Light guide array for pet detector fabrication methods and apparatus

A photon detector comprising:

• an optical transparent plate;
• a photodiode array having individual elements;
• an optical light guide array between the optical transparent plate and the photodiode array, the optical light guide array including individual optical light guide elements providing a transmission line between the optical transparent plate and individual elements of the photodiode array;
• the optical light guide array prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
• depositing a non-wetting film on at least one opposing surfaces of at least one of the optical transparent plate and the photodiode array;
• altering the deposited non-wetting film in regions of photodiode elements;
• dispensing an optical coupler adhesive on to at least one of the optical transparent plate and the photodiode array to form optical coupler adhesive beads on the optical transparent plate or the photodiode elements;
• aligning the opposing surfaces of the optical transparent plate and the photodiode array;
• assembling the opposing surfaces of the optical transparent plate and the photodiode array so that the optical coupler adhesive beads contact the opposing surface;
• and
• curing the optical coupler adhesive beads, the cured optical coupler adhesive beads forming optical light guide elements of the optical light guide array, the optical light guide elements located between the optical transparent plate and individual photodiode elements;
• the curing of the optical coupler adhesive beads resulting in structurally merging the optical light guide array, the optical transparent plate, and the photodiode array into a structurally merged photon detector.