Evaluation of Coincidence Time Resolution in a liquid xenon detector with silicon photomultipliers

Abstract

This work explores the combination of liquid xenon as a scintillating medium and silicon photomultipliers as a readout in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) for enhanced Time-Of-Flight resolution. We present the results of our first prototype optimized to maximize light collection using high-PDE, VUV-sensitive sensors and to minimize time fluctuations. We report a coincidence time resolution of 281 $\pm$ 2 ps FWHM, obtained using a ${}^{22}$Na calibration source. This result is competitive with the current state-of-the-art PET scanners and represents a significant step forward in the development of liquid xenon as a viable alternative to conventional scintillators in PET technology.

References in corpus (5)

• Liquid noble gas detectors for low energy particle physics
• Technical Results from the Surface Run of the LUX Dark Matter Experiment
• Monte Carlo study of the Coincidence Resolving Time of a liquid xenon PET scanner, using Cherenkov radiation
• Transmission of xenon scintillation light through PTFE
• Monte Carlo characterization of PETALO, a full-body liquid xenon-based PET detector