First Stability Characterization for a CZT Detection System in an ee Collider Environment.

The SIDDHARTA-2 collaboration has developed a novel X-ray detection system based on cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT, CdZnTe), marking the first application of this technology at the DAΦNE electron-positron collider at INFN-LNF. This work aims to demonstrate the stability of the detectors' performance in terms of linearity and resolution over short and long periods, thereby establishing their suitability for precise spectroscopic measurements within a collider environment. A reference calibration spectrum is presented in association with findings from assessments of linearity and resolution stability.

High performance platinum contacts on high-flux CdZnTe detectors.

The need for direct X-ray detection under high photon flux with moderate or high energies (30-100 keV range) has strongly increased with the rise of the 4th Generation Synchrotron Light Sources, characterised by extremely brilliant beamlines, and of other applications such as spectral computed tomography in medicine and non-destructive tests for industry. The novel Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) developed by Redlen Technologies can be considered the reference material for high-flux applications (HF-CZT). The enhanced charge transport properties of the holes allow the mitigation of the effects of radiation induced polarization phenomena, typically observed in standard CZT materials (LF-CZT) under high photon flux.

A Novel Extraction Procedure of Contact Characteristic Parameters from Current-Voltage Curves in CdZnTe and CdTe Detectors.

The estimation of the characteristic parameters of the electrical contacts in CdZnTe and CdTe detectors is related to the identification of the main transport mechanisms dominating the currents. These investigations are typically approached by modelling the current-voltage -) curves with the interfacial layer-thermionic-diffusion (ITD) theory, which incorporates the thermionic emission, diffusion and interfacial layer theories into a single theory. The implementation of the ITD model in measured - curves is a critical procedure, requiring dedicated simplifications, several best fitting parameters and the identification of the voltage range where each transport mechanism dominates.

Window-Based Energy Selecting X-ray Imaging and Charge Sharing in Cadmium Zinc Telluride Linear Array Detectors for Contaminant Detection.

The spectroscopic and imaging performance of energy-resolved photon counting detectors, based on new sub-millimetre boron oxide encapsulated vertical Bridgman cadmium zinc telluride linear arrays, are presented in this work. The activities are in the framework of the AVATAR X project, planning the development of X-ray scanners for contaminant detection in food industry. The detectors, characterized by high spatial (250 µm) and energy (<3 keV) resolution, allow spectral X-ray imaging with interesting image quality improvements.

Advances in High-Energy-Resolution CdZnTe Linear Array Pixel Detectors with Fast and Low Noise Readout Electronics.

Radiation detectors based on Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) compounds are becoming popular solutions thanks to their high detection efficiency, room temperature operation, and to their reliability in compact detection systems for medical, astrophysical, or industrial applications. However, despite a huge effort to improve the technological process, CZT detectors' full potential has not been completely exploited when both high spatial and energy resolution are required by the application, especially at low energies (<10 keV), limiting their application in energy-resolved photon counting (ERPC) systems. This gap can also be attributed to the lack of dedicated front-end electronics which can bring out the best in terms of detector spectroscopic performances.

Upper Limb Disorders in Catering Workers.

Background: The literature reports that catering workers are exposed to various occupational health hazardsé.

Objective: This study aims to assess a cohort of catering workers in relation to upper limb disorders, thus contributing to the quantification of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in this occupational sector.

Methods: Here, 500 employees, of which 130 were males and 370 were females, with an overall mean age of 50.

Ballistic Deficit Pulse Processing in Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride Pixel Detectors for High-Flux X-ray Measurements.

High-flux X-ray measurements with high-energy resolution and high throughput require the mitigation of pile-up and dead time effects. The reduction of the time width of the shaped pulses is a key approach, taking into account the distortions from the ballistic deficit, non-linearity, and time instabilities. In this work, we will present the performance of cadmium−zinc−telluride (CdZnTe or CZT) pixel detectors equipped with digital shapers faster than the preamplifier peaking times (ballistic deficit pulse processing).

Potentialities of High-Resolution 3-D CZT Drift Strip Detectors for Prompt Gamma-Ray Measurements in BNCT.

Recently, new high-resolution cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) drift strip detectors for room temperature gamma-ray spectroscopic imaging were developed by our group. The CZT detectors equipped with orthogonal anode/cathode collecting strips, drift strips and dedicated pulse processing allow a detection area of 6 × 20 mm and excellent room temperature spectroscopic performance (0.82% FWHM at 661.

Incomplete Charge Collection at Inter-Pixel Gap in Low- and High-Flux Cadmium Zinc Telluride Pixel Detectors.

The success of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors in room-temperature spectroscopic X-ray imaging is now widely accepted. The most common CZT detectors are characterized by enhanced-charge transport properties of electrons, with mobility-lifetime products μeτe > 10 cm/V and μhτh > 10 cm/V. These materials, typically termed low-flux LF-CZT, are successfully used for thick electron-sensing detectors and in low-flux conditions.

Investigation of the Impact of Neutron Irradiation on SiC Power MOSFETs Lifetime by Reliability Tests.

High temperature reverse-bias (HTRB), High temperature gate-bias (HTGB) tests and electrical DC characterization were performed on planar-SiC power MOSFETs which survived to accelerated neutron irradiation tests carried out at ChipIr-ISIS (Didcot, UK) facility, with terrestrial neutrons. The neutron test campaigns on the SiC power MOSFETs (manufactered by ST) were conducted on the same wafer lot devices by STMicroelectronics and Airbus, with different neutron tester systems. HTGB and HTRB tests, which characterise gate-oxide integrity and junction robustness, show no difference between the non irradiated devices and those which survived to the neutron irradiation tests, with neutron fluence up to 2× 1011 (n/cm2).

Energy Recovery of Multiple Charge Sharing Events in Room Temperature Semiconductor Pixel Detectors.

Multiple coincidence events from charge-sharing and fluorescent cross-talk are typical drawbacks in room-temperature semiconductor pixel detectors. The mitigation of these distortions in the measured energy spectra, using charge-sharing discrimination (CSD) and charge-sharing addition (CSA) techniques, is always a trade-off between counting efficiency and energy resolution. The energy recovery of multiple coincidence events is still challenging due to the presence of charge losses after CSA.

Recent advances in the development of high-resolution 3D cadmium-zinc-telluride drift strip detectors.

In the last two decades, great efforts have been made in the development of 3D cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) detectors operating at room temperature for gamma-ray spectroscopic imaging. This work presents the spectroscopic performance of new high-resolution CZT drift strip detectors, recently developed at IMEM-CNR of Parma (Italy) in collaboration with due2lab (Italy). The detectors (19.

Room-temperature performance of 3 mm-thick cadmium-zinc-telluride pixel detectors with sub-millimetre pixelization.

Cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) pixel detectors represent a consolidated choice for the development of room-temperature spectroscopic X-ray imagers, finding important applications in medical imaging, often as detection modules of a variety of new SPECT and CT systems. Detectors with 3-5 mm thicknesses are able to efficiently detect X-rays up to 140 keV giving reasonable room-temperature energy resolution. In this work, the room-temperature performance of 3 mm-thick CZT pixel detectors, recently developed at IMEM/CNR of Parma (Italy), is presented.

Improved electroless platinum contacts on CdZnTe X- and γ-rays detectors.

Platinum is a promising candidate for the realization of blocking electrical contacts on cadmium-zinc-telluride (CdZnTe or CZT) radiation detectors. However, the poor mechanical adhesion of this metal often shortens the lifetime of the final device. In this work, a simple and effective procedure to obtain robust platinum contacts by electroless deposition is presented.

Accelerated Tests on Si and SiC Power Transistors with Thermal, Fastand Ultra-Fast Neutrons.

Neutron test campaigns on silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC) power MOSFETs and IGBTs were conducted at the TRIGA (Training, Research, Isotopes, General Atomics) Mark II (Pavia, Italy) nuclear reactor and ChipIr-ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (Didcot, U.K.) facility.

Room-temperature X-ray response of cadmium-zinc-telluride pixel detectors grown by the vertical Bridgman technique.

In this work, the spectroscopic performances of new cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) pixel detectors recently developed at IMEM-CNR of Parma (Italy) are presented. Sub-millimetre arrays with pixel pitch less than 500 µm, based on boron oxide encapsulated vertical Bridgman grown CZT crystals, were fabricated. Excellent room-temperature performance characterizes the detectors even at high-bias-voltage operation (9000 V cm), with energy resolutions (FWHM) of 4% (0.

Dual-polarity pulse processing and analysis for charge-loss correction in cadmium-zinc-telluride pixel detectors.

Charge losses at the inter-pixel gap are typical drawbacks in cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) pixel detectors. In this work, an original technique able to correct charge losses occurring after the application of charge-sharing addition (CSA) is presented. The method, exploiting the strong relation between the energy after CSA and the beam position at the inter-pixel gap, allows the recovery of charge losses and improvements in energy resolution.

Digital fast pulse shape and height analysis on cadmium-zinc-telluride arrays for high-flux energy-resolved X-ray imaging.

Cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) arrays with photon-counting and energy-resolving capabilities are widely proposed for next-generation X-ray imaging systems. This work presents the performance of a 2 mm-thick CZT pixel detector, with pixel pitches of 500 and 250 µm, dc coupled to a fast and low-noise ASIC (PIXIE ASIC), characterized only by the preamplifier stage. A custom 16-channel digital readout electronics was used, able to digitize and process continuously the signals from each output ASIC channel.

Development of new CdZnTe detectors for room-temperature high-flux radiation measurements.

Recently, CdZnTe (CZT) detectors have been widely proposed and developed for room-temperature X-ray spectroscopy even at high fluxes, and great efforts have been made on both the device and the crystal growth technologies. In this work, the performance of new travelling-heater-method (THM)-grown CZT detectors, recently developed at IMEM-CNR Parma, Italy, is presented. Thick planar detectors (3 mm thick) with gold electroless contacts were realised, with a planar cathode covering the detector surface (4.

Direct measurement of mammographic X-ray spectra with a digital CdTe detection system.

In this work we present a detection system, based on a CdTe detector and an innovative digital pulse processing (DPP) system, for high-rate X-ray spectroscopy in mammography (1-30 keV). The DPP system performs a height and shape analysis of the detector pulses, sampled and digitized by a 14-bit, 100 MHz ADC. We show the results of the characterization of the detection system both at low and high photon counting rates by using monoenergetic X-ray sources and a nonclinical X-ray tube.

High-rate x-ray spectroscopy in mammography with a CdTe detector: a digital pulse processing approach.

Purpose: Direct measurement of mammographic x-ray spectra under clinical conditions is a difficult task due to the high fluence rate of the x-ray beams as well as the limits in the development of high resolution detection systems in a high counting rate environment. In this work we present a detection system, based on a CdTe detector and an innovative digital pulse processing (DPP) system, for high-rate x-ray spectroscopy in mammography.

Methods: The DPP system performs a digital pile-up inspection and a digital pulse height analysis of the detector signals, digitized through a 14-bit, 100 MHz digitizer, for x-ray spectroscopy even at high photon counting rates.

[The demonstration of the connection of cause in the professional allergic pathology not tabulated. Utility and limits of the allergometric tests].

The Sentences of the Constitutional Court no 179/88 and 206/88 have of done modified the system insurance of the professional illnesses. To the old tabular system to the pathologies for which the legal conceitedness of origin is in force they are added those pathologies that need to be shown with burden of test of the applicant. And necessary to resort to the criterion pathogenetic for the geneses pathologies plurifactorialy or to non certain etiology.

Feeding dysfunction in infants with severe chronic renal failure after long-term nasogastric tube feeding.

Nasogastric tube feeding (NGTF) is frequently necessary to overcome the inadequate caloric intake of children with severe chronic renal failure (CRF). In a multicenter retrospective study, we evaluated feeding dysfunction after tube feeding withdrawal in children with severe CRF who started long-term enteral nutrition early in childhood. We considered, almost exclusively, infants who had started NGTF very early and continued to be tube fed for at least 9 months.

Abnormal hypertensive response during exercise test in normotensive transplanted children and adolescents.

We investigated the cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, at rest and in response to stress testing, in 10 children and adolescents with successful renal transplantation, to release certifications for participation in sports. Our patients were aged more than 6 years, transplanted 6 months or more before the study, with creatinine clearance > 40 ml/min/1.73 m2, without hypertension at rest.