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Instruments
Volume 9
Issue 4
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Instruments, Volume 9, Issue 4 (December 2025) – 5 articles

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14 pages, 5498 KB  
Article
A Broad Photon Energy Range Multi-Strip Imaging Array Based upon Single Crystal Diamond Schottky Photodiode
by Claudio Verona, Maurizio Angelone, Marco Marinelli and Gianluca Verona-Rinati
Instruments 2025, 9(4), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/instruments9040026 - 28 Oct 2025
Viewed by 197
Abstract
A multi-strip detector made of synthetic single crystal diamond (SCD), based on a p-type/intrinsic diamond/Schottky metal transverse configuration and operating at zero bias voltage, was developed for imaging from extreme UV (EUV) to soft X-rays. The photodetector was patterned with 32 strips made [...] Read more.
A multi-strip detector made of synthetic single crystal diamond (SCD), based on a p-type/intrinsic diamond/Schottky metal transverse configuration and operating at zero bias voltage, was developed for imaging from extreme UV (EUV) to soft X-rays. The photodetector was patterned with 32 strips made of boron-doped diamond directly deposited, by means of the CVD technique and the standard lithographic technique, on top of the HPHT diamond growth substrate. The width of each strip and the gap between two adjacent strips were 100 μm and 20 μm, respectively. The strips were embedded in intrinsic SCD of an active area of 3.2 × 2.5 mm2, also deposited using the CVD technique in a separate growing machine. In the present structure, the prototype photodetector is suitable for 1D imaging. However, all the dimensions above can be varied depending on the applications. The use of p-type diamond strips represents an attempt to mitigate the photoelectron emission from metal contacts, a non-negligible problem under EUV irradiation. The detector was tested with UV radiation and soft X-rays. To test the photodetector as an imaging device, a headboard (XDAS-DH) and a signal processing board (XDAS-SP) were used as front-end electronics. A standard XDAS software was used to acquire the experimental data. The results of the tests and the detector’s construction process are presented and discussed in the paper. Full article
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13 pages, 1037 KB  
Article
Real-Time Dose Monitoring via Non-Destructive Charge Measurement of Laser-Driven Electrons for Medical Applications
by David Gregocki, Petra Köster, Luca Umberto Labate, Simona Piccinini, Federico Avella, Federica Baffigi, Gabriele Bandini, Fernando Brandi, Lorenzo Fulgentini, Daniele Palla, Martina Salvadori, Simon Gerasimos Vlachos and Leonida Antonio Gizzi
Instruments 2025, 9(4), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/instruments9040025 - 23 Oct 2025
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Abstract
Laser-accelerated electron beams, in the so-called Very High-Energy Electron (VHEE) energy range, are of great interest for biomedical applications. For instance, laser-driven VHEE beams are envisaged to offer suitable compact accelerators for the promising field of FLASH radiotherapy. Radiobiology experiments carried out using [...] Read more.
Laser-accelerated electron beams, in the so-called Very High-Energy Electron (VHEE) energy range, are of great interest for biomedical applications. For instance, laser-driven VHEE beams are envisaged to offer suitable compact accelerators for the promising field of FLASH radiotherapy. Radiobiology experiments carried out using laser-driven beams require the real-time knowledge of the dose delivered to the sample. We have developed an online dose monitoring procedure, using an Integrating Current Transformer (ICT) coupled to a suitable collimator, that allows the estimation of the delivered dose on a shot-to-shot basis under suitable assumptions. The cross-calibration of the measured charge with standard offline dosimetry measurements carried out with RadioChromic Films (RCFs) is discussed, demonstrating excellent correlation between the two measurements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Accelerator Technologies)
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18 pages, 1514 KB  
Article
LBT Italia: Current Achievements and Future Directions
by Silvia Tosi, Ester Marini, Felice Cusano, Andrea Rossi, Roberto Speziali and Roberta Carini
Instruments 2025, 9(4), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/instruments9040024 - 21 Oct 2025
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Abstract
The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) is a world-leading astronomical observatory, where the Italian partnership has played an important role in increasing the telescope’s productivity, both through an optimized observing strategy and through peer-reviewed publications that are well recognized by the international astronomical community. [...] Read more.
The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) is a world-leading astronomical observatory, where the Italian partnership has played an important role in increasing the telescope’s productivity, both through an optimized observing strategy and through peer-reviewed publications that are well recognized by the international astronomical community. This manuscript provides an updated overview of the active and past instruments at LBT, together with key usage statistics. In particular, we analyze the operational performance recorded in the LBT Italia night logs during INAF’s observing time and assess the scientific impact of each instrument. Between 2014 and 2025, LBT Italia produced an average of 14 refereed publications per year, based on an annual average of 311 h of on-sky time. This corresponds to approximately 2.2 nights of telescope time per publication. The results of this analysis are placed in an international context to evaluate the competitiveness of LBT, and we outline future perspectives for scientific exploitation. Full article
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21 pages, 7112 KB  
Article
A Two-Plane Proton Radiography System Using ATLAS IBL Pixel-Detector Modules
by Hendrik Speiser, Claus Maximillian Bäcker, Johannes Esser, Alina Hild, Marco Iampieri, Ann-Kristin Lüvelsmeyer, Annsofie Tappe, Helen Thews, Kevin Kröninger and Jens Weingarten
Instruments 2025, 9(4), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/instruments9040023 - 14 Oct 2025
Viewed by 263
Abstract
Accurate knowledge of a patient’s anatomy during every treatment fraction in proton therapy is an important prerequisite to ensure a correct dose deposition in the target volume. Adaptive proton therapy aims to detect those changes and adjust the treatment plan accordingly. One way [...] Read more.
Accurate knowledge of a patient’s anatomy during every treatment fraction in proton therapy is an important prerequisite to ensure a correct dose deposition in the target volume. Adaptive proton therapy aims to detect those changes and adjust the treatment plan accordingly. One way to trigger a daily re-planning of the treatment is to take a proton radiograph from the beam’s-eye view before the treatment to check for possible changes in the water equivalent thickness (WET) along the path due to daily changes in the patient’s anatomy. In this paper, the Two-Plane Imaging System (TPIS) is presented, comprising two ATLAS IBL silicon pixel-detector modules developed for the tracking detector of the ATLAS experiment at CERN. The prototype of the TPIS is described in detail, and proof-of-principle WET images are presented, of two-step phantoms and more complex phantoms with bone-like inlays (WET 10 to 40 mm). This study shows the capability of the TPIS to measure WET images with high precision. In addition, the potential of the TPIS to accurately determine WET changes over time down to 1 mm between subsequently taken WET images of a changing phantom is shown. This demonstrates the possible application of the TPIS and ATLAS IBL pixel-detector module in adaptive proton therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical Applications of Particle Physics, 2nd Edition)
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18 pages, 2493 KB  
Article
Assessment of Radiological Dispersal Devices in Densely Populated Areas: Simulation and Emergency Response Planning
by Yassine El Khadiri, Ouadie Kabach, El Mahjoub Chakir and Mohamed Gouighri
Instruments 2025, 9(4), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/instruments9040022 - 3 Oct 2025
Viewed by 599
Abstract
The increasing threat of terrorism involving Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDDs) necessitates comprehensive evaluation and preparedness strategies, especially in densely populated public areas. This study aims to assess the potential consequences of RDD detonation, focusing on the effective doses received by individuals and the [...] Read more.
The increasing threat of terrorism involving Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDDs) necessitates comprehensive evaluation and preparedness strategies, especially in densely populated public areas. This study aims to assess the potential consequences of RDD detonation, focusing on the effective doses received by individuals and the ground deposition of radioactive materials in a hypothetical urban environment. Utilizing the HotSpot code, simulations were performed to model the dispersion patterns of 137Cs and 241Am under varying meteorological conditions, mirroring the complexities of real-world scenarios as outlined in recent literature. The results demonstrate that 137Cs dispersal produces a wider contamination footprint, with effective doses exceeding the public exposure limit of 1 mSv at distances up to 1 km, necessitating broad protective actions. In contrast, 241Am generates higher localized contamination, with deposition levels surpassing cleanup thresholds near the release point, creating long-term remediation challenges. Dose estimates for first responders highlight the importance of adhering to operational dose limits, with scenarios approaching 100 mSv under urgent rescue conditions. Overall, the findings underscore the need for rapid dose assessment, early shelter-in-place orders, and targeted decontamination to reduce population exposure. These insights provide actionable guidance for emergency planners and first responders, enhancing preparedness protocols for RDD incidents in major urban centers. Full article
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