Multi-resolution detectors for measuring and controlling a charged particle pencil beam

A system for detecting a characteristic of a charged particle pencil beam, the system comprising:

• a multi-resolution detector system disposed proximal to an isocenter plane, said multi-resolution detector comprising:
• a first pixelated detector comprising a first pixelated electrode having a plurality of sub-arrays of first pixels, wherein each respective first pixel at each relative position in each sub-array is electrically connected in parallel with one another, such that said first pixelated detector dynamically generates a first output representing a combined electrical output of said respective first pixels from said sub-arrays, said first pixels detecting an electrical current created by said charged particle pencil beam;
• and
• a second pixelated detector comprising a second pixelated electrode having a plurality of second pixels, said second pixelated detector configured to dynamically generate a second output representative of an approximate physical position of the charged particle pencil beam in a plane substantially parallel to said isocenter plane, said second pixelated electrode having a second resolution less than a first resolution of said first pixelated electrode;
• a diagnostic control system comprising a processor, the control system configured to receive as inputs the first output and the second output and to determine an actual position and an actual transverse intensity distribution of said charged particle beam based on said first and second outputs, said actual position and said actual intensity distribution having said first resolution.

A method of characterizing a charged particle pencil beam, said method comprising:

• receiving a combined electrical output generated by a charged particle pencil beam with a first pixelated electrode comprising a plurality of sub-arrays of first pixels having a first resolution, wherein each respective first pixel at each relative position in each sub-array is electrically connected in parallel with one another;
• determining an approximate physical position of said charged particle pencil beam with electrical output data from a second pixelated electrode, said second pixelated electrode comprising a plurality of second pixels having a second resolution, said second resolution lower than said first resolution;
• and
• calculating an actual physical position and an actual transverse intensity distribution of said charged particle pencil beam using said combined electrical output and said approximate physical position, said actual physical position and said actual transverse intensity distribution having said first resolution.

An integrated multi-resolution detector comprising:

• a first pixelated electrode disposed in a first plane, said first pixelated electrode comprising a plurality of sub-arrays of first pixels, wherein each respective first pixel at each relative position in each sub-array is electrically connected in parallel with one another, such that said first pixelated electrode dynamically generates a first output representing a combined electrical output of said respective first pixels from said sub-arrays, said first pixels detecting an electrical current created by a charged particle pencil beam;
• a second pixelated electrode disposed in a second plane, said second pixelated electrode comprising a plurality of second pixels, said second pixelated electrode configured to dynamically generate a second output representative of a physical position of said charged particle pencil beam in said second plane, said second pixelated electrode having a second resolution less than a first resolution of said first pixelated electrode;
• and
• a high-voltage plane disposed between said first and second pixelated electrodes, wherein said first plane, said second plane, and said high-voltage plane are substantially parallel to one another.