Adapting a high-performance pulse processor to an existing spectrometry system

A method of generating an input signal for an existing pulse processor of an energy-dispersive radiation spectrometry system, said existing pulse processor having a first pulse pair resolving time and a dead time per pulse associated therewith, the method comprising:

• receiving a preamplifier signal in an additional pulse processor separate from said existing pulse processor, said additional pulse processor having a second pulse pair resolving time associated therewith, said second pulse pair resolving time being shorter than said first pulse pair resolving time, said preamplifier signal being generated in response to a detector detecting a plurality of photons;
• detecting in said additional pulse processor a plurality of edges in said preamplifier signal due to said plurality of photons, said edges being separated in time and being in an order;
• generating an analog signal having lower noise than said preamplifier signal and having a plurality of steps, wherein each of said steps in said analog signal corresponds to and has a magnitude proportional to a respective one of the detected edges in said order, and wherein for each adjacent pair of said edges that is separated in time by a time less than said second pulse pair resolving time the steps in said analog signal that correspond thereto are separated in time by at least said second pulse pair resolving time but less than said dead time per pulse;
• and
• providing said analog signal to said existing pulse processor as an input to said existing pulse processor.

An energy-dispersive radiation spectrometry system, comprising:

• an existing pulse processor having a first dead time per pulse associated therewith;
• and
• an additional pulse processor separate from and operatively coupled to said existing pulse processor, said additional pulse processor having a second dead time per pulse associated therewith, said second dead time per pulse being shorter than said first dead time per pulse, said additional pulse processor being adapted to:
• receive a preamplifier signal generated in response to a detector detecting a plurality of photons;
• detect a plurality of edges in said preamplifier signal due to said plurality of photons, said edges being separated in time and being in an order, wherein each of said edges is determined to not be associated with a pileup;
• generate an analog signal having lower noise than said preamplifier signal and having a plurality of steps, wherein each of said steps in said analog signal corresponds to and has a magnitude proportional to a respective one of the detected edges in said order, and wherein each adjacent pair of said steps is separated by at least said first dead time per pulse;
• and
• provide said analog signal to said existing pulse processor as an input signal to said existing pulse processor.

An energy-dispersive radiation spectrometry system, comprising:

• an existing pulse processor having a first pulse pair resolving time and a dead time per pulse associated therewith;
• and
• an additional pulse processor separate from and operatively coupled to said existing pulse processor, said additional pulse processor having a second pulse pair resolving time associated therewith, said second pulse pair resolving time being shorter than said first pulse pair resolving time, said additional pulse processor being adapted to:
• receive a preamplifier signal generated in response to a detector detecting a plurality of photons;
• detect a plurality of edges in said preamplifier signal due to said plurality of photons, said edges being separated in time and being in an order;
• generate an analog signal having lower noise than said preamplifier signal and having a plurality of steps, wherein each of said steps in said analog signal corresponds to and is proportional to a respective one of the detected edges in said order, and wherein for each adjacent pair of said edges that is separated in time by a time less than said second pulse pair resolving time the steps in said analog signal that correspond thereto are separated in time by at least said second pulse pair resolving time but less than said dead time per pulse;
• and
• provide said analog signal to said existing pulse processor as an input signal to said existing pulse processor.

A method of generating an input signal for an existing pulse processor of an energy-dispersive radiation spectrometry system, said existing pulse processor operating at a first shaping time and a corresponding first dead time per pulse, the method comprising:

• receiving a preamplifier signal, said preamplifier signal being generated in response to a first plurality of photons being detected by a detector;
• determining in an order according to arrival time at said detector an energy for each of a second plurality of said first plurality of photons based on said preamplifier signal using an additional pulse processor separate from said existing pulse processor and operating at a second shaping time and a corresponding second dead time per pulse, said second shaping time being less than said first shaping time and said second dead time per pulse being less than said first dead time per pulse;
• storing each said energy;
• generating an analog signal having lower noise than said preamplifier signal based on each said stored energy, said analog signal having a plurality of steps, wherein each of said steps in said analog signal corresponds to and has a magnitude proportional to a respective one of the stored energies in said order;
• and
• providing said analog signal to said existing pulse processor as an input to said existing pulse processor.