Measurement of the high energyγ-rays from heavy ion reactions usingČerenkov detector

The energetic bremsstrahlung photons up to 100 MeV produced in heavy ion collisions can be used as a sensitive probe for short-range correlation in atomic nuclei. The energy of the γ-rays can be measured by collecting the Čerenkov light in the medium induced by the fast electrons generated in the Compton scattering or electromagnetic shower of the incident γray. Two types of detectors based on pure water and lead glass as sensitive materials were designed for this purpose. The γresponse and optical photon propagation in the detectors were simulated based on electromagnetic and optical processes in Geant4. The inherent energy resolutions of 0.022(4) + 0.51(2)∕E^(1/2)_(γ) for water and 0.0026(3) + 0.446(3)∕E^(1/2)_(γ) for lead glass were obtained. The geometry sizes of the lead glass and water were optimized to 30 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm and 60 cm × 60 cm ×120 cm, respectively, to detect high-energy γ-rays at 160 MeV. The Hough transform method was applied to reconstruct the direction of the incident γ-rays, providing the ability to experimentally distinguish the high-energy γ-rays produced in the reactions on the target from random background cosmic-ray muons.

Gas microchannel plate-pixel detector for X-ray polarimetry

POLAR-2 is a gamma-ray burst(GRB)polarimeter that is designed to study the polarization in GRB radiation emissions,aiming to improve our knowledge of related mechanisms.POLAR-2 is expected to utilize an on-board polarimeter that is sensitive to soft X-rays(2-10 keV),called low-energy polarization detector.We have developed a new soft X-ray polari-zation detector prototype based on gas microchannel plates(GMCPs)and pixel chips(Topmetal).The GMCPs have bulk resistance,which prevents charging-up effects and ensures gain stability during operation.The detector is composed of low outgassing materials and is gas-sealed using a laser welding technique,ensuring long-term stability.A modulation factor of 41.28%±0.64% is obtained for a 4.5 keV polarized X-ray beam.A residual modulation of 1.96%±0.58% at 5.9 keV is observed for the entire sensitive area.

Metal-Halide Perovskite Submicrometer-Thick Films for Ultra-Stable Self-Powered Direct X-Ray Detectors

Metal-halide perovskites are revolutionizing the world of X-ray detectors,due to the development of sensitive,fast,and cost-effective devices.Self-powered operation,ensuring portability and low power consumption,has also been recently demonstrated in both bulk materials and thin films.However,the signal stability and repeatability under continuous X-ray exposure has only been tested up to a few hours,often reporting degradation of the detection performance.Here it is shown that self-powered direct X-ray detectors,fabricated starting from a FAPbBr_(3)submicrometer-thick film deposition onto a mesoporous TiO_(2)scaffold,can withstand a 26-day uninterrupted X-ray exposure with negligible signal loss,demonstrating ultra-high operational stability and excellent repeatability.No structural modification is observed after irradiation with a total ionizing dose of almost 200 Gy,revealing an unexpectedly high radiation hardness for a metal-halide perovskite thin film.In addition,trap-assisted photoconductive gain enabled the device to achieve a record bulk sensitivity of 7.28 C Gy^(−1)cm^(−3)at 0 V,an unprecedented value in the field of thin-film-based photoconductors and photodiodes for“hard”X-rays.Finally,prototypal validation under the X-ray beam produced by a medical linear accelerator for cancer treatment is also introduced.

Electronics system for the cosmic X-ray polarization detector

This study presents an electronics system for cosmic X-ray polarization detection(CXPD).The CXPD was designed as a high-sensitivity soft X-ray polarimeter with a measurement energy range of 2-10 keV carried by a CubeSat.A stable and functionally complete electronics system under power and space constraints is a key challenge.The complete CXPD electronics system(CXPDES)comprises hardware and firmware.CXPDES adopts a three-layer electronic board structure based on functionality and available space.Two gas pixel detectors(GPDs)were placed on the top layer board,and CXPDES provided the GPDs with voltages up to-4000 V.Each GPD signal was digitized,compressed,encoded,and stored before being transmitted to the ground.The CXPDES provided stable and high-speed communication based on a scheme that separated command and data transmission,and it supports the CXPDES in-orbit upgrade.In addition,environmental monitors,silicon photomultiplier(SiPM)triggers,power management,GPDs configuration,and mode switches were included in the overall operating logic of the CXPDES.The results obtained by testing the CXPDES showed that it satisfied all the requirements of CXPD.The CXPDES provides design experience and technological readiness for future large-area X-ray polarimetry missions.

CsI-bowl:an ancillary detector for exit channel selection inγ-ray spectroscopy experiments

A particle detector array designed for light-charged particles, known as the CsI-bowl, was built for exit channel selection for in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy experiments. This device is composed of 64 CsI(Tl) detectors, organized in a structure reminiscent of a tea-bowl. High quantum efficiency photodiodes, characterized by their minimal mass, were employed to collect scintillation light. Its design, construction, particle identification resolution, and its effectiveness in relation to exit channel selection are described in this paper. In source tests, the optimal figure of merit for the identification of α-particles and γ-rays using the charge comparison method was found to be 3.3 and 12.1 for CsI detectors coupled to photodiodes and avalanche photodiodes, respectively. The CsI-bowl demonstrated effectiveness in identifying particles, specifically the emission of protons and α-particles in the58Ni(19F, xpyn) fusion–evaporation reaction, thereby enabling the selection of the desired exit channels.

Design of the solar X-ray detector for the Macao Science Satellite-1B

The solar X-ray detector(SXD)onboard the Macao Science Satellite-1B was designed to monitor solar flare bursts and to study the solar activity in the 25th solar cycle.The SXD includes two parts:a soft X-ray detection unit and a hard X-ray detection unit.Both the soft X-ray detection unit and the hard X-ray detection unit include two collimators,two X-ray detectors(a silicon drift detector and a cadmium-zinc-telluride detector),and a processing circuit.Compared with similar instruments,the energy range of the SXD is wider(1–600 ke V)and the energy resolution is better(150 e V at 5.9 ke V,12%at 59.5 ke V,and 3%at 662 keV).

PTW Detector7293种剂量验证方法在调强放射治疗中的对比研究

目的 :对比PTW Detector729 3种验证方法在调强放射治疗(intensity modulated radiation therapy,IMRT)剂量验证中的差异。方法:回顾性选取2022年1—12月于某院完成放射治疗的鼻咽癌、肺癌、乳腺癌、宫颈癌和全脑放射治疗患者共50例,使用PTW Detector729二维电离室矩阵配合PTW RW3固体水与PTW Ocavius 4D旋转模体对50例患者的IMRT计划分别进行归零机架角2D剂量验证、实际机架角2D剂量验证和实际机架角3D剂量验证。将剂量评估阈值设为10%,统计3种验证方法在3%/1 mm、2%/2 mm、3%/2 mm和3%/3 mm 4种评估标准下的γ通过率。采用SPSS 22.0统计学软件进行数据分析。结果:在10%剂量评估阈值标准下,归零机架角2D剂量验证的γ通过率最高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);实际机架角2D剂量验证的γ通过率高于实际机架角3D剂量验证,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。3种验证方法的γ通过率在3%/1 mm、2%/2 mm、3%/2 mm和3%/3 mm 4种标准下逐渐升高,且在3%/2 mm标准下均超过90%,结果满足临床放射治疗要求。结论:3种验证方法的验证结果均能达到IMRT剂量验证实践指南要求,根据IMRT开展情况选择合适的验证方法,对确保治疗方案安全、有效实施具有重要意义。

A characterization study on perovskite X-ray detector performance based on a digital radiography system

X-ray imaging technologies such as digital radiography(DR),is an important aspect of modern non-destructive testing and medical diagnosis.Innovative flexible X-ray detector technologies have recently been proposed and are now receiving increasing attention owing to their superior material flexibility compared with traditional flat-panel detectors.This work aims to study these innovative flexible X-ray detectors in terms of their effectiveness in DR imaging,such as detection efficiency and spatial resolution.To achieve this goal,first,a Monte Carlo model was developed and calibrated to an in-lab 150 kV DR imaging system containing a flat-panel X-ray detector.Second,the validated model was updated with various types of flexible X-ray detectors to assess their performance in nearly realistic conditions.Key parameters such as the detection efficiency pertaining to the crystal material and thickness were studied and analyzed across a broader energy range up to 662 keV.Finally,the imaging performance of the different detectors was evaluated and compared to that of the flat-panel detector in the 150 kV DR imaging system.The results show that the flexible detectors such as the CsPbBr3crystal detector deliver promising performance in X-ray imaging and can be applied to a wider range of application scenarios,especially those requiring accurate detection at challenging angles.

Low-noise and low-power pixel sensor chip for gas pixel detectors

Topmetal-M2 is a large-area pixel sensor chip fabricated using the GSMC 130 nm CMOS process in 2021.The pixel array of Topmetal-M2 consists of pixels of 400 rows×512 columns with a pixel pitch of 45μm×45μm.The array is divided into 16 subarrays,with pixels of 400 rows×32 columns per subarray.Each pixel incorporates two charge sensors:a diode sensor and a Topmetal sensor.The in-pixel circuit primarily consists of a charge-sensitive amplifier for energy measurements,a discriminator with a peak-holding circuit,and a time-to-amplitude converter for time-of-arrival measurements.The pixel of Topmetal-M2 has a charge input range of~0-3 k e-,a voltage output range of~0-180 mV,and a charge-voltage conversion gain of~59.56μV∕e-.The average equivalent noise charge of Topmetal-M2,which includes the readout electronic system noise,is~43.45 e-.In the scanning mode,the time resolution of Topmetal-M2 is 1 LSB=1.25μs,and the precision is^()7.41μs.At an operating voltage of 1.5 V,Topmetal-M2 has a power consumption of~49 mW∕cm~2.In this article,we provide a comprehensive overview of the chip architecture,pixel working principles,and functional behavior of Topmetal-M2.Furthermore,we present the results of preliminary tests conducted on Topmetal-M2,namely,alpha-particle and soft X-ray tests.

CVTD: A Robust Car-Mounted Video Text Detector

Text perception is crucial for understanding the semantics of outdoor scenes,making it a key requirement for building intelligent systems for driver assistance or autonomous driving.Text information in car-mounted videos can assist drivers in making decisions.However,Car-mounted video text images pose challenges such as complex backgrounds,small fonts,and the need for real-time detection.We proposed a robust Car-mounted Video Text Detector(CVTD).It is a lightweight text detection model based on ResNet18 for feature extraction,capable of detecting text in arbitrary shapes.Our model efficiently extracted global text positions through the Coordinate Attention Threshold Activation(CATA)and enhanced the representation capability through stacking two Feature Pyramid Enhancement Fusion Modules(FPEFM),strengthening feature representation,and integrating text local features and global position information,reinforcing the representation capability of the CVTD model.The enhanced feature maps,when acted upon by Text Activation Maps(TAM),effectively distinguished text foreground from non-text regions.Additionally,we collected and annotated a dataset containing 2200 images of Car-mounted Video Text(CVT)under various road conditions for training and evaluating our model’s performance.We further tested our model on four other challenging public natural scene text detection benchmark datasets,demonstrating its strong generalization ability and real-time detection speed.This model holds potential for practical applications in real-world scenarios.

Flexibility potential of Cs_(2)BX_(6)(B=Hf,Sn,Pt,Zr,Ti;X=I,Br,Cl)with application in photovoltaic devices and radiation detectors

As interest in double perovskites is growing,especially in applications like photovoltaic devices,understanding their mechanical properties is vital for device durability.Despite extensive exploration of structure and optical properties,research on mechanical aspects is limited.This article builds a vacancyordered double perovskite model,employing first-principles calculations to analyze mechanical,bonding,electronic,and optical properties.Results show Cs_(2)Hfl_(6),Cs_(2)SnBr_(6),Cs_(2)SnI_(6),and Cs_(2)PtBr_(6)have Young's moduli below 13 GPa,indicating flexibility.Geometric parameters explain flexibility variations with the changes of B and X site composition.Bonding characteristic exploration reveals the influence of B and X site electronegativity on mechanical strength.Cs_(2)SnBr_(6)and Cs_(2)PtBr_(6)are suitable for solar cells,while Cs_(2)HfI_(6)and Cs_(2)TiCl_(6)show potential for semi-transparent solar cells.Optical property calculations highlight the high light absorption coefficients of up to 3.5×10^(5) cm^(-1)for Cs_(2)HfI_(6)and Cs_(2)TiCl_(6).Solar cell simulation shows Cs_(2)PtBr_(6)achieves 22.4%of conversion effciency.Cs_(2)ZrCl_(6)holds promise for ionizing radiation detection with its 3.68 eV bandgap and high absorption coefficient.Vacancy-ordered double perovskites offer superior flexibility,providing valuable insights for designing stable and flexible devices.This understanding enhances the development of functional devices based on these perovskites,especially for applications requiring high stability and flexibility.

Design and performance evaluation of a large field-of-view dual-particle time-encoded imager based on a depth-of-interaction detector

Time-encoded imaging is useful for identifying potential special nuclear materials and other radioactive sources at a distance.In this study,a large field-of-view time-encoded imager was developed for gamma-ray and neutron source hotspot imaging based on a depth-of-interaction(DOI)detector.The imager primarily consists of a DOI detector system and a rotary dual-layer cylindrical coded mask.An EJ276 plastic scintillator coupled with two SiPMs was designed as the DOI detector to increase the field of view and improve the imager performance.The difference in signal time at both ends and the log of the signal amplitude ratio were used to calculate the interaction position resolution.The position resolution of the DOI detector was calibrated using a collimated Cs-137 source,and the full width at half maximum of the reconstruction position of the Gaussian fitting curve was approximately 4.4 cm.The DOI detector can be arbitrarily divided into several units to independently reconstruct the source distribution images.The unit length was optimized via Am-Be source-location experiments.A multidetector filtering method is proposed for image denoising.This method can effectively reduce image noise caused by poor DOI detector position resolution.The vertical field of view of the imager was(-55°,55°)when the detector was placed in the center of the coded mask.A DT neutron source at 20 m standoff could be located within 2400 s with an angular resolution of 3.5°.

Study of Secondary Cosmic Rays and Astronomical X-Ray Sources using Small Stratospheric Balloons

The X-ray sources of the universe are extraterrestrial in nature which emit X-ray photons.The closest strong X-ray source is the Sun,which is followed by various compact sources such as neutron stars,black holes,the Crab pulsar,etc.In this paper,we analyze the data received from several low-cost lightweight meteorological balloon-borne missions launched by the Indian Centre for Space Physics.Our main interest is to study the variation of the vertical intensity of secondary cosmic rays,the detection of strong X-ray sources,and their spectra in the energy band of^(1)0–80 keV during the complete flights.Due to the lack of an onboard pointing system,low exposure time,achieving a maximum altitude of only~42 km,and freely rotating the payload about its axis,we modeled the background radiation flux for the X-ray detector using physical assumptions.We also present the source detection method,observation of the pulsation of the Crab(^(3)3 Hz),and spectra of some sources such as the quiet Sun and the Crab pulsar.

Self-powered UVC detectors based on α-Ga_(2)O_(3) with enchanted speed performance

Detectors were developed for detecting irradiation in the short-wavelength ultraviolet(UVC)interval using high-quality single-crystallineα-Ga_(2)O_(3) films with Pt interdigital contacts.The films ofα-Ga_(2)O_(3) were grown on planar sapphire substrates with c-plane orientation using halide vapor phase epitaxy.The spectral dependencies of the photo to dark current ratio,responsivity,external quantum efficiency and detectivity of the structures were investigated in the wavelength interval of 200−370 nm.The maximum of photo to dark current ratio,responsivity,external quantum efficiency,and detectivity of the structures were 1.16×10^(4) arb.un.,30.6 A/W,1.65×10^(4)%,and 6.95×10^(15) Hz^(0.5)·cm/W at a wavelength of 230 nm and an applied voltage of 1 V.The high values of photoelectric properties were due to the internal enhancement of the photoresponse associated with strong hole trapping.Theα-Ga_(2)O_(3) film-based UVC detectors can function in self-powered operation mode due to the built-in electric field at the Pt/α-Ga_(2)O_(3) interfaces.At a wavelength of 254 nm and zero applied voltage,the structures exhibit a responsivity of 0.13 mA/W and an external quantum efficiency of 6.2×10^(−2)%.The UVC detectors based on theα-Ga_(2)O_(3) films demonstrate high-speed performance with a rise time of 18 ms in self-powered mode.

Artificial neural network-based method for discriminating Compton scattering events in high-purity germaniumγ-ray spectrometer

To detect radioactive substances with low activity levels,an anticoincidence detector and a high-purity germanium(HPGe)detector are typically used simultaneously to suppress Compton scattering background,thereby resulting in an extremely low detection limit and improving the measurement accuracy.However,the complex and expensive hardware required does not facilitate the application or promotion of this method.Thus,a method is proposed in this study to discriminate the digital waveform of pulse signals output using an HPGe detector,whereby Compton scattering background is suppressed and a low minimum detectable activity(MDA)is achieved without using an expensive and complex anticoincidence detector and device.The electric-field-strength and energy-deposition distributions of the detector are simulated to determine the relationship between pulse shape and energy-deposition location,as well as the characteristics of energy-deposition distributions for fulland partial-energy deposition events.This relationship is used to develop a pulse-shape-discrimination algorithm based on an artificial neural network for pulse-feature identification.To accurately determine the relationship between the deposited energy of gamma(γ)rays in the detector and the deposition location,we extract four shape parameters from the pulse signals output by the detector.Machine learning is used to input the four shape parameters into the detector.Subsequently,the pulse signals are identified and classified to discriminate between partial-and full-energy deposition events.Some partial-energy deposition events are removed to suppress Compton scattering.The proposed method effectively decreases the MDA of an HPGeγ-energy dispersive spectrometer.Test results show that the Compton suppression factors for energy spectra obtained from measurements on ^(152)Eu,^(137)Cs,and ^(60)Co radioactive sources are 1.13(344 keV),1.11(662 keV),and 1.08(1332 keV),respectively,and that the corresponding MDAs are 1.4%,5.3%,and 21.6%lower,respectively.

Probability-Enhanced Anchor-Free Detector for Remote-Sensing Object Detection

Anchor-free object-detection methods achieve a significant advancement in field of computer vision,particularly in the realm of real-time inferences.However,in remote sensing object detection,anchor-free methods often lack of capability in separating the foreground and background.This paper proposes an anchor-free method named probability-enhanced anchor-free detector(ProEnDet)for remote sensing object detection.First,a weighted bidirectional feature pyramid is used for feature extraction.Second,we introduce probability enhancement to strengthen the classification of the object’s foreground and background.The detector uses the logarithm likelihood as the final score to improve the classification of the foreground and background of the object.ProEnDet is verified using the DIOR and NWPU-VHR-10 datasets.The experiment achieved mean average precisions of 61.4 and 69.0 on the DIOR dataset and NWPU-VHR-10 dataset,respectively.ProEnDet achieves a speed of 32.4 FPS on the DIOR dataset,which satisfies the real-time requirements for remote-sensing object detection.

Effect of multiple coulomb scattering on the beam tests of silicon pixel detectors

In the research and development of new silicon pixel detectors,a collimated monoenergetic charged-particle test beam equipped with a high-resolution pixel-beam telescope is crucial for prototype verification and performance evaluation.When the beam energy is low,the effect of multiple Coulomb scattering on the measured resolution of the Device Under Test(DUT)must be considered to accurately evaluate the performance of the pixel chips and detectors.This study aimed to investigate the effect of multiple Coulomb scattering on the measured resolution,particularly at low beam energies.Simulations were conducted using Allpix^(2) to study the effects of multiple Coulomb scattering under different beam energies,material budgets,and telescope layouts.The simulations also provided the minimum energy at which the effect of multiple Coulomb scattering could be ignored.Compared with the results of a five-layer detector system tested with an electron beam at DESY,the simulation results were consistent with the beam test results,confirming the reliability of the simulations.

Study on the Performance of the GRANDProto300 Particle Detector Array by Simulation

The Giant Radio Array for Neutrino Detection(GRAND)is a proposed large-scale observatory designed to detect cosmic rays,gamma-rays,and neutrinos with energies exceeding 100 Pe V.The GRANDProto300 experiment is proposed as the early stage of the GRAND project,consisting of a hybrid array of radio antennas and scintillator detectors.The latter,as a mature and traditional detector,is used to cross-check the nature of the candidate events selected from radio observations.In this study,we developed a simulation software called G4GRANDProto300,based on the Geant4 software package,to optimize the spacing of the scintillator detector array and to investigate its effective area.The analysis was conducted at various zenith angles under different detector spacings,including 300,500,600,700,and 900 m.Our results indicate that,for large zenith angles used to search for cosmic-ray in the GRAND project,the optimized effective area is with a detector spacing of 500 m.The G4GRANDProto300 software that we developed could be used to further optimize the layout of the particle detector array in future work.

Countermeasure against blinding attack for single-photon detectors in quantum key distribution

Quantum key distribution(QKD),rooted in quantum mechanics,offers information-theoretic security.However,practi-cal systems open security threats due to imperfections,notably bright-light blinding attacks targeting single-photon detectors.Here,we propose a concise,robust defense strategy for protecting single-photon detectors in QKD systems against blinding attacks.Our strategy uses a dual approach:detecting the bias current of the avalanche photodiode(APD)to defend against con-tinuous-wave blinding attacks,and monitoring the avalanche amplitude to protect against pulsed blinding attacks.By integrat-ing these two branches,the proposed solution effectively identifies and mitigates a wide range of bright light injection attempts,significantly enhancing the resilience of QKD systems against various bright-light blinding attacks.This method forti-fies the safeguards of quantum communications and offers a crucial contribution to the field of quantum information security.

High-speed performance self-powered short wave ultraviolet radiation detectors based onκ(ε)-Ga_(2)O_(3)

High-speed solar-blind short wavelength ultraviolet radiation detectors based onκ(ε)-Ga_(2)O_(3)layers with Pt contacts were demonstrated and their properties were studied in detail.Theκ(ε)-Ga_(2)O_(3)layers were deposited by the halide vapor phase epitaxy on patterned GaN templates with sapphire substrates.The spectral dependencies of the photoelectric properties of struc-tures were analyzed in the wavelength interval 200-370 nm.The maximum photo to dark current ratio,responsivity,detectiv-ity and external quantum efficiency of structures were determined as:180.86 arb.un.,3.57 A/W,1.78×10^(12) Hz^(0.5)∙cm·W^(-1) and 2193.6%,respectively,at a wavelength of 200 nm and an applied voltage of 1 V.The enhancement of the photoresponse was caused by the decrease in the Schottky barrier at the Pt/κ(ε)-Ga_(2)O_(3)interface under ultraviolet exposure.The detectors demon-strated could functionalize in self-powered mode due to built-in electric field at the Pt/κ(ε)-Ga_(2)O_(3)interface.The responsivity and external quantum efficiency of the structures at a wavelength of 254 nm and zero applied voltage were 0.9 mA/W and 0.46%,respectively.The rise and decay times in self-powered mode did not exceed 100 ms.