Temperature compensated scintillation detector and method

Claim 2

The scintillation detector (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a third circuit coupled to the first circuit for altering the amount of the offset when the temperature exceeds a second predetermined temperature.

Claim 3

The scintillation detector (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the temperature variation of the offset above the first predetermined temperature is different from the variation below the first predetermined temperature.

Claim 4

The scintillation detector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second circuit includes a switching device (81; 81') for controlling the extent to which the second circuit functions to provide temperature compensation.

Claim 5

The scintillation detector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first circuit includes a thermistor (82; 82').

Claim 6

The scintillation detector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second circuit includes a resistive element in series with a switching element.

Claim 7

The scintillation detector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the photo-detector is a photomultiplier tube (57).

Claim 8

The scintillation detector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second circuit includes a diode.

Claim 9

The scintillation detector (1) according to claim 8, wherein the diode is a zener diode.

Claim 10

The scintillation detector (1) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the diode is a Schottky barrier diode.

Claim 11

The scintillation detector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second circuit includes an MIM.

Claim 12

A temperature compensated scintillation detector (1) comprising: a scintillator (2); a photo-detector (3) optically coupled to the scintillator (2) and operative to convert photons emitted by the scintillator (2) into a photo-detector electrical signal; an associated photo-detector circuit electrically coupled to the photo-detector (3); the associated photo-detector circuit including a primary temperature compensating circuit, a secondary temperature compensating circuit, and a switching device (81; 81') for selectively varying the connection between the secondary temperature compensating circuit and the primary temperature compensating circuit.

Claim 13

The scintillation detector (1) according to claim 12, wherein the primary temperature compensating circuit includes a thermistor (82; 82').

Claim 14

The scintillation detector (1) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the secondary temperature compensating circuit includes a resistive element (80') in series with a switching element (81').

Claim 15

The scintillation detector (1) according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the photo-detector (3) is a photomultiplier tube (57).

Claim 16

The scintillation detector (1) according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the secondary temperature compensating circuit includes a diode.

Claim 17

The scintillation detector (1) according to claim 16, wherein the diode is a zener diode.

Claim 18

The scintillation detector (1) according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the diode is a Schottky barrier diode.

Claim 19

The scintillation detector (1) according to any one of claims 12 to 18, wherein the secondary temperature compensating circuit includes an MIM.

Claim 20

The scintillation detector (1) according to any one of claims 12 to 19, further comprising a third temperature compensating circuit, and wherein the primary temperature compensating circuit includes a thermistor and the third temperature compensating circuit includes a thermistor.

Claim 21

The scintillation detector (1) according to claim 20, wherein the thermistor of the primary temperature compensating circuit and the thermistor of the secondary temperature compensating circuit are in parallel.

Claim 22

A temperature compensated scintillation detector (1) comprising: a scintillator (2); a photo-detector (3) optically coupled to the scintillator (2) and operative to convert photons emitted by the scintillator into a photo-detector (3) electrical signal; associated photo-detector circuit electrically coupled to the photo-detector (3); the associated photo-detector circuit including a temperature compensating circuit comprising a primary temperature compensating circuit operative over a first temperature range to provide temperature compensation, and a secondary temperature compensating circuit operative over a second temperature range extending outside the first temperature range to provide temperature compensation.

Claim 23

The detector (1) according to claim 22, wherein the temperature compensating circuit includes a switching device (81) for controlling the extent to which the secondary temperature compensating circuit functions to provide temperature compensation.

Claim 24

The scintillation detector (1) according to claims any of claims 22 or 23, wherein the secondary temperature compensating circuit compensates over a second temperature range different from the first temperature range.

Claim 26

The method of claim 25, wherein the first circuit includes a thermistor (82), and the second circuit includes a switching element (81) and a resistive element.

Claim 27

The method of claim 26, wherein the switching element (81) includes at least one of a diode, a zener diode, a Schottky barrier diode and an MIM.

Claim 31

A temperature compensated scintillation detector (1) comprising: a scintillator (2); a photomultiplier tube (57) optically coupled to the scintillator (2) and operative to convert photons emitted by the scintillator into an electrical signal; a resistive ladder (83) electrically coupled to the photomultiplier tube (57); and a temperature compensation circuit (79) that compensates for variations in the electrical signal due to temperature dependency in at least one of the scintillator (2) and the photomultiplier tube (57), the temperature compensation circuit (79) electrically connected to the resistive ladder (83) and including a thermistor (82) in parallel with a series circuit, the series circuit including a switching element (81) and resistive element (80).

Claim 32

The scintillation detector (1) according to claim 31, further comprising a voltage source electrically coupled to the temperature compensation circuit.

Claim 33

The scintillation detector (1) according to any one of claims 31 or 32, wherein the switching element (81) includes a zenor diode.

Claim 34

A circuit for compensating a temperature dependent scintillation detector (1) output comprising: a temperature dependent scintillation detector output; a temperature dependent element for providing temperature compensation to a temperature dependent scintillation detector output over at least a first part and a second part of a temperature range; and an additional element for providing temperature compensation to the temperature dependent scintillation detector output over the second part of the temperature range; wherein the compensation over the first part of the temperature range is provided at a different rate than the compensation over the second part of the temperature range.

Claim 35

The scintillation detector (1) according to claim 34, wherein the variation of the output due to temperature dependency is limited to ten percent.

Claim 36

The scintillation detector (1) according to any one of claims 34 or 35, wherein the variation of the output due to temperature dependency is limited to six percent.

Claim 37

A temperature compensating circuit for a scintillation detector (1) including a photomultiplier tube (57) having an anode (37), cathode (36) and dynodes (38), and voltage divider ladder (50) connected to said anode, cathode and dynodes, the voltage divider ladder including a temperature dependent resistive element (52) connected between at least one of the anode (37) and adjacent dynode (38) of the photomultiplier tube (57), between the cathode (36) and adjacent dynode (38) of the photomultiplier tube (57), and between any two adjacent dynodes (38) of the photomultiplier tube (57).