Photon detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11139293-B2
Application number	US-201716348599-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2017
Priority date	Nov 25, 2016
Publication date	Oct 5, 2021
Grant date	Oct 5, 2021

Abstract

The present embodiment relates to a photon detector which includes a preamplifier having a structure capable of preventing saturation of an amplifier. The preamplifier includes an amplifier, and further includes a capacitive element, an n-type MOSFET, and a p-type MOSFET disposed on a plurality of wirings electrically connecting the input end side and the output end side of the amplifier. A control electrode of the n-type MOSFET is set to a first fixed potential V1, while a control electrode of the p-type MOSFET is set to a second fixed potential V2.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A photon detector comprising:
a sensor element configured to output electrons or holes according to magnitude of energy of an incident photon;
a preamplifier electrically connected to the sensor element, the preamplifier configured to receive charges of the electrons or holes outputted from the sensor element and amplify a voltage signal converted from an integrated value of the charges;
a waveform shaping circuit electrically connected to the preamplifier, the waveform shaping circuit configured to receive an output signal from the preamplifier and shape a waveform of the output signal received from the preamplifier; and
a comparator electrically connected to the waveform shaping circuit, the comparator configured to receive an output signal from the waveform shaping circuit and output a pulse in response to reception of the output signal at a voltage level exceeding a reference voltage from the waveform shaping circuit, wherein
the preamplifier includes:
a first amplifier having an input end and an output end;
a capacitive element having a first end electrically connected to the input end side of the first amplifier, and a second end electrically connected to the output end side of the first amplifier;
a first transistor configured such that a resistance value increases with increase in an absolute value of an output voltage of the first amplifier, the first transistor having a first electrode electrically connected to the input end side of the first amplifier, a second electrode electrically connected to the output end side of the first amplifier, and a control electrode connected to a first fixed potential; and
a second transistor having a conductivity type different from a conductivity type of the first transistor and configured such that a resistance value decreases with increase in the absolute value of the output voltage of the first amplifier, the second transistor having a first electrode electrically connected to the input end side of the first amplifier, a second electrode electrically connected to the output end side of the first amplifier, and a control electrode connected to a second fixed potential, and wherein
the first fixed potential and the second fixed potential are individually set at any respective potential.

2. The photon detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the preamplifier further includes one or more second amplifiers disposed in series on the output end side of the first amplifier for multistage amplification of a signal input to the input end of the first amplifier, and
each of the second end of the capacitive element, the second electrode of the first transistor, and the second electrode of the second transistor is set to a potential identical to a potential of either one of the output ends of the first and second amplifiers.

3. The photon detector according to claim 1 , further comprising a counter configured to count the number of pulses outputted from the comparator.

4. The photon detector according to claim 1 , further comprising a peak hold circuit configured to hold a peak value of the output signal from the waveform shaping circuit and output an electric signal corresponding to the peak value held at timing defined by the output signal of the comparator.

5. The photon detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the sensor element is an element configured to output electrons according to magnitude of energy of the photon,
the first transistor is an n-type MOSFET, and
the second transistor is a p-type MOSFET.

6. The photon detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the sensor element is an element configured to output holes according to magnitude of energy of the photon,
the first transistor is a p-type MOSFET, and
the second transistor is an n-type MOSFET.

7. The photon detector according to claim 1 , further comprising a pole-zero compensation circuit between the preamplifier and the waveform shaping circuit.

8. The photon detector according to claim 1 , wherein the comparator includes a reference voltage generation circuit including a source follower circuit, and a variable current source connected to an output node of the source follower circuit.

9. The photon detector according to claim 8 , wherein a back gate of an input MOSFET constituting a part of the source follower circuit is connected to the output node of the source follower circuit.

Assignees

• Hamamatsu Photonics Kk

Inventors

• Ichikawa Minoru
• Fujita Kazuki

Classifications

• H04N25/77 Primary

  Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components · CPC title

• H04N23/30

  for generating image signals from X-rays · CPC title

• G01J2001/4473

  Phototransistor · CPC title

• G01J2001/442

  Single-photon detection or photon counting · CPC title

• H04N25/773

  comprising photon counting circuits, e.g. single photon detection [SPD] or single photon avalanche diodes [SPAD] · CPC title