Performance of a 4096-pixel photon counting chip

Maria Giuseppina Bisogni; M. Campbell; M. Conti; Pasquale Delogu; Maria Evelina Fantacci; Erik H. M. Heijne; Paolo Maestro; G. Magistrati; V. M. Marzulli; G. Meddeler; Bettina Mikulec; Elena Pernigotti; Valeria Rosso; C. Schwarz; W. Snoeys; Simone Stumbo; J. Watt

doi:10.1117/12.330288

10 November 1998 Performance of a 4096-pixel photon counting chip

Maria Giuseppina Bisogni, M. Campbell, M. Conti, Pasquale Delogu, Maria Evelina Fantacci, Erik H. M. Heijne, Paolo Maestro, G. Magistrati, V. M. Marzulli, G. Meddeler, Bettina Mikulec, Elena Pernigotti, Valeria Rosso, C. Schwarz, W. Snoeys, Simone Stumbo, J. Watt

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3445, EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy IX; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.330288
Event: SPIE's International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1998, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

A 4096 pixel Photon Counting Chip (PCC) has been developed and tested. It is aimed primarily at medical imaging although it can be used for other applications involving particle counting. The readout chip consists of a matrix of 64 by 64 identical square pixels, whose side measures 170 micrometers and is bump-bonded to a similar matrix of GaAs or Si pixel diodes covering a sensitive area of 1.18 cm². The electronics in each cell comprises a preamplifier, a discriminator with variable threshold and a 3-bit threshold tune as well as a 15-bit counter. Each pixel can be individually addressed for electrical test or masked during acquisition. A shutter allows for switching between the counting and readout modes and the use of static logic in the counter enables long data taking periods. Electrical test of the chip have shown a maximum counting and readout modes and the use of static logic in the counter enables long data taking periods. Electrical test of the chip have shown a maximum counting rate of up to 2 MHz in each pixel. The minimum reachable threshold is 1400 e with a variation of 350 e rms that can be reduced to 80 e rms after tuning with the 3-bit adjustment. Electrical noise at the input is 170 e rms. Several read-out chips have been bump bonded to 200 micrometers thick GaAs pixel detectors. Test with (gamma) -ray and (beta) sources have been carried out. A number of objects have been imaged and a 260 micrometers thick aluminum foil which represents a contrast to the surrounding air of only 1.9 percent has been correctly imaged.

Citation Download Citation

Maria Giuseppina Bisogni, M. Campbell, M. Conti, Pasquale Delogu, Maria Evelina Fantacci, Erik H. M. Heijne, Paolo Maestro, G. Magistrati, V. M. Marzulli, G. Meddeler, Bettina Mikulec, Elena Pernigotti, Valeria Rosso, C. Schwarz, W. Snoeys, Simone Stumbo, and J. Watt "Performance of a 4096-pixel photon counting chip", Proc. SPIE 3445, EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy IX, (10 November 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.330288

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available