Imaging and Timing Performance of 1cm × 1cm Position-sensitive Solid-state Photomultiplier.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging Physics
• Semiconductor Detector Technology
• Radiation Detection

Background:

• Solid-state photomultipliers (SSPMs) are crucial for sensitive radiation detection.
• Existing SSPMs often face limitations in large-area coverage and position sensitivity.
• Medical imaging applications demand high-resolution and fast detectors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a novel large-area 1cm x 1cm position-sensitive solid-state photomultiplier (PS-SSPM).
• To investigate the imaging and timing performance of the PS-SSPM under various operating conditions.
• To determine optimal parameters for medical imaging applications.

Main Methods:

• Developed a large-area PS-SSPM incorporating a resistive network between Geiger Photodiodes (GPDs).
• Constructed a detector module using a 1x1 cm^2 PS-SSPM coupled to an 8x8 LYSO array.
• Assessed imaging performance (crystal separation) and timing resolution at different temperatures and bias voltages.

Main Results:

• The PS-SSPM demonstrated good crystal separation in flood images at room temperature.
• Cooling the device to 10°C significantly improved performance.
• Optimal bias voltage was found to be approximately 4.5V above breakdown.
• Coincidence timing resolution improved with increased bias and lower temperatures (0°C).

Conclusions:

• The large-area PS-SSPM exhibits excellent imaging capabilities with clear crystal separation.
• The device provides good timing response, crucial for medical imaging.
• Optimized operating conditions enhance the performance of the PS-SSPM for medical detector applications.