Multi-threshold window discriminator based on SAR logic

The new X-ray imaging detectors allow capturing an X-ray image in various photon energy ranges in one shot. This technique is called X-ray color imaging, and it is becoming a promising method in fields such as medical imaging, computed tomography, and non-destructive material testing. To measure the energy spectrum in one shot, discriminant circuits need to be integrated into the pixel front-end electronics. Several solutions of in-pixel discriminators exist. However, current designs suffer from a low number of discrimination bins and need to adjust each threshold separately, leading to relatively complicated calibration procedures. This work introduces a novel design of a multi-threshold window discriminator based on successive approximation register logic. This circuit realizes in-pixel binning to ten equidistant windows. Two variables are used for tuning the multi-threshold window discriminator: offset of the first window and width of the windows. Setting these parameters allows the user to fulfill the need of the target application.

The CDAU — a common data acquisition unit for the radiation imaging detectors at HIRFL-CSR

A common data acquisition unit (CDAU) has been designed for data transmission in the radiation imaging detectors in the Heavy Ion Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL). With a bandwidth of 64 Gbps, this CDAU can meet the need for most of the experiment. The CDAU can connect four front-end readout cards (FECs) through optical links for data collection, packaging, and transmission. This CDAU is based on the PCI Express (PCIe) Gen3 bus, using Xilinx Kintex Ultrascale series FPGA, combined with the periphery circuits design to complete the data acquisition system. This paper will discuss the design and performance of the CDAU.

Evaluation of Relationship between Grain Morphology and Growth Temperature of HgI2 Poly-Films for Direct Conversion X-ray Imaging Detectors

The relationship between depositing temperature and crystallinity of grain for HgI2 polycrystalline film with 170 cm2 in area deposited by Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) was investigated, considering the matches with readout matrix pixelation for female breast examination. The different depositing temperatures, 35, 40 and 45 °C, were carried out with the same source temperature, 100 °C, corresponding to 2–2.5 h of the growth period. The films deposited were investigated by XRD, SEM, and I–V. The results show that the grain size of the films grown increases with the depositing temperature from 35 to 45 °C. At 45 °C, the polycrystalline film has a preferred microcrystal orientation with 97.2% of [001]/[hkl] and grain size is about 180–220 μm. A 256 × 256 pixels X-ray image of a bolt, key, and wiring displacement was present distinctly with 50 keV with 6 mA current of X-ray generator. Our discussions on the relationship between depositing temperature and crystallinity of grain of film suggest that the higher growth temperature, the better crystallinity and excellent preferred microcrystal orientation of grain, however, with complementary bigger grain size. For matching readout matrix pixelation, the growth period of poly-films would be reduced appropriately for reasonable grain size and preventing the crack of films deposited.

Error Analysis and Optimization of a Sky Full-Polarization Imaging Detection System

An accurate sky polarization field map is a prerequisite for polarization navigation applications. In this article, a detector for sky full-polarization imaging detection is described, the major error-influencing factors (MEIFS ) are obtained, and the error propagation is modeled and analyzed. We reveal the relationship between the error of the inversed Stokes vector and the condition number of the detector matrix, which shows that the error of the inversed Stokes vector is affected by the Stokes vector of the incident light itself and the MEIFS together, with the MEIFS playing a decisive role. With the MEIFS optimized, the impact of detector error on the inversed Stokes vector is attenuated. A control equation for system calibration is also deduced which can establish the connection between the detector matrix design and calibration process. The work in this article provides a reference for optimization and calibration of sky full-polarization imaging detectors.