FNIT (the Fast Neutron Imaging Telescope), a detector with both imaging and energy measurement capabilities,
sensitive to neutrons in the range 0.8-20 MeV, was initially conceived to study solar neutrons as a candidate design for
the Inner Heliosphere Sentinel (IHS) spacecraft of NASA's Solar Sentinels program and successively reconfigured to
locate fission neutron sources. By accurately identifying the position of the source with imaging techniques and
reconstructing the Watt spectrum of fission neutrons, FNIT can detect samples of special nuclear material (SNM),
including heavily shielded and masked ones. The detection principle is based on multiple elastic neutron-proton
scatterings in organic scintillators. By reconstructing n-p event locations and sequence and measuring the recoil proton
energies, the direction and energy spectrum of the primary neutron flux can be determined and neutron sources
identified. We describe the design of the FNIT prototype and present its energy reconstruction and imaging
performance, assessed by exposing FNIT to a neutron beam and to a Pu fission neutron source.
The spare detectors from NASA Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory COMPTEL instrument have been reconfigured to
demonstrate the capability at ground level to remotely locate and identify sources of g radiation or the movement of
material that might shield γ-ray sources. The Gamma-Ray Experimental Telescope Assembly (GRETA) employs two 28
cm diameter scintillation detectors separated by 81 cm: one 8.5 cm thick liquid scintillator detector and one 7.5 cm thick
NaI(Tl) detector. The assembly electronics and real-time data acquisition system measures the energy deposits and time-of-
flight for each coincident detection and compiles histograms of total energy and incident angle as computed using the
kinematics of Compton scattering. The GRETA field of view is a cone with full angle approximately 120°. The
sensitive energy range is 0.3 to 2.6 MeV. Energy resolution is ~10% FWHM. The angular resolution, ~19° in the
simplified configuration tested, will improve to better than 5° with well-defined enhancements to the data acquisition
hardware and data analysis routines. When operated in the mode that was used in space, the instrument is capable of
measuring and imaging up to 30 MeV with an angular resolution of 1.5°.
The response of the instrument was mapped in the laboratory with 14 Ci 22Na source 3 m from the instrument. Later,
we conducted demonstrations under two measurement scenarios. In one, the remotely located instrument observed an
increase of background radiation counts at 1.4 MeV when a large amount of lead was removed from a building and a
corresponding decrease when the lead was replaced. In the other scenario, the location and isotope-identifying energy
spectrum of a 500 μCi137Cs source 3-5 m from the instrument with two intervening walls was determined in less than
one minute. We report details of the instrument design and these measurements.
Illicit nuclear materials represent a threat for the safety of the American citizens, and the detection and interdiction of a
nuclear weapon is a national problem that has not been yet solved. Alleviating this threat represents an enormous
challenge to current detection methods that have to be substantially improved to identify and discriminate threatening
from benign incidents. Rugged, low-power and less-expensive radiation detectors and imagers are needed for large-scale
wireless deployment.
Detecting the gamma rays emitted by nuclear and fissionable materials, particularly special nuclear materials (SNM), is
the most convenient way to identify and locate them. While there are detectors that have the necessary sensitivity, none
are suitable to meet the present need, primarily because of the high occurrence of false alarms.
The exploitation of neutron signatures represents a promising solution to detecting illicit nuclear materials. This work
presents the development of several detector configurations such as a mobile active interrogation system based on a
compact RF-Plasma neutron generator developed at LBNL and a fast neutron telescope that uses plastic scintillating-fibers
developed at the University of New Hampshire. A human-portable improved Solid-State Neutron Detector
(SSND) intended to replace pressurized 3He-tubes will be also presented. The SSND uses an ultra-compact CMOS-SSPM
(Solid-State Photomultiplier) detector, developed at Radiation Monitoring devices Inc., coupled to a neutron
sensitive scintillator. The detector is very fast and can provide time and spectroscopy information over a wide energy
range including fast neutrons.
The ability of Compton telescopes to perform imaging and spectroscopy in space depends directly on the speed and
energy resolution of the calorimeter detectors in the telescope. The calorimeter detectors flown on space-borne or
balloon-borne Compton telescopes have included NaI(Tl), CsI(Na), HPGe and liquid organic scintillator. By employing
LaX scintillators for the calorimeter, one can take advantage of the unique speed and resolving power of the material to
improve the instrument sensitivity and simultaneously enhance its spectroscopic performance and thus its imaging
performance. We present a concept for a space-borne Compton telescope that employs LaX as a calorimeter and
estimate the improvement in sensitivity over past realizations of Compton telescopes. With some preliminary laboratory
measurements, we estimate that in key energy bands, typically corrupted with neutron-induced internal nuclear
emissions, this design enjoys a twenty-fold improvement in background rejection.
We report progress in the study of thick single-sided charge-sharing cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) strip detector
modules designed to perform spectroscopy and 3-D imaging of gamma-rays. We report laboratory measurements
including spectroscopy, efficiency and 3-D imaging capability of prototype detectors (15 × 15 × 7.5mm3) with
11×11 unit cells. We also report on Monte Carlo simulations (GEANT4 v7.1) to investigate the effect of multihits
on detector performance in both spectroscopy and imaging. We compare simulation results with data obtained
from laboratory measurements and discuss the implications for future strip detector designs.
We report on recent progress in the development of the Fast Neutron Imaging Telescope (FNIT), a detector with both imaging and energy measurement capabilities, sensitive to neutrons in the 2-20 MeV range. FNIT was initially conceived to study solar neutrons as a candidate design for the Solar Sentinels program under formulation at NASA. This instrument is now being configured to locate fission neutron sources for homeland security purposes. By accurately identifying the position of the neutron source with imaging techniques and reconstructing the energy spectrum of fission neutrons, FNIT can locate problematic amounts of Special Nuclear Material (SNM), including heavily shielded and masked samples. The detection principle is based on multiple elastic neutron-proton (n-p) scatterings in organic scintillators. By reconstructing the n-p event locations and sequence and measuring the recoil proton energies, the direction and energy spectrum of the primary neutron flux can be determined and neutron point sources identified. The performance of FNIT is being evaluated through a series of Monte Carlo simulations and lab tests of detector prototypes. The Science Model One (SM1) of this instrument was recently assembled and is presently undergoing performance testing.
We report progress in the study of a thick CZT strip detector module designed to perform gamma-ray spectroscopy and 3-D imaging. We report preliminary performance measurements of 7.5 mm thick single-sided charge-sharing strip detector prototype devices. This design features both row and column contacts on the anode surface. This electron-only approach addresses problems associated with poor hole transport in CZT that limit the thickness and energy range of double-sided strip detectors. This work includes laboratory and simulation studies aimed at developing compact, efficient, detector modules for 0.05 to 1 MeV gamma measurements while minimizing the number and complexity of the electronic readout channels. This is particularly important in space-based coded aperture and Compton telescope instruments that require large area, large volume detector arrays. Such arrays will be required for the NASA Black Hole Finder Probe (BHFP)and Advanced Compton Telescope (ACT). This new design requires an anode pattern with contacts whose dimensions and spacing are roughly the size of the ionization charge cloud. The first prototype devices have 125 μm anode contacts on 225 μm pitch. Our results demonstrate the principle of operation but suggest that even finer anode contact feature sizes will be necessary to achieve the desired performance.
Inner heliosphere measurements of the Sun can be conducted with the proposed Solar Sentinel spacecraft and mission. One of the key measurements that can be made inside the orbit of the Earth is that of lower energy neutrons that arise in flares from nuclear reactions. Solar flare neutrons below 10 MeV suffer heavy weak-decay losses before reaching 1 AU. For heliocentric radii as close as 0.3 AU, the number of surviving neutrons from a solar event is dramatically greater. Neutrons from 1-10 MeV provide a new measure of heavy ion interactions at low energies, where the vast majority of energetic ions reside. Such measurements are difficult because of locally generated background neutrons. An instrument to make these measurements must be compact, lightweight and efficient. We describe our progress in developing a low-energy neutron telescope that can operate and measure neutrons in the inner heliosphere and take a brief look at other possible applications for this detector.
This paper discusses the latest progress in the development of GRAPE (Gamma-Ray Polarimeter Experiment), a hard X-ray Compton Polarimeter. The purpose of GRAPE is to measure the polarization of hard X-rays in the 50-300 keV energy range. We are particularly interested in X-rays that are emitted from solar flares and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Accurately measuring the polarization of the emitted radiation from these sources will lead, to a better understating of both the emission mechanisms and source geometries. The GRAPE design consists of an array of plastic scintillators surrounding a central high-Z crystal scintillator. We can monitor individual Compton scatters that occur in the plastics and determine whether the photon is photo absorbed by the high-Z crystal or not. A Compton scattered photon that is immediately photo absorbed by the high-Z crystal constitutes a valid event. These valid events provide us with the interaction locations of each incident photon and ultimately produces a modulation pattern for the Compton scattering of the polarized radiation. Comparing with Monte Carlo simulations of a 100% polarized beam, the level of polarization of the measured beam can then be determined. The complete array is mounted on a flat-panel multi-anode photomultiplier tube (MAPMT) that can measure the deposited energies resulting from the photon interactions. The design of the detector allows for a large field-of-view, at the same time offering the ability to be close-packed with multiple modules in order to reduce deadspace. We plan to present in this paper the latest laboratory results obtained from GRAPE using partially polarized radiation sources.
The Medium Energy Gamma-ray Astronomy (MEGA) telescope concept will soon be proposed as a MIDEX mission. This mission would enable a sensitive all-sky survey of the medium-energy gamma-ray sky (0.4 - 50 MeV) and bridge the huge sensitivity gap between the COMPTEL and
OSSE experiments on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, the SPI and IBIS instruments on INTEGRAL, and the visionary Advanced Compton Telescope (ACT) mission. The scientific goals include, among other things, compiling a much larger catalog of sources in this energy
range, performing far deeper searches for supernovae, better measuring the galactic continuum and line emissions, and identifying the components of the cosmic diffuse gamma-ray emission. MEGA will accomplish these goals using a tracker made of Si strip detector (SSD) planes surrounded by a dense high-Z calorimeter. At lower photon energies (below ~ 30 MeV), the design is sensitive to Compton interactions, with the SSD system serving as a scattering medium that also detects and measures the Compton recoil energy deposit. If the energy of the recoil electron is sufficiently high (> 2 MeV) its momentum vector can also be measured. At higher photon energies (above ~ 10 MeV), the design is sensitive to pair production
events, with the SSD system measuring the tracks of the electron and positron. A prototype instrument has been developed and calibrated in the laboratory and at a gamma-ray beam facility. We present calibration results from the prototype and describe the proposed satellite mission.
We describe our program to develop gas micro-well detectors (MWDs) as three-dimensional charged particle trackers for use in advanced gamma-ray telescope concepts. A micro-well detector consists of an array of individual micro-patterned gas proportional counters opposite a planar drift electrode. The well anodes and cathodes may be connected in X and Y strips, respectively, to provide two-dimensional imaging. When combined with transient digitizer electronics, which record the time signature of the charge collected in the wells of each strip, full three-dimensional reconstruction of charged-particle tracks in large gas volumes is possible. Such detectors hold great promise for advanced Compton telescope (ACT) and advanced pair telescope (APT) concepts due to the very precise measurement of charged particle momenta that is possible (Compton recoil electrons and electron-positron pairs, respectively). We present preliminary lab results, including detector fabrication, prototype electronics, and initial detector testing. We also discuss applications to the ACT and APT mission concepts, based on GEANT3 and GEANT4 simulations.
The primary scientific mission of the Black Hole Finder Probe (BHFP), part of the NASA Beyond Einstein program, is to survey the local Universe for black holes over a wide range of mass and accretion rate. One approach to such a survey is a hard X-ray coded-aperture imaging mission operating in the 10-600 keV energy band, a spectral range that is considered to be especially useful in the detection of black hole sources. The development of new inorganic scintillator materials provides improved performance (for example, with regards to energy resolution and timing) that is well suited to the BHFP science requirements. Detection planes formed with these materials coupled with a new generation of readout devices represent a major advancement in the performance capabilities of scintillator-based gamma cameras. Here, we discuss the Coded Aperture Survey Telescope for Energetic Radiation (CASTER), a concept that represents a BHFP based on the use of the latest scintillator technology.
The primary scientific mission of the Black Hole Finder Probe (BHFP), part of the NASA Beyond Einstein program, is to survey the local Universe for black holes over a wide range of mass and accretion rate. One approach to such a survey is a hard X-ray coded-aperture imaging mission operating in the 10-600 keV energy band, a spectral range that is considered to be especially useful in the detection of black hole sources. The development of new inorganic scintillator materials provides improved performance (for example, with regards to energy resolution and timing) that is well suited to the BHFP science requirements. Detection planes formed with these materials coupled with a new generation of readout devices represent a major advancement in the performance capabilities of scintillator-based gamma cameras. Here, we discuss the Coded Aperture Survey Telescope for Energetic Radiation (CASTER), a concept that represents a BHFP based on the use of the latest scintillator technology.
The MEGA mission would enable a sensitive all-sky survey of the medium-energy ?-ray sky (0.3-50 MeV). This mission will bridge the huge sensitivity gap between the COMPTEL and OSSE experiments on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, the SPI and IBIS instruments on INTEGRAL and the visionary ACT mission. It will, among other things, serve to compile a much larger catalog of sources in this energy range, perform far deeper searches for supernovae, better measure the galactic continuum emission as well as identify the components of the cosmic diffuse emission. The large field of view will allow MEGA to continuously monitor the sky for transient and variable sources. It will accomplish these goals with a stack of Si-strip detector (SSD) planes surrounded by a dense high-Z calorimeter. At lower photon energies (below ~30 MeV), the design is sensitive to Compton interactions, with the SSD system serving as a scattering medium that also detects and measures the Compton recoil energy deposit. If the energy of the recoil electron is sufficiently high (> 2 MeV), the track of the recoil electron can also be defined. At higher photon energies (above ~10 MeV), the design is sensitive to pair production events, with the SSD system measuring the tracks of the electron and positron. We will discuss the various types of event signatures in detail and describe the advantages of this design over previous Compton telescope designs. Effective area, sensitivity and resolving power estimates are also presented along with simulations of expected scientific results and beam calibration results from the prototype instrument.
We report progress in the study of thick CZT strip detectors for 3-d imaging and spectroscopy and discuss two approaches to device design. We present the spectroscopic, imaging, detection efficiency and response uniformity performance of prototype devices. Unlike double-sided strip detectors, these devices feature both row and column contacts implemented on the anode surface. This electron-only approach circumvents problems associated with poor hole transport in CZT that normally limit the thickness and energy range of double-sided strip detectors. These devices can achieve similar performance to pixel detectors. The work includes laboratory and simulation studies aimed at developing compact, efficient, detector modules for 0.05 to 1 MeV gamma radiation measurements. The low channel count strip detector approach can significantly reduce the complexity and power requirements of the readout electronics. This is particularly important in space-based coded aperture or Compton telescope instruments requiring large area, large volume detector arrays. Such arrays will be required for NASA's Black Hole Finder Probe (BHFP) and Advanced Compton Telescope (ACT).
We have developed a modular design for a hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray polrimeter that we call GRAPE (Gamma RAy Polarimeter Experiment). Optimized for the energy range of 50-300 keV, the GRAPE design is a Compton polarimeter based on the use of an array of plastic scintillator scattering elements in conjunction with a centrally positioned high-Z calorimeter detector. Here we shall review the results from a laboratory model of the baseline GRAPE design. The baseline design uses a 5-inch diameter position sensitive PMT (PSPMT) for readout of the plastic scintillator array and a small array of CsI detectors for measurement of the scattered photon. An improved design, based on the use of large area multi-anode PMTs (MAPMTs), is also discussed along with plans for laboratory testing of a prototype. An array of GRAPE modules could be used as the basis for a dedicated science mission, either on a long duration balloon or on an orbital mission. With a large effective FoV, a non-imaging GRAPE mission would be ideal for studying polarization in transient sources (gamma ray bursts and solar flares). It may also prove useful for studying periodically varying sources, such as pulsars. An imaging system would improve the sensitivity of the polarization measurements for transient and periodic sources and may also permit the measurement of polarization in steady-state sources.
We report on the development of a dedicated polarimeter design that is capable of studying the linear polarization of hard X-rays (50-300 keV) from gamma-ray bursts and solar flares. This compact design, based on the use of a large area position-sensitive PMT (PSPMT), is referred to as GRAPE (Gamma-RAy Polarimeter Experiment). The PSPMT is used to determine the Compton interaction location within an array of small plastic scintillator elements. Some of the photons that scatter within the plastic scintillator array are subsequently absorbed by a small centrally-located array of CsI(Tl) crystals that is read out by an independent multi-anode PMT. One feature of GRAPE that is especially attractive for studies of gamma-ray bursts is the significant off-axis response (at angles > 60 degrees). The modular nature of this design lends itself toward its accomodation on a balloon or spacecraft platform. For an array of GRAPE modules, sensitivity levels below a few percent can be achieved for both gamma-ray bursts and solar flares. Here we report on the latest results from the testing of a laboratory science model.
We report progress in our study of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) strip detectors featuring orthogonal coplanar anode contacts. We specifically report on the performance, characterization and stability of 5 and 10 mm thick prototype CZT detectors fabricated using material from several manufacturers. Our ongoing work includes laboratory and simulation studies aimed at optimizing and developing compact, efficient, high performance detector modules for 0.05 to 1 MeV gamma radiation measurements with space-based instrumentation. The coplanar anode strip configuration retains many of the performance advantages of pixel detectors yet requires far fewer electronic channels to perform both 3-d imaging and spectroscopy. Minimizing the channel count is important for large balloon or space instruments including coded aperture telescopes (such as MARGIE or EXIST) and Compton imaging telescopes (such as TIGRE or ACT). We also present plans for developing compact, space qualified imaging modules designed for integration into closely packed large area detector arrays. We discuss issues associated with detector module and array electronics design and development.
An instrument capable of unambiguously determining the energy and direction of incident neutrons has important applications in solar physics-as well as environmental monitoring and medical/radiological sciences. The SONTRAC (SOlar Neutron TRACking) instrument is designed to operate in the neutron energy range of 20-250 MeV. The measurement principle is based on non-relativistic double scatter of neutrons off ambient protons (n-p scattering) within a block of densely packed scintillating fibers. Using this double-scatter mode it is possible to uniquely determine neutron energy and direction on an event-by-event basis. A fully operational science model of such an instrument has been built using 300 μm (250 μm active) scintillating fibers. The science model consists of a 5×5×5 cm cube of orthogonal plastic scintillating fiber layers. Two orthogonal imaging chains, employing image intensifiers and CCD cameras, allow full 3-dimensional reconstruction of scattered proton particle tracks. We report the results of the science model instrument calibration using 35-65 MeV protons. The proton calibration is the first step toward understanding the instrument response to n-p scatter events. Preliminary results give proton energy resolution of 2% (6%) at 67.5 (35) MeV, and angular resolution of 2° (4.5°) at 67.5 (35) MeV. These measurements are being used to validate detailed instrument simulations that will be used to optimize the instrument design and develop quantitative estimates of science return. Based on the proton calibration, neutron energy and angular resolution for a 10×10×10 cm version of SONTRAC is expected to be ~5% and <10°, respectively, while the efficiency of the detector to double n-p scatter events is approximately 1%. We will also discuss ongoing opto-electronic developmental efforts and concepts for extending the instrument response to lower energies.
KEYWORDS: Sensors, Signal processing, Signal detection, Analog electronics, Prototyping, Device simulation, Field effect transistors, Gamma radiation, Spatial resolution, Data acquisition
We present the requirements, design, and performance of an analog circuit for processing the non-collecting anode strip signals from a cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) strip detector with orthogonal coplanar anodes. Detector signal simulations and measurements with a prototype are used to define the range of signal characteristics as a function of location of the gamma interaction in the detector. The signals from the non- collecting anode strip electrodes are used to define two of the three spatial coordinates including the depth of interaction, the z dimension. Analog signal processing options are discussed. A circuit to process the signals from the non- collecting anode strips and extract from them the depth of interaction is described. The circuit employs a time-over- threshold (TOT) measurement. The performance of the detector prototype with a preliminary version of this circuit is presented, and future development work is outlined.
A high-density, very low power (<<500 (mu) W/channel) readout system for the Hamamatsu R5900-00-M64 and similar multianode photomultiplier tubes (MAPMTs) is under development at NOVA R&D. It is intended for space-flight instruments involving a large number of channels, and provides for efficient readout of such a system at low to moderate event rates in the presence of a sparse hit pattern. Data is buffered within the readout ASIC while prompt summary information is made available to the instrument trigger system, which can then cause the data to be read from the buffer only when necessary. A prototype of the analog front- end has been designed and fabricated, and a prototype of the complementary digital functions has been designed and implemented in a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). We report here on these designs and on test results of the prototype readout system with the Hamamatsu MAPMT. Performance parameters such as gain, noise, and trigger threshold have been studied, and pulse height spectra with a single- photoelectron source and with a Sr90 source and scintillating fiber have been obtained.
KEYWORDS: Sensors, Prototyping, Photons, Signal processing, Signal detection, Spatial resolution, Image resolution, Data acquisition, 3D image processing, Gold
We report on recent three-dimensional imaging performance and detection efficiency measurements obtained with 5 mm thick prototype CdZnTe detectors fabricated with orthogonal coplanar anode strips. In previous work, we have shown that detectors fabricated using this design achieve both very good energy resolution and sub-millimeter spatial resolution with fewer electronic channels than are required for pixel detectors. As electron-only devices, like pixel detectors, coplanar anode strip detectors can be fabricated in the thickness required to be effective imagers for photons with energies in excess of 500 keV. Unlike conventional double-sided strip detectors, the coplanar anode strip detectors require segmented contacts and signal processing electronics on only one surface. The signals can be processed to measure the total energy deposit and the photon interaction location in three dimensions. The measurements reported here provide a quantitative assessment of the detection capabilities of orthogonal coplanar anode strip detectors.
We report on the development of a Compton scatter polarimeter for measuring the linear polarization of hard X-rays (50 - 300 keV) from solar flares. Such measurements would be useful for studying the directivity (or beaming) of the electrons that are accelerated in solar flares. We initially used a simple prototype polarimeter to successfully demonstrate the reliability of our Monte Carlo simulation code and to demonstrate our ability to generate a polarized photon source in the lab. We have recently fabricated a science model based on a modular design concept that places a self-contained polarimeter module on the front-end of a 5-inch position- sensitive PMT (PSPMT). The PSPMT is used to determine the Compton interaction location within an annular array of small plastic scintillator elements. Some of the photons that scatter within the plastic scintillator array are subsequently absorbed by a small centrally-located array of CsI(Tl) crystals that is read out by an independent multi-anode PMT. The independence of the two PMT readout schemes provides appropriate timing information for event triggering. We are currently testing this new polarimeter design in the laboratory to evaluate the performance characteristics of this design. Here we present the initial results from these laboratory tests. The modular nature of this design lends itself toward its accommodation on a balloon or spacecraft platform. A small array of such modules can provide a minimum detectable polarization (MDP) of less than 1% in the integrated 50 - 300 keV energy range for X-class solar flares.
MARGIE will be a large-area, wide field-of-view, hard x- ray/gamma-ray imaging telescope capable of providing accurate positions for faint gamma-ray bursts in near-real- time and of performing a sensitive survey of both steady and transient cosmic sources. The instrument is designed to image faint bursts at the low-intensity end of the log N - log S distribution. MARGIE was recently selected by NASA for a mission-concept study for an Ultra Long Duration Balloon flight. We describe a program to develop an instrument based on the new detector technology of either cadmium zinc telluride room-temperature semiconductors or pixelated cesium iodide scintillators viewed by fast timing charge- coupled devices.
FiberGLAST is a scintillating fiber gamma-ray detector designed for the GLAST mission. The system described below provides superior effective area and field of view for modest cost and risk. An overview of the FiberGLAST instrument is presented, as well as a more detailed description of the principle elements of the primary detector volume. The triggering and readout electronics are described, and Monte Carlo Simulations of the instrument performance are presented.
The FiberGLAST scintillating fiber telescope is a large-area instrument concept for NASA's GLAST program. The detector is designed for high-energy gamma-ray astronomy, and uses plastic scintillating fibers to combine a photon pair tracking telescope and a calorimeter into a single instrument. A small prototype detector has been tested with high energy photons at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. We report on the result of this beam test, including scintillating fiber performance, photon track reconstruction, angular resolution, and detector efficiency.
We report the results of recent calibration data analysis of a prototype scintillating fiber tracking detector system designed to perform imaging, spectroscopy and particle identification on 20 to 250 MeV neutrons and protons. We present the neutron imaging concept and briefly review the detection principle and the prototype description. The prototype detector system records ionization track data on an event-by-event basis allowing event selection criteria to be used in the off-line analysis. Images of acrylic phantoms from the analysis of recent proton beam calibrations are presented as demonstrations of the particle identification, imaging and energy measurement capabilities. The measured position resolution is < 500 micrometers . The measured energy resolution is 14.2 percent at 35 MeV. The detection techniques employed can be applied to measurements in a variety of disciplines including solar and atmospheric physics, radiation therapy and nuclear materials monitoring. These applications are discussed briefly as are alternative detector configurations and future development plans.
Keith Rielage, Katsushi Arisaka, Muzaffer Atac, W. Robert Binns, James Buckley, Michael Cherry, Mark Christl, David Cline, Paul Dowkontt, John Epstein, Gerald Fishman, T. Gregory Guzik, Paul Hink, Martin Israel, S. Kappadath, Gerald Karr, Richard Kippen, Daniel Leopold, Mark McConnell, John Macri, Robert Mallozzi, William Paciesas, Thomas Parnell, Geoffrey Pendleton, Surasak Phengchamnan, Yuriy Pischalnikov, Georgia Richardson, James Ryan, John Stacy, Tumay Tumer, Gerald Visser, Donald Wallace, Robert Wilson
A scintillating fiber detector is currently being studied for the NASA Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) mission. This detector utilizes modules composed of a thin converter sheet followed by an x, y plane of scintillating fibers to examine the shower of particles created by high energy gamma-rays interacting in the converter material. The detector is composed of a tracker with 90 such modular planes and a calorimeter with 36 planes. The two major component of this detector are the scintillating fibers and their associated photodetectors. Here we present current status of development and test result of both of these. The Hamamatsu R5900-00-M64 multianode photomultiplier tube (MAPMT) is the baseline readout device. A characterization of this device has been performed including noise, cross- talk, gain variation, vibration, and thermal/vacuum test. A prototype fiber/MAPMT system has been tested at the Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices at Louisiana State University with a photon beam and preliminary results are presented.
We report on the simulation, construction and performance of prototype CZT imaging detectors employing orthogonal coplanar anodes. These detectors employ a novel electrode geometry with non-collecting anode strips in 1D and collecting anode pixels, interconnected in rows, in the orthogonal dimensions. These detectors retain the spectroscopic and detection efficiency advantages of single carried charge sensing devices as well as the principal advantage of conventional strip detectors with orthogonal anode and cathode strips, i.e. an N X N array of imagin pixels are realized with only 2N electronic channels. Charge signals induced on the various electrodes of a prototype detector with 8 X 8 unit cells are in good agreement with the simulations. The position resolution is about 1 mm in the direction perpendicular to the pixel lines while it is of the order of 100 micrometers in the other direction. Energy resolutions of 0.9 percent at 662 keV, 2.6 percent at 122 keV and 5.7 percent at 60 keV have been obtained at room temperature.
We report the scientific motivation for and performance measurements of a prototype detector system for SONTRAC, a solar neutron tracking experiment designed to study high- energy solar flare processes. The full SONTRAC instrument will measure the energy and direction of 20 to 200 MeV neutrons by imaging the ionization tracks of the recoil protons in a densely packed bundle of scintillating plastic fibers. The prototype detector consists of a 12.7 mm square bundle of 250 micrometer scintillating plastic fibers, 10 cm long. A photomultiplier detects scintillation light from one end of the fiber bundle and provides a detection trigger to an image intensifier/CCD camera system at the opposite end. The image of the scintillation light is recorded. By tracking the recoil protons from individual neutrons the kinematics of the scattering are determined, providing a high signal to noise measurement. The predicted energy resolution is 10% at 20 MeV, improving with energy. This energy resolution translates into an uncertainty in the production time of the neutron at the Sun of 30 s for a 20 MeV neutron, also improving with energy. A SONTRAC instrument will also be capable of detecting and measuring high-energy gamma rays greater than 20 MeV as a 'solid-state spark chamber.' The self-triggering and track imaging features of the prototype are demonstrated with cosmic ray muons and 14 MeV neutrons. Design considerations for a space flight instrument are presented.
We report new performance measurements and computer simulations of a sub-millimeter pitch CdZnTe strip detector under study as a prototype imaging spectrometer for astronomical x-ray and gamma-ray observations. The prototype is 1.5 mm thick with 375 micron strip pitch in both the x and y dimensions. Previously reported work included demonstrations of half-pitch spatial resolution (approximately 190 microns) and good energy resolution and spectral uniformity. Strip detector efficiency measurements have also been presented. A model that includes the photon interaction, carrier transport and the electronics was developed that qualitatively reproduced the measurements. The new studies include measurements of the CdZnTe transport properties for this prototype in an effort to resolve quantitative discrepancies between the measurements and the simulations. Measurements of charge signals produced by laser pulses and (alpha) -rays are used to determine these transport properties. These are then used in the model to predict gamma-ray efficiencies that are compared with the data. The imaging performance of the detector is studied by scanned laser and gamma beam spot measurements. The results support the model's prediction of nearly linear sharing of the charge for interactions occurring in the region between electrodes. The potential for strip detectors with spatial resolution much finer than the strip pitch is demonstrated. A new design scheme for strip detectors is shortly discussed.
We are working on the development of a new balloon-borne telescope, MARGIE (minute-of-arc resolution gamma ray imaging experiment). It will be a coded aperture telescope designed to image hard x-rays (in various configurations) over the 20 - 600 keV range with an angular resolution approaching one arc minute. MARGIE will use one (or both) of two different detection plane technologies, each of which is capable of providing event locations with sub-mm accuracies. One such technology involves the use of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) strip detectors. We have successfully completed a series of laboratory measurements using a prototype CZT detector with 375 micron pitch. Spatial location accuracies of better than 375 microns have been demonstrated. A second type of detection plane would be based on CsI microfiber arrays coupled to a large area silicon CCD readout array. This approach would provide spatial resolutions comparable to that of the CZT prototype. In one possible configuration, the coded mask would be 0.5 mm thick tungsten, with 0.5 mm pixels at a distance of 1.5 m from the central detector giving an angular resolution of 1 arc-minute and a fully coded field of view of 12 degrees. We review the capabilities of the MARGIE telescope and report on the status of our development efforts and our plans for a first balloon flight.
A charge coupled device is under development with fast timing capability (15 millisecond full frame readout, 30 microsecond resolution for measuring the time of individual pixel hits). The fast timing CCD will be used in conjunction with a CsI microfiber array or segmented scintillator matrix detector to detect x rays and gamma rays with submillimeter position resolution. The initial application will be in conjunction with a coded aperture hard x ray/gamma ray astronomy instrument. We describe the concept and the readout architecture of the device.
We report progress in ongoing measurements of the performance of a sub-millimeter pitch CdZnTe strip detector developed as a prototype for astronomical instruments. Strip detectors can be used to provide two-dimensional position resolution with fewer electronic channels than pixellated arrays. Arrays of this type are under development for the position-sensitive image plane detector for a coded-aperture telescope operating in the hard x-ray range of 20-200 keV. The prototype is a 1.5 mm thick, 64 by 64 orthogonal stripe CdZnTe detector of 0.375 mm pitch in both dimensions, approximately one square inch of sensitive area. In addition to energy and spatial resolution capabilities, as reported last year, we demonstrate the imaging capabilities and discuss uniformity of response across an 8 by 8 stripe, 64 'pixel', segment of detector. A technique for determination of the depth of photon interaction is discussed and initial results related to depth determination are presented. Issues related to the design and development of readout electronics, the packaging and production of strip detectors and the production of compact strip detector modules, including detector and readout electronics, are also discussed.
We report the first performance measurements of a sub-millimeter CdZnTe strip detector developed as a prototype for space-borne astronomical instruments. Strip detector arrays can be used to provide two-dimensional position resolution with fewer electronic channels than pixellated arrays. Arrays of this type and other candidate technologies are under investigation for the position-sensitive backplane detector for a coded-aperture telescope operating in the range of 30 - 300 keV. The prototype is a 1.4 mm thick, 64 multiplied by 64 stripe CdZnTe array of 0.375 mm pitch in both dimensions, approximately one square inch of sensitive area. Pulse height spectra in both single and orthogonal stripe coincidence mode were recorded at several energies. The results are compared to slab- and pixel-geometry detector spectra. The room-temperature energy resolution is less than 10 keV (FWHM) for 122 keV photons with a peak-to-valley ratio greater than 5:1. The response to photons with energies up to 662 keV appears to be considerably improved relative to that of previously reported slab and pixel detectors. We also show that strip detectors can yield spatial and energy resolutions similar to those of pixellated arrays with the same dimensions. Electrostatic effects on the pulse heights, read-out circuit complexity, and issues related to design of space borne instruments are also discussed.
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