Time-over-threshold readout to enhance the high flux capabilities of single-photon-counting detectors

J Synchrotron Radiat. 2011 Nov;18(Pt 6):923-9. doi: 10.1107/S0909049511034480. Epub 2011 Sep 22.

Abstract

The MYTHEN single-photon-counting (SPC) detector has been characterized using the time-over-threshold (ToT) readout method, i.e. measuring the time that the signal produced by the detected X-rays remains above the comparator threshold. In the following it is shown that the ToT readout preserves the sensitivity, dynamic range and capability of background suppression of the SPC mode, while enhancing the count-rate capability, which is the main limitation of state-of-the-art SPC systems.