DTU Space Radiation Detector Laboratory

DTU Space has more than 40 years of experience and know-how in detector development, starting in the 1980s with variations of gas proportional counters to now over the last more than two decades being leading the development of a special bread of a semiconductor detector.

We do research in detector and instrument development for the future high energy astronomy missions, which can allow early participation in the missions for the astrophysicists, and thus define the science.

Although originally developed for use in astrophysical missions, we also exploit the multi-use ability of the detector systems , e.g. within Nuclear Medical Imaging and Homeland Security. The excellent fine resolution both in position and energy makes the detector systems very versatile and attractive for several purposes.

Since 1996, detector research projects have enhanced performance using existing materials, notably CdZnTe (CZT). These efforts yielded various methods, including the Drift Strip Method (DSM) employed in the 3D CZT drift strip detector.

The development of the 3D CZT drift strip detector required substantial effort. Its unique electrode geometry shields anodes from problematic hole movement in CZT. Thin anode strips, separated by negatively biased drift strips, guide electrons toward an anode, while segmented cathode strips are situated on the opposite side. This distinctive electrode configuration enables the use of specialized spatial position algorithms, making the detector heavily dependent on electron charge transport.

Recent prototypes have impressively demonstrated sub-millimeter position resolution (<0.5 mm @ 662 keV) in 3D, coupled with excellent energy resolution (best result <1% @ 662 keV). These prototypes have validated that the spatial positioning algorithm can be extended to identify Compton interactions within the same detector volume, which makes the detector a good candidate for Compton Camera space telescopes.

3D-MBI aims to deliver a disruptive Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) device for breast cancer diagnosis, based on cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) strip drift detectors (DTUs patented technology). 3D-MBI will bring disruptive performance to the MBI field through high tumour detection sensitivity, combined with 3D positional information - opening possibilities for guided biopsies and treatment. We intend to deliver a detector module for MBI, thus triggering overall social and economic potential impact.

The i-RASE project aim to design, build, test and implement the 1st on-the-fly photon-by-photon radiation detector with transformational impact potential on photonics for medical imaging, industrial inspection, scientific space instrumentation, environmental monitoring, and much more. We will develop physics-inspired artificial neural networks (ANN) for comprehensive sensor signal processing (SP) and real-time (RT) measurement of radiation interactions, pioneering its compaction in an ultimate vision for SP embedded in hardware (HW) as an "all-in-one" system-in-package (SIP) for cost- and energy-efficient radiation detection, intelligent output of radiation data with unprecedented accuracy and speed. With the aim complying our intelligent SIP with existing regulations/standard, a new set of challenges arises, which calls for a new approach to photonics, involving trans-disciplinary and sectoral knowledge. Aligned with these demanding needs, the i-RASE project brings together some of the world's leading researchers and companies in photonics, detector physics and signal processing, ANN, and digital HW design in a high-risk and high-gain research project with ambition of founding a new paradigm for radiation detection intelligence.

In order to optimize and understand the detector performance, the DTU Space Detector Group also study modelling of detectors. Our accomplishments are grounded in rigorous theoretical modelling, allowing us to optimize detector electrode geometry and create advanced algorithms for 3D interaction position determination and energy correction.

Athena

The Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics (ATHENA) mission was selected as the L2 mission in June 2014 by ESA, within the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program, focusing on the Hot and Energetic Universe scientific theme.

The mission study restarted in November 2023 following the endorsement of the NewAthena mission concept by the ESA Science Program Commitee. Payload design activites are continuing, while industrial activities are baselined tor resume in spring 2024. Mission "Adoption" is scheduled for early 2027. The ATHENA payload is currently under Phase A study.

The main DTU Space contribution is the development of the Analog Interface Board (AIB) for the ICPU of the WFI instrument on Athena payload. The AIB monitors the WFI instrument health and controls its thermal condition and create and provide House Keeing (HK) data to the ICPU.

DTU Space activity (2021-2024): Athena/WFI AIB, Phase B2 (2021-2024), development of an AIB-EM model: The Athena / Wide Field Imager (WFI) Analog Interface Board (AIB) team at DTU Space has been working on the definition, design, manufacture and testing og the Bread Board (BB) and Engineering Models (EM) of the AIB since 2018.

Theseus

The Transient High Energy Sky and Early Universe Surveyor (THESEUS) mission has been selected by the ESA as one of the three mission concepts to be studied for the next Medium (or 'M-class') missions.

THESEUS scientific payload contains multi-instruments for transient and multi-messenger astronomy. It will focus on the most distant Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) and on other extreme energetic transients. The main goals of the mission are the exploration of the high redshift Universe through the explosions of the ancient first massive stars and the identification of Gravitational Wave (GW) counterparts to fully exploit the potential of multi-messenger astronomy.

The instruments on board include an X-Gamma Imaging Spectrometer (XGIS), a lobster-eye Soft X-ray Imager (SXI), and a 0.7 m class InfraRed (IR) Telescope.

DTU Space team stands as a key contributor to the XGIS instrument on THESEUS, spearheading the design, electronics, integration, testing, and software development for XGIS DHU. Leveraging extensive expertise from previous missions like ESAs ASIM, DTU Space plays a crucial role in developing cutting-edge instruments, such as the Modular X- and Gamma-ray Sensor (MXGS) and the Data processing Unit (DPU), showcasing advanced capabilities in triggering Terrestrial Gamma-Flashes (TGF) with proprietary On-Board Software (OBS).

The DTU Space detector group has an in-house laboratory for evaluation and characterization of detectors. The laboratory is a well-equipped facility in cleanroom (Class 100,000, ISO 8), with a wide range of radiation sources (few keV to MeV range), state-of-the-art pulse-shape and pulse-height signal processing and data acquisition systems together with motorized XYZ-tables for characterization and test of detectors and readout electronics.

DTU Space detector laboratory focuses on aspects from detector design to experimental characterization and evaluation of detector modules. Furthermore, the detector group investigates implementation and optimization of the DTU Space developed detector modules in Space application through advanced, in-orbit instrument simulations.

At DTU Space Detector laboratory, we are pioneering advancements in radiation measurement with a specific focus on critical applications, including future scientific space instrumentations and missions. Our innovative initiatives have yielded novel detector technologies and algorithms, significantly enhancing the performance of state-of-the-art high-resolution spectral-imaging semiconductors. These breakthroughs facilitate the extraction of additional information from incident radiation, encompassing Compton imaging, interaction type identification, and radiation type characterization.

Our state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies incorporate AI-powered readout systems and signal processing through artificial neural networks (ANN) to achieve near real-time detector sensor output. This eliminates the necessity for offline data processing and analysis, thus optimizing efficiency and accuracy in radiation measurements.

Over the past decade, DTU Space, supported by ESA, the EU, and national funding agencies, has undertaken a dedicated effort in detector development projects. We have recently coordinated an international consortium and secured a total of 4.85M EURO Horizon-EU EIC funding for realizing the AI-powered readout systems and signal processing through artificial neural networks (ANN) in the Intelligent Radiation Sensor Systems (i-RASE) project.

We collaborate widely with academia and industry, both nationally and internationally, to accelerate our detector development activities. We also explore and share potential detector technologies that have found applications beyond high-energy astronomy, such as medical imaging and security.

We provide and supervise 3-4 MSc projects every year, strongly involving detector research and development projects, as well as lab experiments.

A new course is currently under design for "Radiation Detection and Measurement in Space Applications".