PROJECT TITLE: APD Arrays for Scintillating Fiber Readout
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Scintillating fiber detectors are a promising technology for astronomical observation of high energy gamma rays (> 20 MeV), neutrons and protons. These detectors are capable of providing both spectroscopic and imaging characteristics in a compact, self triggering design. In view of their promising properties, the scintillating fiber detectors are being considered for NASA mission concepts such as GLAST (Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope) as well as for neutron telescopes such as SONTRAC (SOlar Neutron TRACking telescope). The goal of the proposed project is to investigate the use of novel, high gain, silicon avalache photodiode (APD) arrays that RMD has recently produced using planar processing in reading out these scintillating fibers. The expected advantages of using these APD arrays include fast response, high signal to noise ratio, compact design, low power consumption and high quantum efficiency. The aim of the Phase I project will be to demonstrate the feasibility of using such APD arrays in reading out scintillating fibers.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The low cost, high gain APD arrays which we plan to develop in the proposed effort will have numerous commercial applications over and above space research. Medical imaging modalities such as SPECT and PET which involve hundreds of scintillation detectors coupled to optical sensors will directly benefit from advances in the APD technology. The compactness, high gain, high speed and good quantum efficeincy of APDs will lead to cheaper and less bulky instrumentation with higher performance. High energy physics will be another potential application. Non destructive testing, and materials research including synchrotron applications will also be potential markets for the planar APD array technology.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Kanai Shah, M.S.
Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc.
44 Hunt St.
Watertown , MA 02472-4699
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR
Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc.
44 Hunt St.
Watertown , MA 02472-4699