Investigations on applying the time-of-flight method using cost effective hybrid Cherenkov radiators/scintillators for positron emission tomography

Abstract

In recent years, solid state silicon photo multipliers (SiPM) have emerged as good substitutes to conventional photo multiplier tubes (PMT), as robust, compact and easy-to-handle alternatives. Development of these detectors started already in the 1990s and has since then steadily progressed. While analogue SiPMs are still mostly used, since they are superior in terms of dark count rate, particle detection efficiency, etc., a digital SiPM has the advantage of producing purely digital data. This thesis project is based on previously created simulations, which was developed by one of my previously MSc thesis students [1] and is part of the ongoing EU funded project “Positron Annihilation Detection beyond the limits” (PALADIN), which aims to improve coincidence timing performance in the range of sub-100 ps FWHM timing resolution. In this thesis different experimental setups are compared with simulations performed within the GEANT4 framework. First, the plausibility of the physics applied in the simulation is examined and compared with theoretical predictions. Furthermore, the simulation was adapted and compared to an experimental setup built and investigated at TU Delft . A system with two DPC-tiles and a point source, which randomly generates 511 keV back-to-back photons was created. According to the experimental setup, scintillator crystals with a base area of 3 x 3 mm2 and variable lengths were simulated. The data obtained from the simulation were analyzed with a tool, created within the framework ROOT, developed by the author,