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. 2017 Aug;3(4):045019.
doi: 10.1088/2057-1976/aa7c6a. Epub 2017 Jul 19.

Performance Comparison of Different Readouts for Position-Sensitive Solid-State Photomultiplier Arrays

Affiliations

Performance Comparison of Different Readouts for Position-Sensitive Solid-State Photomultiplier Arrays

Junwei Du et al. Biomed Phys Eng Express. 2017 Aug.

Abstract

A thorough comparison of five different readouts for reading out a 2 × 2 array of 5 mm × 5 mm position-sensitive solid-state photomultipliers (PS-SSPM) was undertaken. The five readouts include reading out the 20 signals (16 position and 4 timing) individually, two signal multiplexing readouts, and two position decoding readouts. Flood histogram quality, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and energy resolution were compared at different bias voltage (27.0 V to 32.0 V, at 0.5 V intervals) and at a fixed temperature of 0 °C by coupling a 6 × 6 array of 1.3 mm × 1.3 mm × 20 mm polished LSO crystals to the center of the PS-SSPM array. The timing resolution was measured at a bias voltage of 31.0 V (optimal bias voltage in terms of flood histogram quality). The best flood histogram quality value and signal-to-noise were 7.3 ± 1.6 and 33.5 ± 3.1, respectively, and were obtained by shaping and digitizing the 16 position signals individually. The capacitive charge-division readout is the simplest readout among the five evaluated but still resulted in good performance with a flood histogram quality value of 3.3 ± 0.4 and a SNR of 18.3 ± 1.3. The average energy resolution and the average timing resolution were 15.2 ± 1.2 % and 8.4 ± 1.6 ns for individual signal readout and 15.9 ± 1.2 % and 8.8 ± 1.3 ns by using the capacitive charge-division readout method. These studies show that for an ultra-high spatial resolution applications using the 2 × 2 PS-SSPM array, reading out the 20 signals individually is necessary; whilst the capacitive charge-division readout is a cost-effective readout for less demanding applications.

Keywords: PET; charge division readout; position-sensitive solid-state photomultipliers.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
(a) Photograph and (b) schematic of the 2 × 2 PS-SSPM arrays.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
(a) 20-channel readout (M1), (b) Op-Amp based multiplexer (M2), (c) Op-Amp based position decoding (M3), (d) capacitor based multiplexer (M4), (e) capacitor based position decoding (M5). From circuit M1 to M5, the electronics become simpler.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
(a) 20-channel readout (M1), (b) Op-Amp based multiplexer (M2), (c) Op-Amp based position decoding (M3), (d) capacitor based multiplexer (M4), (e) capacitor based position decoding (M5). From circuit M1 to M5, the electronics become simpler.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
OP-Amp based multiplexer.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Op-Amplifier based position decoding readout used in method M3.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Capacitor-based multiplexer.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Illustration of pairs of adjacent crystals in x- and y-directions used to determine flood histogram quality using Eq. 2.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
(a) Flood histogram and (b) flood histogram quality for the five different readout methods.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
SNR versus bias voltage.
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Energy resolution versus bias voltage.
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
(a) Crystal positions and (b) average energy resolution at bias voltage 31.0V.
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
(a) Timing spectra using M5 and (b) average timing resolution using different readouts.
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
(a) Timing spectra using M5 and (b) average timing resolution using different readouts.

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