Patent ID: 7170065
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: G01T

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting single photons of high-energy radiation using a detector comprising an array of pixels, each pixel including a charge receptive substrate, said method including the operations of: capturing high energy photons with the pixel array, the photons generating high-energy ionizing particles within a polycrystalline film deposited on the pixels, and whereby the ionizing particles generate a charge; collecting the generated charges in each pixel by the charge receptive substrate thereof; reading out the collected charges using low noise electronics; analyzing the read out charges, thereby to detect single photons; switching to charge collection mode when a pixel is located in a high radiation flux environment: processing the collected charges according to charge collection mode; returning to the single photon mode when the pixel is located in a low radiation flux environment, thereby to detect single photon events in that pixel; and repeating said switching through returning operations as often as dictated by the magnitude of the radiation flux.