A fast least-squares arrival time estimator for scintillation pulses

Conference · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)

OSTI ID:6975057

Petrick, N; Hero, III, A O; Clinthorne, N H; Rogers, W L ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

The true weighted least-squares (WLS) arrival time estimator for scintillation pulse detection was previously found to out-perform conventional arrival time estimators such as leading-edge and constant-fraction timers, but has limited applications because of its complexity. A new diagonalized version of the weighted least-squares (DWLS) estimator has been developed which, like the true WLS, incorporates the statistical properties of the scintillation detector. The new DWLS reduces estimator complexity at the expense of fundamental timing resolution. The advantage of the DWLS implementation is that only scalar multiplications and additions are needed instead of the matrix operations used in the true WLS. It also preserves the true WLS's ability to effectively separate piled-up pulses. The DWLS estimator has been applied to pulses which approximate the response of BGO and NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors. The timing resolution obtained with the DWLS estimator is then compared to conventional analog timers along with the Cramer-Rao lower bound on achievable timing error. The DWLS out-performs the conventional arrival time estimators but does not provide optimal performance compared to the lower bound; however, it is more robust than the true WLS estimator.

• OSTI ID: 6975057
• Report Number(s): CONF-931051-; CODEN: IETNAE; TRN: 94-023036
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States), Vol. 41:4Pt1; Conference: NSS-MIC '93: nuclear science symposium and medical imaging conference, San Francisco, CA (United States), 30 Oct - 6 Nov 1993; ISSN 0018-9499
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
TIME RESOLUTION
BGO DETECTORS
NAI DETECTORS
PROBABILISTIC ESTIMATION
RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
WEIGHTING FUNCTIONS
FUNCTIONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RESOLUTION
SOLID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
TIMING PROPERTIES
440101* - Radiation Instrumentation- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments