Abstract: The invention relates to a detection device (6) for detecting photons emitted by a radiation source (2). A signal generation unit (20) generates a detection signal indicative of the energy of a detected photon while photons strike the detection device (6), and a baseline signal, which is affected by photons that previously struck the detection device (6), while photons are prevented from striking the detection device (6). A baseline shift determination unit (40) determines a baseline shift of the detection signal depending on the baseline signal. An energy determination unit (30) determines the energy of a detected photon depending on the detection signal and the determined baseline shift. Since the baseline shift of the detection signal is determined from a baseline signal that is generated while photons are prevented from striking the detection device (6), the baseline shift can be determined with higher accuracy, resulting in an improved energy determination.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detector unit (100) for the detection of photons of incident radiation. The detector unit (100) comprises a signal processing circuit (40, 50, 60) for generating signals (V0) that are dependent on the energy of a currently detected photon (X) and at least one processing-parameter (Rf). Moreover, it comprises a flux estimator (70) for estimating the flux of photons and for adjusting the processing-parameter (Rf) based on said estimated flux. The flux estimator (70) receives its input (Vi), from which the flux of photons is estimated, from a processing stage that is independent of the output of the signal processing circuit. In a preferred embodiment, the signal processing circuit is or comprises a shaper (40).

Abstract: The invention relates to radiation detection with a directly converting semiconductor layer for converting an incident radiation into electrical signals. Sub-band infra-red (IR) irradiation considerably reduces polarization in the directly converting semi-conductor material when irradiated, so that counting is possible at higher tube currents without any baseline shift. An IR irradiation device is integrated into the readout circuit to which the crystal is flip-chip bonded in order to enable 4-side-buttable crystals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an X-ray detector (100) for detecting incident X-ray photons (X). The X-ray detector (100) comprises at least one sensor unit (105) in which X-ray photons (X) are converted into sensor signals (s) and at least one flux sensor (104) for generating a flux signal (f) related to the flux of photons (X). The sensor signals (s) are corrected based on the flux signal (f). In a preferred embodiment, the sensor signals (s) represent a spectrally resolved pulse counting. The flux sensor (104) may be integrated into an ASIC (103) that is coupled to the sensor unit (105).

Abstract: The present invention discloses a pixilated direct conversion photon counting detector with a direct conversion material layer and a pixilated electrode. Individual electrode pixels are segmented into three segments (510, 520, 530), wherein one of the segments (520) is operated at a more electrically repellant value than that of the other two (510, 530). Said other two segments are connected to electric circuitry (610, 611, 620, 630) that is arranged to generate signals which are indicative of a count of electrons or holes that approach each of the respective electrode pixel segments and to subtract the generated signals from each other.

Abstract: A radiation detector assembly (20) includes a detector array module (40) configured to convert radiation particles to electrical detection pulses, and an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) (42) operatively connected with the detector array. The ASIC includes signal processing circuitry (60) configured to digitize an electrical detection pulse received from the detector array, and test circuitry (80) configured to inject a test electrical pulse into the signal processing circuitry. The test circuitry includes a current meter (84) configured to measure the test electrical pulse injected into the signal processing circuitry, and a charge pulse generator (82) configured to generate a test electrical pulse that is injected into the signal processing circuitry.

Abstract: An imaging system (300) includes a detector array (314) with direct conversion detector pixels that detect radiation traversing an examination region of the imaging system and generate a signal indicative of the detected radiation, a pulse shaper (316) configured to alternatively process the signal indicative of detected radiation generated by the detector array or a set of test pulses having different and known heights that correspond to different and known energy levels and to generate output pulses having heights indicative of the energy of the processed detected radiation or set of test pulses, and a thresholds adjuster (330) configured to analyze the heights of the output pulses corresponding to the set of test pulses in connection with the heights of set of test pulses and a set of predetermined fixed energy thresholds and generate a threshold adjustment signal indicative of a baseline based on a result of the analysis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation detector (100) comprising a converter element (113) with an array (120) of first electrodes (121) for sampling electrical signals generated by incident radiation (X). With a connection circuit (130), at least two first electrodes (121) can selectively be coupled to a common readout unit (141) according to a given connection pattern (CP1). The effective pixel size along the path of incident radiation (X) can thus be adapted to the distribution of electrical signals, which is usually determined by the spectral composition of the incident radiation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation detector that is particularly suited for energy resolved single X-ray photon detection in a CT scanner. In a preferred embodiment, the detector has an array of scintillator elements in which incident X-ray photons are converted into bursts of optical photons. Pixels associated to the scintillator elements determine the numbers of optical photons they receive within predetermined acquisition intervals. These numbers can then be digitally processed to detect single X-ray photons and to determine their energy. The pixels may particularly be realized by avalanche photodiodes with associated digital electronic circuits for data processing.

Abstract: It is described a low ohmic Through Wafer Interconnection (TWI) for electronic chips formed on a semiconductor substrate (600). The TWI comprises a first connection extending between a front surface and a back surface of the substrate (600). The first connection (610) comprises a through hole filled with a low ohmic material having a specific resistivity lower than poly silicon. The TWI further comprises a second connection (615) also extending between the front surface and the back surface. The second connection (615) is spatially separated from the first connection (610) by at least a portion of the semiconductor substrate (600). The front surface is provided with a integrated circuit arrangement (620) wherein the first connection (610) is electrically coupled to at least one node of the integrated circuit arrangement (620) without penetrating the integrated circuit arrangement (620). During processing the TWI the through hole may be filled first with a non-metallic material, e.g. poly silicon.

Abstract: The invention is directed at an apparatus (10), an imaging device and a method for detecting X-ray photons, in particular photons (32,34) in a computer tomograph. Photons (32,34) are converted into an electrical pulse and compared against a threshold using a discriminator (20). The electrical network (12) performing these functions comprises a switching element (28), that can modify the electrical path (22) along which the process signals travel. The trigger signal (VT) for actuating the switching element (28) is derived from an electrical state of the electrical path (22). If a pulse associated to a photon (32,34) is detected, the switching element (28) is actuated in order to avoid that the processing of the charge pulse stemming from a first photon (32) is affected by a subsequent second photon (34).

Abstract: The present invention relates to processing electronics (18) for a detector (12) of an X-ray imaging device (14), the processing electronics (18) with a pulse counter section (22) having at least one count output (30) and with an integrator section (24) having an intensity output (32), wherein the processing electronics (18) is adapted to be connected to a sensor (16) in such a manner that X-ray photons (58) arriving at the sensor (16) can be processed by the pulse counter section (22), by the integrator section (24), or both, and wherein the processing electronics (18) comprises a processor (34) adapted to be connected to the count output (30) and to the intensity output (32) and adapted to output a count result (K) that takes into account both count information (N) obtained at the count output (30) and intensity information (I) obtained at the intensity output (32), so that the count result (K) contains information (N) obtained from the pulse counter section (22) and information (M) obtained from the integr

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation detector (200), particularly an X-ray detector, which comprises at least one sensitive layer (212) for the conversion of incident photons (X) into electrical signals. A two-dimensional array of electrodes (213) is located on the front side of the sensitive layer (212), while its back side carries a counter-electrode (211). The size of the electrodes (213) may vary in radiation direction (y) for adapting the counting workload of the electrodes. Moreover, the position of the electrodes (213) with respect to the radiation direction (y) provides information about the energy of the detected photons (X).

Abstract: The invention relates to a detection device (6) for detecting photons emitted by a radiation source (2). A signal generation unit (20) generates a detection signal indicative of the energy of a detected photon while photons strike the detection device (6), and a baseline signal, which is affected by photons that previously struck the detection device (6), while photons are prevented from striking the detection device (6). A baseline shift determination unit (40) determines a baseline shift of the detection signal depending on the baseline signal. An energy determination unit (30) determines the energy of a detected photon depending on the detection signal and the determined baseline shift. Since the baseline shift of the detection signal is determined from a baseline signal that is generated while photons are prevented from striking the detection device (6), the baseline shift can be determined with higher accuracy, resulting in an improved energy determination.

Abstract: The invention relates to an X-ray imaging device, particularly a Spectral-CT scanner, that comprises an X-ray source for generating X-radiation with an energy spectrum which varies continuously during an observation period. In a preferred embodiment, the radiation is attenuated in an object according to an energy-dependent attenuation coefficient ?, the transmitted radiation is measured by sensor units of a detector, and the resulting measurement signal is sampled and A/D converted. This is preferably done by an oversampling A/D converter, for example a ??-ADC. The tube voltage that drives the X-ray source is sampled with high frequency. In an evaluation system, these sampled measurement values can be associated with corresponding effective energy spectra to determine the energy dependent attenuation coefficient ?.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation detector (100), particularly for X-rays (X) and for ?-rays, which comprises a combination of (a) at least one primary conversion layer (101a-101f) with a low attenuation coefficient for the photons and (b) at least one secondary conversion layer (102) with a high attenuation coefficient for the photons. In preferred embodiments, the primary conversion layer (101a-101f) may be realized by a silicon layer coupled to associated energy-resolving counting electronics (111a-111f, 121). The secondary conversion layer (102) may be realized for example by CZT or GOS coupled to energy-resolving counting electronics or integrating electronics. Using primary conversion layers with low stopping power allows to build a stacked radiation detector (100) for spectral CT in which the counting rates of the layers are limited to feasible values without requiring unrealistic thin layers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation detector (100) and an associated method for the detection of (e.g. X or ?-) radiation. The detector (100) comprises a converter element (110) in which incident photons (X) are converted into electrical signals, and an array of anodes (130) for generating an electrical field (E) in the converter element (110). At least two anodes are associated with two steering electrodes (140) to which different potentials can be applied by a control unit (150). Preferably, each single anode or small group of anodes is surrounded by one steering electrode. The potentials of the steering electrodes (140) may be set as a function of the potentials that are induced in these electrodes when an operating voltage is applied between the anodes and a cathode (120). Moreover, a grid electrode (160) may be provided that at least partially encircles anodes (130) and their steering electrodes (140).

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation detector and a method for its production, wherein a series of converter plates (110) and interconnect layers (120), which extend into a border volume (BV) lateral of the converter plates (110), are stacked. By filling voids in the border volume (BV) with an underfill material and cutting through the border volume, a contact surface (CS) is generated in which electrical leads (123) of the interconnect layers (120) lie free. To allow a good contacting, said leads (123) are preferably provided with enlargements in the contact surface, for example by bonding wires (132) to them.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a scintillator array (202) and a digital photomultiplier array (204). A photon counting channel (212), an integrating channel (210), and a moment generating channel (214) process the output signal of the digital photomultiplier array (204). A reconstructor (122) spectrally resolves the first, the second and the third output signals. In one embodiment, a controller (232) activates the photon counting channel (212) to process the digital signal only if a radiation flux is below a predetermined threshold. An imaging system includes at least one direct conversion layer (302) and at least two scintillator layers (304) and corresponding photosensors (306). A photon counting channel (212) processes an output of the at least one direct conversion layer (302), and an integrating channel (210) and a moment generating channel (214) process respective outputs of the photosensors (306). A reconstructor (122) spectrally resolves the first, the second and the third output signals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation detector and a method for producing such a detector, wherein the detector comprises a stack of the scintillator elements and photodiode arrays. The PDAs extend with electrical leads into a rigid body filling a border volume lateral of the scintillator elements, wherein said leads end in a contact surface of the border volume. Moreover, a redistribution layer is disposed on the contact surface, wherein electrical lines of the redistribution layer contact the leads of the PDAs.