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US 7,800,070 B2Granted
Quantum photodetectors, imaging apparatus and systems, and related methods
AssigneeQuantum Molecular Technologies, Inc.
InventorsIrving Weinberg, Valeri Saveliev
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A camera sub-module is provided for providing tomographic imaging of radiation emissions generated internally by a body. The camera sub-module includes a radiation-emitting layer having a radioactive source for emitting transmission emissions, and at least one radiation-detection layer for contemporaneously detecting and permitting differentiation between the transmission emissions and emissions generated internal to an imaged body administered with a positron-emitting radiotracer. Also provided herein are imaging systems, scanners, and other apparatus and methods.
Claims43
A quantum detector array, comprising:
- a substrate;
- avalanche sensor elements situated on the substrate, the avalanche sensor elements having radiation-sensitive areas for detecting radiation from a radiation-emission source and adapted to operate in nonlinear breakdown mode in response to detected radiation;
- and
- quenching elements electrically interconnected to the avalanche sensor elements to stop the nonlinear breakdown of the avalanche sensor elements, the quenching elements positioned at least partially between the avalanche sensor elements to leave at least portions of the radiation-sensitive areas available to detect the radiation without obstruction from the quenching elements.
1 more element
A quantum detector and readout system, comprising:
- a quantum detector array, comprising
- a substrate;
- avalanche sensor elements situated on the substrate, the avalanche sensor elements having radiation-sensitive areas for detecting radiation from a radiation-emission source and adapted to operate in nonlinear breakdown mode in response to detected radiation;
- and
- quenching elements electrically interconnected to the avalanche sensor elements to stop the nonlinear breakdown of the avalanche sensor elements, the quenching elements positioned at least partially between the avalanche sensor elements to leave at least portions of the radiation-sensitive areas available to detect the radiation without obstruction from the quenching elements;
- and
- a readout system electrically interconnected to the quantum detector array for processing signals received from the quantum detector array.
4 more elements
A quantum detector system, comprising:
- a plurality of radiation-sensitive scintillators for emitting photons in response to detected radiation, the scintillators comprising multiple crystals sintered together;
- and
- a meta-array of solid-state, semiconductor quantum photo sensors, each of the photosensors being operatively coupled to and paired with an associated one of the scintillators so that each one of the solid-state, quantum photosensors receives photons from only the associated one of the scintillators with which the solid-state, quantum photosensor is paired, and so that the photons emitted from each one of the scintillators are received only by the associated one of the solid-state, quantum photosensors with which the scintillator is paired.
A method of detecting radiation, comprising:
- detecting radiation with a plurality of radiation-sensitive scintillators and emitting photons in response to detected radiation, the scintillators comprising multiple crystals sintered together;
- operatively coupling and pairing each scintillator of the plurality of radiation-sensitive scintillators with an associated solid-state, semiconductor quantum photosensor of a meta-array of solid-state, quantum photosensors, and
- transmitting the photons from the scintillator only to the associated solid-state, quantum photosensor with which the scintillator is paired.
A quantum detector system, comprising:
- a plurality of radiation-sensitive scintillators for emitting photons in response to detected radiation, the scintillators comprising multiple crystals sintered together;
- and
- a meta-array of solid-state, semiconductor quantum photosensors operatively coupled to the scintillators.
A quantum detector and readout system, comprising:
- a quantum detector array comprising avalanche sensor elements having radiation-sensitive areas for detecting radiation from a radiation-emission source and adapted to operate in nonlinear breakdown mode in response to detected radiation;
- and
- a readout system electrically interconnected to the quantum detector array, the readout system comprising
- a summing electrode for generating a summed signal proportional to the number of the avalanche sensor elements activated by detection of radiation from a radiation emission source or by spontaneous independently breakdown;
- a discriminator for analyzing the summed signal to distinguish the summed signal as generated either by the detection of radiation from the radiation emission source or by the spontaneous independent breakdown;
- an analog-to-digital converter operatively connected to the discriminator for converting the summed signal generated by the detection of radiation from the radiation emission source to a digital signal having a value representative of the number of the avalanche sensor elements having undergone coincident breakdown.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.