SEPnet RDI Seminar

When?

Wednesday 5 December 2012, 16:15 to 17:45

Where?

30BB03 Physics Seminar Room via video-conferencing across all SEPnet institutions

Open to:

Staff, Students

Speaker:

Dr Silvia Pani, University of Surrey and Dr James Nikkel, Royal Holloway University of London

First talk by Dr Silvia  Pani: K-edge subtraction X-ray imaging using a pixellated spectroscopic detector

K-edge subtraction (KES) imaging is used in diagnostics to highlight the
distribution of a contrast agent (typically iodine or gadolinium) by removing the
background structures. This is done by combining two images acquired at
energies below and above the K-edge of the contrast agent. The
disadvantage of this approach is that the dose to the patient is increased, and
that artifacts may result from patient motion in between the two acquisitions.
The HEXITEC collaboration is developing pixellated spectroscopic CdTe
detectors. The HEXITEC system is ideal for KES, in that it allows one-shot
acquisition of the two images by simply integrating different regions of the
spectrum transmitted behind the object.
Results will be presented from the current 80x80 pixel prototype; different
processing algorithms will be discussed, and their results on a customdesigned
test object will be presented.

Second talk by Dr James Nikkel, Royal Holloway University of London: Particle Detection with Liquid Nobles

In recent years, particle astrophysicists have been turning to liquified nobles,
particularly argon and xenon, for low energy detector applications. These
elements are particularly important in the Hunt for Dark Matter where low
thresholds and low backgrounds are key. I will provide an overview of these
endeavours, give details on how many of these detectors work, and describe
some other applications beyond Dark Matter searches.