Method and apparatus for photon counting with optical space spreading

摘要

A method and apparatus for photon counting are disclosed. In an implementation, the present disclosure provides a dynamic-range photon-counting spectrometric sensor for low signal detection embedded in large parasitic background light signal. Rather than using a known forward illuminated imager approach of counting photons directly, embodiments of the present disclosure use a backward illuminated imager approach to generate a burst of electrons based on the photons, and perform photon detection by counting the generated burst of electrons using the plurality of CMOS chip pixels. An electronic circuit, in communication with the CMOS chip pixels, includes a fast clock enabling discrimination between electrons in time. The electronic circuit can be built on the face of a semiconductor wafer on which the CMOS chip pixels are provided.

主权项

1. A photon counting sensor, comprising:
an image intensifier configured to receive a photon beam, to perform optical space spreading by defocusing the photon beam, and to generate a burst of electrons as a function of the photon beam; a CMOS image sensor comprising a plurality of CMOS chip pixels configured to receive the generated burst of electrons; and an electronic circuit, in communication with the plurality of CMOS chip pixels, including a fast clock configured to perform photon detection by discriminating in time between a plurality of electrons in the generated burst of electrons received at the plurality of CMOS chip pixels.