Two-dimensional detector arrays for hyperspectral x-ray imaging

"Direct-conversion, position-sensitive x-ray detectors are needed in many important technologies such as medical and industrial imaging, nondestructive inspection (NDI) and evaluation (NDE), munitions monitoring, and baggage scanning. Advanced x-ray imagingtechniques can register both shape and spectral information by measuring the attenuation of multi-energetic x-rays through the imaged specimen. The density and composition data thus acquired can enable machine recognition of materials, a capability thatwould be useful for several military and industrial applications. Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) has emerged as the detector material of choice for hyperspectral imaging because it works at room temperature with excellent energy resolution and has a largeatomic number (Z), which is essential for high-sensitivity detection of x-rays. High count rate uniformity and maxima of two million or more counts per pixel per second have recently been achieved in CZT using a new linear array design and a custom readoutsystem for ultra-fast hyperspectral line scanning. Further innovation building upon these developments would be desirable, in particular by designing and fabricating a high-throughput hyperspectral imaging system operating in the alternative staring-arrayimaging mode which would be useful in static as well as conveyor-belt type inspection applications. A very concrete need presently exists for such a system in the manufacture of muniti