X-ray interaction-induced signal and noise performances of edge-on silicon microstrip detectors for digital mammography

Abstract

We are developing a silicon microstrip-array detector, which is operated in photoncounting mode, for line-scanned digital mammography. To enhance the x-ray interaction efficiency, the x-ray beam is oriented toward the edge of microstrips, known as the edge-on geometry. To predict the fundamental signal and noise performances induced by x-ray interactions, we performed Monte Carlo simulations. Absorbed energy distribtuions were obtained for various tilting angles (5 to 85 degrees) in the edge-on detector geometry for a wide range of incident energies from 1 to 50 keV. Based on the energy-moments theory with the obtained absorbed energy distributions, we estimated various physical performance parameters such as the quantum absorption efficiency, the average energy deposition per interaction, and the Swank noise factor. In addition, relative accuracy and imprecision in photon-energy measurements were estimated. These analyses were extended to the typical poly-energetic mammography x-ray spectra from various target materials

Laser mapping of the inter-strip response in double sided silicon strip detectors for particle identification

“…Silicon microstrips are widely used in nuclear physics experiments when high granularity and high resolution of the detection system are required, as, for example in particle-particle correlation measurements [1][2][3][4]. In addition, microstrip detectors are used in the field of X-ray detection for position-resolved X-ray spectroscopy [5][6][7][8].…”

Detailed mapping of the interstrip response in double sided silicon strip detectors in front and back injection by means of IR laser irradiation

“…This is for example the case, in nuclear physics, when particle-particle correlation has to be measured [1], [2], [3], [4]. In addition, microstrip detectors are often used also in the field of X-ray detection for position resolved X-ray spectroscopy [5], [6], [7], [8]. However, the lack of an uniform entrance window, due to the segmentation in strips, affects the signal shape when charge enters the so-called inter-strip region (i.e.…”