Enhancing timing performance of heterostructures with double-sided readout

[EN] Objective. Heterostructured scintillators offer a promising solution to balance the sensitivity and timing in TOF-PET detectors. These scintillators utilize alternating layers of materials with complementary properties to optimize performance. However, the layering compromises time resolution d...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Pagano, Fiammetta, Kratochwil, Nicolaus, Lowis, Carsten, Choong, Woon-Seng, Paganoni, Marco, Pizzichemi, Marco, Cates, Joshua W., Auffray, Etiennette
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV)
Repositorio:RiuNet. Repositorio Institucional de la Universitat Politécnica de Valéncia
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:riunet.upv.es:10251/210641
Acceso en línea:https://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/210641
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Time-of-flight PET
Coincidence time resolution
Heterostructured scintillators
Depth of interaction
High-frequency
Double-sided readout
Descripción
Sumario:[EN] Objective. Heterostructured scintillators offer a promising solution to balance the sensitivity and timing in TOF-PET detectors. These scintillators utilize alternating layers of materials with complementary properties to optimize performance. However, the layering compromises time resolution due to light transport issues. This study explores double-sided readout-enabling improved light collection and Depth-of-Interaction (DOI) information retrieval-to mitigate this effect and enhance the timing capabilities of heterostructures. Approach. The time resolution and DOI performances of 3 x 3 x 20 mm3 BGO&EJ232 heterostructures were assessed in a single and double-sided readout (SSR and DSR, respectively) configuration using high-frequency electronics. Main results. Selective analysis of photopeak events yielded a DOI resolution of 6.4 +/- 0.04 mm. Notably, the Coincidence Time Resolution (CTR) improved from 262 +/- 8 ps (SSR) to 174 +/- 6 ps (DSR) when measured in coincidence with a fast reference detector. Additionally, symmetrical configuration of two identical heterostructures in coincidence was tested, yielding in DSR a CTR of 254 +/- 8 ps for all photopeak events and 107 +/- 5 ps for the fastest events. Significance. By using high-frequency double-sided readout, we could measure DOI resolution and improve the time resolution of heterostructures of up to 40%. The DOI information resulted intrinsically captured in the average between the timestamps of the two SiPMs, without requiring any further correction.