Light detecting device and method for controlling light detecting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12453208-B2
Application number	US-202218287072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2022
Priority date	Jul 13, 2021
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A light detecting device includes: a light detector; a heat exchanger thermally connected to the light detector; a coolant flow channel configured to be connected to the heat exchanger and allow a coolant for cooling the light detector to flow; a pump configured to cause the coolant to flow in the coolant flow channel; and a control unit that controls the pump. The control unit performs control such that a first drive power is supplied to the pump during a detection period in which the light detector performs light detection, and a second drive power is supplied to the pump during a standby period in which the light detector stands by without performing light detection, and the first drive power is smaller than the second drive power.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A light detecting device comprising:
a light detector;
a heat exchanger thermally connected to the light detector;
a coolant flow channel configured to be connected to the heat exchanger and allow a coolant for cooling the light detector to flow;
a pump configured to cause the coolant to flow in the coolant flow channel; and
a control unit configured to control the pump, wherein
the control unit performs control such that
a first drive power is supplied to the pump during a detection period in which the light detector performs light detection, and
a second drive power is supplied to the pump during a standby period in which the light detector stands by without performing light detection, and
the first drive power is smaller than the second drive power.

2. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls to stop supplying the first drive power during the detection period.

3. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit performs control such that the first drive power is larger than zero and smaller than the second drive power during the detection period.

4. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising an electronic cooler thermally connected to the light detector and the heat exchanger.

5. The light detecting device according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit performs control such that a third drive power is supplied to the electronic cooler during the detection period.

6. The light detecting device according to claim 5 , wherein the control unit performs control such that the third drive power at a time t 1 is larger than the third drive power at a time t 2 before the time t 1 during the detection period.

7. The light detecting device according to claim 4 , further comprising at least a first sensor configured to detect a temperature of the light detector, wherein
the control unit controls supply of the third drive power to the electronic cooler such that the temperature detected by the first sensor is equal to or lower than a first allowable temperature during the detection period.

8. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a first sensor configured to detect a temperature of the light detector and a second sensor configured to detect a temperature of the heat exchanger.

9. The light detecting device according to claim 8 , further comprising at least a second sensor configured to detect a temperature of the heat exchanger, wherein
the control unit performs control such that
a sixth drive power is supplied to the pump and the sixth drive power is larger than the first drive power in a case where the temperature detected by the second sensor exceeds a second allowable temperature during the detection period.

10. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising a fan configured to blow air toward the coolant flow channel, wherein
the control unit performs control such that
a fourth drive power is supplied to the fan during the detection period, and
a fifth drive power is supplied to the fan during the standby period, and
the fourth drive power is smaller or larger than the fifth drive power.

11. The light detecting device according to claim 10 , wherein the coolant flow channel further includes a radiator configured to release heat of the coolant, and
the fan blows air toward the radiator.

12. A method for controlling a light detecting device including a light detector, a heat exchanger thermally connected to the light detector, a coolant flow channel configured to be connected to the heat exchanger and allow a coolant for cooling the light detector to flow, and a pump configured to cause the coolant to flow in the coolant flow channel, the method comprising:
supplying a first drive power to the pump during a detection period in which the light detector performs light detection; and
supplying a second drive power to the pump during a standby period in which the light detector stands by without performing light detection, wherein
the first drive power is smaller than the second drive power.

Assignees

• Hamamatsu Photonics Kk

Inventors

• Suzuki Kenta
• Ishikawa Katsuya

Classifications

• A61B6/4488

  Means for cooling (A61B6/045 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01T1/244

  Auxiliary details, e.g. casings, cooling, damping or insulation against damage by, e.g. heat, pressure or the like · CPC title

• G01T1/20188

  Auxiliary details, e.g. casings or cooling · CPC title

• H10F77/95

  Circuit arrangements · CPC title

• G01J2001/4466

  Avalanche · CPC title