IP Library Granted Patent US 9,933,530
Granted Patent B2
US 9,933,530 · App. 15/045,713 · Granted Apr 3, 2018

Photon detector, radiation analyzer, and computer program product

Inventors: Shunsuke Kimura (Kanagawa, JP); Hideyuki Funaki (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
G01T1/208G01T1/175
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,933,530
App. No.
15/045,713
Granted
Apr 3, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to an embodiment, a photon detector includes a photoelectric converter, a voltage supplier, a potential variation detector, and an adjustor. The photoelectric converter performs photoelectric conversion based on an incident photon and outputs current corresponding to number of photons. The voltage supplier supplies a voltage to the photoelectric converter. The potential variation detector detects potential variation of a cathode of the photoelectric converter. The adjustor adjusts a potential of an anode of the photoelectric converter based on the potential variation detected by the potential variation detector so that variation in a potential difference between the cathode and the anode of the photoelectric converter is reduced, and outputs current from the photoelectric converter to the outside.

Claims (21)

1. A photon detector comprising:

a photoelectric converter performing photoelectric conversion based on an incident photon and output current corresponding to number of photons;

a voltage supplier supplying a voltage to the photoelectric converter;

a potential variation detector detecting potential variation of a cathode of the photoelectric converter; and

an adjustor adjusting a potential of an anode of the photoelectric converter based on the potential variation detected by the potential variation detector so that variation in a potential difference between the cathode and the anode of the photoelectric converter is reduced, and outputting current from the photoelectric converter to the outside.

2. The detector according to claim 1 , wherein the photoelectric converter includes one or more avalanche photodiodes.

3. A radiation analyzer comprising:

a radiation source; and

the photon detector according to claim 2 , wherein

the photon detector detects photons resulting from radiation emitted from the radiation source.

4. A radiation analyzer comprising:

a radiation source; and

a photon detector detects photons resulting from radiation emitted from the radiation source, wherein

the photon detector comprising:

a photoelectric converter performing photoelectric conversion based on an incident photon and output current corresponding to number of photons;

a voltage supplier supplying a voltage to the photoelectric converter;

a potential variation detector detecting potential variation of a cathode of the photoelectric converter; and

an adjustor adjusting a potential of an anode of the photoelectric converter based on the potential variation detected by the potential variation detector so that variation in a potential difference between the cathode and the anode of the photoelectric converter is reduced, and outputting current from the photoelectric converter to the outside.

5. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium including programmed instructions that causes a computer to execute:

performing photoelectric conversion based on an incident photon; and

adjusting, when a potential of a cathode of a photoelectric converter outputting current corresponding to number of photons varies, a potential of an anode of the photoelectric converter based on the variation in the potential of the cathode of the photoelectric converter so that variation in a potential difference between the cathode and the anode of the photoelectric converter is reduced, and outputting current output from the photoelectric converter to the outside.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2019
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048279/0549 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2016
From: KIMURA, SHUNSUKE; FUNAKI, HIDEYUKI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 037841/0593 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-056459 · Mar 19, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160274251A1 · Sep 22, 2016