Photon Imaging, Inc.

Gintas Vilkelis

Bradley E Patt

Jan S Iwanczyk

Carolyn Tull

An avalanche drift photodetector (ADP) incorporates extremely low capacitance of a silicon drift photodetector (SDP) and internal gain that mitigates the surface leakage current noise of an avalanche photodetector (APD). The ADP can be coupled with scintillators such as CsI(Tl), NaI(Tl), LSO or others to form large volume scintillation type gamma ray detectors for gamma ray spectroscopy, photon counting, gamma ray counting, etc. Arrays of the ADPs can be used to replace the photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) used in conjunction with scintillation crystals in conventional gamma cameras for nuclear medical imaging.

Semiconductor radiation detector with internal gain

A semiconductor radiation detector is provided to detect x-ray and light photons. The entrance electrode is segmented by using variable doping concentrations. Further, the entrance electrode is physically segmented by inserting n&plus; regions between p&plus; regions. The p&plus; regions and the n&plus; regions are individually biased. The detector elements can be used in an array, and the p&plus; regions and the n&plus; regions can be biased by applying potential at a single point. The back side of the semiconductor radiation detector has an n&plus; anode for collecting created charges and a number of p&plus; cathodes. Biased n&plus; inserts can be placed between the p&plus; cathodes, and an internal resistor divider can be used to bias the n&plus; inserts as well as the p&plus; cathodes. A polysilicon spiral guard can be implemented surrounding the active area of the entrance electrode or surrounding an array of entrance electrodes.

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Westlake Village, CA, United States of America

Gintas Vilkelis