Photonic Bandgap Structures for Improved Timing and Spatial Resolution in PET Det

描述(申请人提供)：与光电倍增管或硅二极管耦合的闪烁晶体是最常用的X射线/3射线探测器。正电子发射断层扫描(PET)、单光子发射计算机断层扫描(SPECT)、数字X线摄影(包括数字乳腺摄影)和X射线CT等成像手段对于癌症的诊断、分期、治疗跟踪和研究具有重要意义。高分辨率、高效率的探测器被广泛应用于高密度、高折射率的闪烁体，如掺Ce的氧硅酸吕(LSO：Ce)。当这种高折射率闪烁体耦合到诸如光电倍增管(PMT)或雪崩光电二极管(APD)的探测器时，闪烁体和探测器的折射率不匹配导致在闪烁体内产生的光中只有一小部分离开闪烁体表面，从而被光电探测器感测到。在闪烁体和探测器之间使用偶合流体或凝胶只能起到很小的作用。这项拟议的研究将利用纳米制造技术的最新进展来创建光子带隙结构，以提高闪烁体的光提取效率，从而提高PET探测器的时间和能量分辨率。 公共卫生相关性： 项目简介与光电倍增管或硅二极管相连的闪烁晶体是最常用的X射线/三射线探测器。目前用于正电子发射断层扫描(PET)探测器的高密度、高折射率闪烁体经常受到闪烁光的低效提取的困扰，这导致事件符合计时的不准确(通常是显著的)足以影响空间分辨率。这项研究的目的是证明使用新型光子带隙结构通过有效地从这种高密度、高折射率闪烁体中提取闪烁光来提高PET探测器的时间和空间分辨率的可行性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Scintillation crystals coupled to photomultiplier tubes or silicon diodes are the most common detectors for X-ray/3-ray detection. Imaging modalities such as positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), digital radiography (including digital mammography) and X-ray CT are critically important for cancer diagnosis, staging, treatment tracking and research. High resolution and high efficiency detectors used in imaging modalities such as PET widely use high density, high refractive index scintillators such as cerium-doped lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO: Ce). When such high refractive index scintillators are coupled to detectors such as photomultiplier tubes (PMT) or avalanche photodiodes (APD), the mismatch in the refractive index of the scintillator and the detector cause only a small fraction of the light generated within the scintillator to exit the surface of the scintillator, and thereby be sensed by the photodetector. The use of a coupling fluid or gel between the scintillator and the detector helps only marginally. The proposed research will use recent advancements in nanofabrication techniques for creating photonic band gap structures to enhance the light extraction efficiency of scintillators, thereby improving the time and energy resolutions of PET detectors. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: PROJECT NARRATIVE Scintillation crystals coupled to photomultiplier tubes or silicon diodes are the most common detectors for X-ray/3-ray detection. High density, high refractive index scintillators currently used in positron emission tomography (PET) detectors are often plagued by an inefficient extraction of the scintillation light that results in inaccuracy (often significant) in event coincidence timing sufficient to affect spatial resolution. The goal of the proposed research is to demonstrate the feasibility of using novel photonic band gap structures to improve timing and spatial resolution in PET detectors by the efficient extraction of scintillation light from such high density, high refractive index scintillators.