Toward Sub-100 ps TOF-PET Systems Employing the FastIC ASIC With Analog SiPMs

Abstract

Time of Flight positron emission tomography (TOFPET) scanners demand electronics that are power-efficient, low-noise, cost-effective, and possess a large bandwidth. Recent developments have demonstrated sub-100 ps time resolution with elevated power consumption per channel, rendering this unfeasible to build a scanner. In this work, we evaluate the performance for the TOF-PET of the FastIC front-end using different scintillators and silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). FastIC is an eight-channel application specific integrated circuit developed in CMOS 65 nm capable of measuring the energy and the arrival time of a detected pulse with 12 mW per channel. Using Hamamatsu SiPMs (S13360-3050PE) coupled to LSO:Ce:0.2%Ca crystals of 2 × 2 × 3 mm3 and LYSO:Ce:0.2%Ca of 3.13 × 3.13 × 20 mm3, we measured a coincidence time resolution (CTR) of (95 ± 3) and 156 ± 4) ps full width half maximum (FWHM), respectively. With Fondazione Bruno Kessler NUV-HD LF2 M0 SiPMs coupled to the same crystals, we obtained a CTR of (76 ± 2) and (127 ± 3) ps FWHM. We employed FastIC with a TlCl pure Cherenkov emitter, demonstrating time resolutions comparable to those achieved with the high-power-consuming electronics. These findings shows that the FastIC represents a cost-effective alternative that can significantly enhance the time resolution of the current TOF-PET systems while maintaining low power consumption. Index Terms—Fast front-end electronics, photo-detector technology, positron emission tomography, scintillator, silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs), Time of Flight positron emission tomography (TOF-PET).