Spectrally and spatially resolved x-ray and particle detection system
AssigneeCarl Zeiss X-ray Microscopy, Inc.
InventorsXiaochao Xu, Christoph Graf Vom Hagen
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Abstract
A detection system for an x-ray or charged particle imaging system utilizes high bandgap, direct conversion x-ray detection materials. The signal of the x-ray/charged particle projection is recorded in a spatial light modulator such as a liquid crystal (LC) light valve. The light valve is then read-out by a polarized light optical microscope and a high speed camera. The camera is used to track the blooming spots in the light valve to resolve their intensity, and relate that intensity of the input x-ray photon or charged particle. This allows of spatially resolved, imaging, x-ray and/or charged particle spectrometer.
Claims16
A spectrally and spatially resolved x-ray and/or charged particle detection system, comprising:
- a photoconductive detector;
- an optical microscope for reading out the photoconductive detector;
- a camera coupled to the photoconductive detector by the optical microscope;
- and
- a computer system that obtains images generated by the camera and tracks the response of the photoconductive detector to x-ray photons and/or charged particles over time.
A particle detection method, comprising:
- converting x-ray photons and/or charged particles into electron-hole pairs in a photoconductive detector;
- reading out the photoconductive detector with a camera coupled to the photoconductive detector;
- and
- processing images generated by the camera and tracking the response of the photoconductive detector to x-ray photons or charged particles over time to determine the position and the energy of the x-ray photons or charged particles.
An imaging system, comprising:
- an object stage system for holding an object;
- a photoconductive detector for detecting x-ray photons or charged particles from the object;
- a camera coupled to the photoconductive detector by an optical microscope;
- and
- a computer system that obtains the images generated by the camera and tracks the response of the photoconductive detector to x-ray photons or charged particles over time to image the object and determine an energy of the x-ray photons or charged particles.
A method for calibrating a x-ray photon or charged particle detection system, comprising:
- generating x-ray photons or charged particles of known energy;
- converting particles into electron-hole pairs in a photoconductive detector;
- reading out the photoconductive detector with a camera;
- and
- processing images generated by the camera and tracking spots generated by the x-ray photons or charged particles received by the photoconductive detector and determining a relationship between the spots and the energy of the x-ray photons or charged particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.