Prototype AEGIS: A Pixel-Array Readout Circuit for Gamma-Ray Imaging

• Published in: Proceedings of SPIE, the international society for optical engineering Vol. 5923
• Main Authors: Barber, H Bradford, Augustine, F L, Furenlid, L, Ingram, C M, Grim, G P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 31.07.2005
• Subjects: semiconductor camera; semiconductor detector; nuclear medicine; CdZnTe; hybrid detector; CZT; CdTe; readout integrated circuit; medical imaging
• ISSN: 0277-786X
• DOI: 10.1117/12.624924

Semiconductor detector arrays made of CdTe/CdZnTe are expected to be the main components of future high-performance, clinical nuclear medicine imaging systems. Such systems will require small pixel-pitch and much larger numbers of pixels than are available in current semiconductor-detector cameras. We describe the motivation for developing a new readout integrated circuit, AEGIS, for use in hybrid semiconductor detector arrays, that may help spur the development of future cameras. A basic design for AEGIS is presented together with results of an HSPICE simulation of the performance of its unit cell. AEGIS will have a shaper-amplifier unit cell and neighbor pixel readout. Other features include the use of a single input power line with other biases generated on-board, a control register that allows digital control of all thresholds and chip configurations and an output approach that is compatible with list-mode data acquisition. An 8×8 prototype version of AEGIS is currently under development; the full AEGIS will be a 64×64 array with 300 μm pitch.