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 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: 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: 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 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: 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 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.

Abstract: A method of intimating an item is disclosed. The method includes applying adhesive to the item, interspersing a taggant in the adhesive, illuminating the item with an excitation signal, sensing luminescence emitted by the taggant in response to illumination by the excitation signal, and determining the authenticity of the item based on the sensed emitted luminescence. The item can include any item benefited by authentication, and can include a postage stamp. A method of customizing an item is disclosed. This can include the steps of preparing a substrate, applying a security feature to the substrate, printing non-customized information on the substrate, receiving image information, and printing the image information on the substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a method of selecting a slice configuration of a medical imaging apparatus. According to an example, an expected scanning time for scanning a region of a scanning length by the medical imaging apparatus with each of candidate slice configurations may be determined, and one or more first slice configurations are selected from the candidate slice configurations in a way that the scanning time of each of the first slice configurations is less than a preset threshold. An expected scanning length and an expected redundant scanning dose for scanning the region by the medical imaging apparatus with each of the first slice configurations may be determined. In this way, for scanning the region by the medical imaging apparatus, a target slice configuration may be selected from the first slice configurations according to the expected redundant scanning dose.

Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to contacts for an infrared detector. For example, an infrared imaging device includes a substrate having a first metal layer and an infrared detector array coupled to the substrate via a plurality of contacts. Each contact includes for an embodiment a plurality of metal studs each having a first end and a second end and each disposed between the first metal layer and a second metal layer, wherein the first end of each metal stud is disposed on a portion of the first metal layer that is at least partially on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Improvement of the dynamic range of a radiation detector is described. In one embodiment, one or more non-destructive readout operations are performed during a radiation exposure event to acquire data used to improve the dynamic range of the detector. In one implementation, one or more non-destructive readouts of pixels are performed prior to saturation of the pixels during an X-ray exposure so as to obtain non-saturated measurements at the pixels. In an additional implementation, non-destructive readouts of pixels are performed between exposure events so as to obtain an estimate of electronic noise during a multi-exposure examination.

Abstract: A radiation detector includes an array of detector pixels each including an array of detector cells. Each detector cell includes a photodiode biased in a breakdown region and digital circuitry coupled with the photodiode and configured to output a first digital value in a quiescent state and a second digital value responsive to photon detection by the photodiode. Digital triggering circuitry is configured to output a trigger signal indicative of a start of an integration time period responsive to a selected number of one or more of the detector cells transitioning from the first digital value to the second digital value. Readout digital circuitry accumulates a count of a number of transitions of detector cells of the array of detector cells from the first digital state to the second digital state over the integration time period.

Abstract: A method may comprise providing a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the wellbore being lined with a pipe and having a cement between the pipe and the wellbore, wherein the cement contains a defect; providing a control spectrum of gamma radiation count rates as a function of energy for a control, wherein the control comprises the cement without the defect; emitting gamma rays into the pipe and the cement having the defect from a source of a nuclear tool disposed in the wellbore; detecting count rates of gamma radiation scattered back from the pipe and the cement having the defect with a detector of the nuclear tool as a function of energy to produce a sample spectrum; and deriving one or more physical attributes related to the defect based on a comparison of the sample spectrum and the control spectrum.

Abstract: A method and a device for the directional discrimination of penetrating charged particles uses a one-dimensional transparent dielectric column which is surrounded by a specular reflector. The column is coupled to a photon counter and is enclosed in a light baffle to exclude external photons. Penetrating charged particles passing through the column interact with the column electromagnetically, producing photons which internally reflect down the column and are counted by the photon counter. The penetration depth of the charged particles through the column is deduced from the photon count by application of theoretical means. The resulting penetration depth is geometrically fit within the dimensions of the column, yielding a discrimination of the variance of the charged particle's trajectory from the pointing direction of the column. In an embodiment, a particle's magnetic rigidity is ascertained by photon counting.