An optical sensor apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a sample holder, configured to hold a sample, in operation; a probe, comprising an arrangement of luminescent quantum dots; an optical source, configured to optically excite the luminescent quantum dots; an optical detector, configured to read optical signals from the quantum dots; and a circuit. The circuit is connected to the optical detector and configured to determine correlations between optical signals read by the optical detector. The probe is positioned or positionable relatively to, e.g., at a distance from, the sample, such that optical signals transmitted by each of the quantum dots are influenced by the sample, in operation. The present invention is further directed to related methods of operation and fabrication methods.

Abstract: A security feature for protecting valuable documents, in particular for ensuring the authenticity of valuable documents, comprises a luminescent pigment which has a host lattice doped with a first luminophore and a second luminophore, with an excitation energy of the first luminophore being transferable to the second luminophore. However, in the case of the luminescent pigment according to the invention, the excitation energy is not transferred completely from the first luminophore to the second, but rather only partially. The incomplete transfer of the excitation energy is achieved by selecting suitable amount-of-substance fractions of the first and the second luminophores on the luminescent pigment. As a result of the incomplete transfer of the excitation energy, the luminescent light that is emitted by the luminescent pigment also has, in addition to a luminescence peak of the second luminophore, a luminescence peak of the first luminophore.

Abstract: For spatial high resolution determining a position of a singularized molecule, which is excitable with excitation light for emission of luminescence light, in n spatial dimensions in a sample, the excitation light is directed onto the sample with an intensity distribution, which has a zero point and intensity increasing regions adjoining the zero point on both sides in each of the n spatial dimensions. The zero point is arranged at not more than n×3 different positions. The luminescence light emitted by the singularized molecule is separately registering for each of the different positions of the zero point. The position of the singularized molecule in the n spatial dimensions in the sample is deduced from intensities of the luminescence light separately registered for the not more than n×3 different positions of the zero point.

Abstract: A mobile radiation generator includes an arm part on which an irradiation section is mounted. The height of the irradiation section is changed in a case in which the arm part is rotated. A spring generates negative rotational moment in a negative direction where the irradiation section is displaced upward against positive rotational moment that acts on the arm part in a positive direction due to own weight of the irradiation section and the like. A friction mechanism is built in a pillar. In a case in which the magnitude of the positive rotational moment and the magnitude of the negative rotational moment are different from each other, the friction mechanism generates a frictional force acting in a direction opposite to a direction where the arm part is to be rotated due to a difference between the positive rotational moment and the negative rotational moment and cancelling the difference.

Abstract: For spatial high resolution determining a position of a singularized molecule, which is excitable with excitation light for emission of luminescence light, in a sample, the excitation light is provided with an intensity distribution comprising an intensity increasing region with a known strictly monotonic course of an intensity of the luminescence light over a distance of the singularized molecule to a model point of the intensity distribution. The model point is arranged at different preliminary positions such that the intensity increasing region extends over a preliminary local area of the sample including the singularized molecule. From intensity values including intensities of the luminescence light separately registered for the preliminary positions of the model point, a further local area is determined which includes the singularized molecule and which is smaller than the preliminary local area. These steps are repeated using the last further local area as the next preliminary local area.

Abstract: For spatial high resolution determining a position of a singularized molecule, which is excitable with excitation light for emission of luminescence light, in n spatial dimensions in a sample, a preliminary local area including the singularized molecule is determined The excitation light is directed onto the sample with an intensity distribution, which has a zero point and intensity increasing regions adjoining the zero point on both sides in each of the n spatial dimensions. At first, the zero point is arranged at preliminary positions on known sides of the preliminary local area. Then, present positions of the zero point are successively shifted into the preliminary local area in each of the n spatial dimensions depending on photons of the luminescence light which is quasi-simultaneously separately registered for the present positions of the zero point in that the zero point is repeatedly shifted between the present positions of the zero point.

Abstract: Methods for matching semiconductor processing chambers using a calibrated spectrometer are disclosed. In one embodiment, plasma attributes are measured for a process in a reference chamber and a process in an aged chamber. Using a calibrated light source, an optical path equivalent to an optical path in a reference chamber and an optical path in an aged chamber can be compared by determining a correction factor. The correction factor is applied to adjust a measured intensity of plasma radiation through the optical path in the aged chamber. Comparing a measured intensity of plasma radiation in the reference chamber and the adjusted measured intensity in the aged chamber provide an indication of changed chamber conditions. A magnitude of change between the two intensities can be used to adjust the process parameters to yield a processed substrate from the aged chamber which matches that of the reference chamber.

Abstract: An optical sensor apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a sample holder, configured to hold a sample, in operation; a probe, comprising an arrangement of luminescent quantum dots; an optical source, configured to optically excite the luminescent quantum dots; an optical detector, configured to read optical signals from the quantum dots; and a circuit. The circuit is connected to the optical detector and configured to determine correlations between optical signals read by the optical detector. The probe is positioned or positionable relatively to, e.g., at a distance from, the sample, such that optical signals transmitted by each of the quantum dots are influenced by the sample, in operation. The present invention is further directed to related methods of operation and fabrication methods.

Abstract: An online real-time correction method and system for a positron emission tomography (PET) detector. The method includes: acquiring a drifted channel number of a peak position of a full-energy peak in a drifted energy spectrum after a gain value of a PET detector system has changed and a ratio of a currently accumulated energy of each signal channel to a current total accumulated energy of all signal channels; substituting the above parameters, an initial channel number of the peak position of the full-energy peak in an initial energy spectrum and a ratio of an initially accumulated energy of each signal channel to a total initially accumulated energy of all of the signal channels in the PET detector system into a gain adjustment ratio calculation formula to calculate a gain adjustment ratio; and adjusting, according to the gain adjustment ratio, a gain value of the PET detector system.

Abstract: Each semiconductor chip of a detector comprises a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of photodetector units, an insulating layer formed on a front face of the semiconductor substrate, a common electrode arranged on the insulating layer, a readout line for electrically connecting a quenching resistance of each photodetector unit and the common electrode to each other, and a through electrode extending from the common electrode to a rear face of the semiconductor substrate through a through hole of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method for establishing a monitoring model of a water content of a winter wheat canopy based on spectral parameters, includes the following steps: measuring a spectral reflectance and a water content of the winter wheat canopy; constructing the spectral parameters through the spectral reflectance; wherein, the spectral parameters comprise spectral transformation forms and “trilateral” parameters; performing correlation analysis on the water content of the winter wheat canopy and the spectral transformation forms and the trilateral parameters, selecting comprehensive spectral parameters with a significant correlation for each growth stage, performing principal component analysis on the comprehensive spectral parameters, separately constructing a water content monitoring model for each growth stage, and combining the water content monitoring model for each growth stage into the monitoring model of the water content of the winter wheat canopy for the whole growth stage.

Abstract: A cosmogenic neutron sensor includes a hydrogen-sensitive neutron detector orientable above a measurement surface. A neutron shield is positionable on the hydrogen-sensitive neutron detector. The neutron shield is positioned to interact with at least a portion of cosmogenic neutrons propagating in a direction of the hydrogen-sensitive neutron detector.

Abstract: Each semiconductor chip of a detector comprises a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of photodetector units, an insulating layer formed on a front face of the semiconductor substrate, a common electrode arranged on the insulating layer, a readout line for electrically connecting a quenching resistance of each photodetector unit and the common electrode to each other, and a through electrode extending from the common electrode to a rear face of the semiconductor substrate through a through hole of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include an image sensor and a method to manufacture thereof. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a plurality of semiconductor slices having a uniform width, at least two of the semiconductor slices having different lengths, and each of the semiconductor slices having a slice edge defining a side of the semiconductor slice. The method further includes arranging the semiconductor slices to form a semi-rectangular shape defining boundaries of the image sensor, each of the semiconductor slices being disposed proximate to another semiconductor slice of the plurality of semiconductor slices. Forming each semiconductor slice includes forming a plurality of pixel arrays over the semiconductor slice, the pixel arrays having an approximately uniform pixel pitch, and forming a seal ring around the semiconductor slice, the seal ring enclosing the semiconductor slice and the pixel arrays of the semiconductor slice, and each semiconductor slice having a different seal ring.

Abstract: A large area position-sensitive single-photon detector and radiation detector is described. Photon detectors are coupled to a large area panel configured with an equipotential feedthrough chamber that operates in combination with a photocathode of a hemispherical window to provide electrostatic focusing for the photoelectrons. The panels can be assembled into an enveloping structure, such as a PET scanner, which is globally and/or locally curved, such as into a sphere, ovoid, elongated cylinder, or similar structure providing significant sensitive surface surrounding an object, such as a patient being scanned in a medical positron emission tomography (PET) scanner. Increased sensitivity is provided in response to registering radiation by surrounding the patient, so that reduced patient radiation dosing levels are required.

Abstract: A nuclear scanner includes an annular support structure (12) which supports a plurality of radiation detector units (14), each detector unit including crystals (52), tiles (66) containing an array of crystals, or modules (14) of tiles. The detector units define annular ranks of crystals, and the annular ranks of crystals define spaces between the ranks. In another embodiment, the crystals define axial spaces between crystals. Separate rings of crystals have axial spaces that are staggered such that no area of the imaging region is missed. The spaces between the detector units may be adjusted to form uniform or non-uniform spacing. Moving the patient through the annular support structure compensates for reduced sampling under the spaces between ranks.

Abstract: An optical proximity detector includes a driver, light detector, analog front-end and digital back end. The driver drives the light source to emit light. The light detector produces a light detection signal indicative of a magnitude and a phase of a portion of the emitted light that reflects off an object and is incident on the light detector. The analog front-end includes amplification circuitry, and one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) that output a digital light detection signal, or digital in-phase and quadrature-phase signals indicative thereof. The digital back-end includes a distance calculator and a precision estimator. The distance calculator produces a digital distance value in dependence on the digital light detection signal, or the digital in-phase and quadrature-phase signals, output by the ADC(s) of the analog front-end. The precision estimator produces a precision value indicative of a precision of the digital distance value.

Abstract: The invention discloses an optical microscopy system (10) for stimulated emission depletion (STED) of an object (O). An optical element (6) is applied for focusing a first excitation (1) and a second depletion (2) beam on the object thereby defining a common optical path (OP) for both the first and the second beam. A phase modifying member (5) is inserted in the common optical path (OP), and the phase modifying member is optically arranged for leaving the wavefront of the first beam substantially unchanged, and for changing the wavefront of the second beam (2?) so as to create an undepleted region of interest (ROI) in the object. The first beam and the second beam have a common optical path because the phase modifying member adapts the wavefront or phase in such a way that it has no effect on the first beam, while on the second beam it gives rise to a wavefront, or phase change, resulting in a depleted region in the object (e.g. to the donut shaped spot) at the focal plane.

Abstract: Disclosed is the detection of emulsions and microdispersions with an optical computing device. One disclosed method includes emitting electromagnetic radiation from an electromagnetic radiation source, optically interacting the electromagnetic radiation with a fluid and thereby generating fluid interacted radiation, detecting a portion of the fluid interacted radiation with a reference detector arranged within an optical channel of an optical computing device, generating a reference signal with the reference detector, and determining an emulsive state of the fluid based on the reference signal.