RadSensor: Xray Detection by Direct Modulation of an Optical Probe Beam
Abstract
We present a new x-ray detection technique based on optical measurement of the effects of x-ray absorption and electron hole pair creation in a direct band-gap semiconductor. The electron-hole pairs create a frequency dependent shift in optical refractive index and absorption. This is sensed by simultaneously directing an optical carrier beam through the same volume of semiconducting medium that has experienced an xray induced modulation in the electron-hole population. If the operating wavelength of the optical carrier beam is chosen to be close to the semiconductor band-edge, the optical carrier will be modulated significantly in phase and amplitude. This approach should be simultaneously capable of very high sensitivity and excellent temporal response, even in the difficult high-energy xray regime. At xray photon energies near 10 keV and higher, we believe that sub-picosecond temporal responses are possible with near single xray photon sensitivity. The approach also allows for the convenient and EMI robust transport of high-bandwidth information via fiber optics. Furthermore, the technology can be scaled to imaging applications. The basic physics of the detector, implementation considerations, and preliminary experimental data are presented and discussed.
- Authors:
- more »
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 15004431
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-154709
Journal ID: ISSN 0277-786X; TRN: US1005171
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Conference
- Resource Relation:
- Journal Volume: 5194; Conference: SPIE International Symposium Optical Science and Technology, San Diego, CA, Aug 04 - Aug 07, 2003
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 42; 70; ABSORPTION; DETECTION; FIBER OPTICS; HOLES; IMPLEMENTATION; MODULATION; PHOTONS; PHYSICS; REFRACTIVE INDEX; SENSITIVITY; TRANSPORT; WAVELENGTHS; X-RAY DETECTION
Citation Formats
Lowry, M E, Bennett, C V, Vernon, S P, Bond, T, Welty, R, Behymer, E, Petersen, H, Krey, A, Stewart, R, Kobayashi, N P, Sperry, V, Stephan, P, Reinhardt, C, Simpson, S, Stratton, P, Bionta, R, McKernan, M, Ables, E, Ott, L, Bond, S, Ayers, J, Landen, O L, and Bell, P M. RadSensor: Xray Detection by Direct Modulation of an Optical Probe Beam. United States: N. p., 2003.
Web. doi:10.1117/12.509747.
Lowry, M E, Bennett, C V, Vernon, S P, Bond, T, Welty, R, Behymer, E, Petersen, H, Krey, A, Stewart, R, Kobayashi, N P, Sperry, V, Stephan, P, Reinhardt, C, Simpson, S, Stratton, P, Bionta, R, McKernan, M, Ables, E, Ott, L, Bond, S, Ayers, J, Landen, O L, & Bell, P M. RadSensor: Xray Detection by Direct Modulation of an Optical Probe Beam. United States. doi:10.1117/12.509747.
Lowry, M E, Bennett, C V, Vernon, S P, Bond, T, Welty, R, Behymer, E, Petersen, H, Krey, A, Stewart, R, Kobayashi, N P, Sperry, V, Stephan, P, Reinhardt, C, Simpson, S, Stratton, P, Bionta, R, McKernan, M, Ables, E, Ott, L, Bond, S, Ayers, J, Landen, O L, and Bell, P M. Fri .
"RadSensor: Xray Detection by Direct Modulation of an Optical Probe Beam". United States. doi:10.1117/12.509747. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/15004431.
@article{osti_15004431,
title = {RadSensor: Xray Detection by Direct Modulation of an Optical Probe Beam},
author = {Lowry, M E and Bennett, C V and Vernon, S P and Bond, T and Welty, R and Behymer, E and Petersen, H and Krey, A and Stewart, R and Kobayashi, N P and Sperry, V and Stephan, P and Reinhardt, C and Simpson, S and Stratton, P and Bionta, R and McKernan, M and Ables, E and Ott, L and Bond, S and Ayers, J and Landen, O L and Bell, P M},
abstractNote = {We present a new x-ray detection technique based on optical measurement of the effects of x-ray absorption and electron hole pair creation in a direct band-gap semiconductor. The electron-hole pairs create a frequency dependent shift in optical refractive index and absorption. This is sensed by simultaneously directing an optical carrier beam through the same volume of semiconducting medium that has experienced an xray induced modulation in the electron-hole population. If the operating wavelength of the optical carrier beam is chosen to be close to the semiconductor band-edge, the optical carrier will be modulated significantly in phase and amplitude. This approach should be simultaneously capable of very high sensitivity and excellent temporal response, even in the difficult high-energy xray regime. At xray photon energies near 10 keV and higher, we believe that sub-picosecond temporal responses are possible with near single xray photon sensitivity. The approach also allows for the convenient and EMI robust transport of high-bandwidth information via fiber optics. Furthermore, the technology can be scaled to imaging applications. The basic physics of the detector, implementation considerations, and preliminary experimental data are presented and discussed.},
doi = {10.1117/12.509747},
journal = {},
issn = {0277-786X},
number = ,
volume = 5194,
place = {United States},
year = {2003},
month = {8}
}