Method and Apparatus for Gamma Ray Detection

Abstract

A high sensitivity, three-dimensional gamma ray detection and imaging system is provided. The system uses the Compton double scatter technique with recoil electron tracking The system preferably includes two detector subassemblies; a silicon microstrip hodoscope and a calorimeter. In this system the incoming photon Compton scatters in the hodoscope. The second scatter layer is the calorimeter where the scattered gamma ray is totally absorbed. The recoil electron in the hodoscope is tracked through several detector planes until it stops. The x and y position signals from the first two planes of the electron track determine the direction of the recoil electron while the energy loss from all planes determines the energy of the recoil electron.

1 . A method of processing a signal with an integrated circuit, comprising:
 receiving an input signal to an input of a channel;   connecting an amplifier to said input to amplify said input signal to an amplified input signal;   shaping said amplified input signal to a shaped input signal;   producing a peak of said shaped input signal;   generating a trigger signal from said shaped input signal;   outputting said peak;   outputting said trigger signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 connecting a shaping amplifier to said amplifier;   connecting a comparator to said amplifier; and   adjusting a threshold of said comparator.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting a shaping time of said amplifier. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said amplifier is self resetting. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising outputting an address of said channel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing information, wherein said information includes at least one of the group consisting of setup data, input data, address data and output data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising detecting an event in coincidence with another event. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising recording an arrival time of said event. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising encoding an address. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising producing an image. 
     
     
         11 . A multi-channel integrated circuit, wherein each channel comprises:
 an input that receives an input signal;   an amplifier connected to said input to amplify said input signal;   a shaping amplifier connected to an output of said amplifier to shape said amplified signal;   a circuit connected to an output of said shaping amplifier to produce a peak signal corresponding to a peak of said shaped signal;   a comparator connected to said shaping amplifier to produce a trigger signal;   an output to output said peak signal; and   a trigger output to output said trigger signal.   
     
     
         12 . The integrated circuit of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a fast shaping amplifier; and   a comparator connected to said fast shaping amplifier.   
     
     
         13 . The integrated circuit of  claim 12 , further comprising a charge sensitive amplifier. 
     
     
         14 . The integrated circuit of  claim 13 , further comprising a control that adjusts a threshold of said comparator. 
     
     
         15 . The integrated circuit of  claim 11  further comprising a self resetting amplifier. 
     
     
         16 . The integrated circuit of  claim 11  further comprising a time tagging circuit. 
     
     
         17 . The integrated circuit of  11  further comprising a coincidence circuit. 
     
     
         18 . The integrated circuit of  claim 11  further comprising a time tagged data acquisition system. 
     
     
         19 . The integrated circuit of  claim 11  further comprising an address encoding system. 
     
     
         20 . The integrated circuit of  claim 11  further comprising a Radon transform system.