Semiconductor Crystal High Resolution Imager

Stanford researchers have patented a novel concept for a position sensitive high-energy photon sensor device for high resolution radiation imaging that can enhance capabilities of Positron Emission Tomography (PET). This radiation imaging idea uses direct semiconductor detectors (e.g. Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride, CZT) instead of scintillation crystals. A great advantage of this direct semiconductor detector is that the intrinsic resolution is set by the collection electrode pattern deposited on the semiconductor crystal rather than by cutting and processing miniscule crystals, as is the case with high resolution scintillation crystal designs. Finally, because there is no photodetector, the effective crystal packing fraction is >99%. This design has the capability of recording the 3-D coordinates of individual high energy photon interactions in the detectors. This latter feature enables methods to accurately estimate the incoming photon incident angle as well as the sequence of multiple interactions, which offer new signal processing paradigms for PET.

Stage of Research