Virtual detector characterisation with Monte-Carlo simulations

In the field of X-ray imaging flat-panel detectors which convert X-rays into electrical signals, are widely used. For different applications, detectors differ in several specific parameters that can be used for characterizing the detector. At the Development Center X-ray Technology EZRT we studied the question how well these characteristics can be determined by only knowing the layer composition of a detector. In order to determine the required parameters, the Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation program ROSI [J. Giersch et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 509 (2003) 151] was used while taking into account all primary and secondary particle interactions as well as the focal spot size of the X-ray tube. For the study, the Hamamatsu C9311DK [Technical Datasheet Hamamatsu C9311DK flat panel sensor, Hamamatsu Photonics, (www.hamamatsu.com)], a scintillator-based detector, and the Ajat DIC 100TL [Technical description of Ajat DIC 100TL, Ajat Oy Ltd., (www.ajat.fi)], a direct converting semiconductor detector, were used. The layer compositions of the two detectors were implemented into the MC simulation program. The following characteristics were measured [N. Uhlmann et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 591 (2008) 46] and compared to simulation results: The basic spatial resolution (BSR), the modulation transfer function (MTF), the contrast sensitivity (CS) and the specific material thickness range (SMTR). To take scattering of optical photons into account DETECT2000 [C. Moisan et al., DETECT2000—A Program for Modeling Optical Properties of Scintillators, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Laval University, Quebec City, 2000], another Monte-Carlo simulation was used.