STW Funding for Heeren’s Pixelated Detector Development

The Dutch technology foundation STW (Stichting voor de Technische Wetenschappen) decided to fund Heeren’s pixelated detector research within the framework of STW’s “Open Technology Program”. The grant will fund a four-year research program, in which the two FOM institutes, AMOLF and Nikhef, are joining forces to develop new detector systems for biomedical imaging.

In particular, Heeren and his partner Dr. Jan Visser from the Detector R&D Group of Nikhef are developing new Medipix-based detector systems for bio-molecular imaging mass spectrometry and energy-dispersive, medical X-ray imaging.
The research project is motivated by the need to understand the structure and the composition of biological systems. Imaging systems are required that push the limits of spatial resolution and molecular sensitivity. This project aims to develop a new direct imaging detector systems based on the Medipix/Timepix chip for applications in X-ray, ion and electron imaging. The focus areas in biomedical imaging are molecular histology with mass spectrometry and low-dose, energy dispersive X-ray imaging. The research aims to improve the image quality and reduce the measuring time in ion and electron imaging and introduce energy information into X-ray imaging and which reduce the required patient radiation dose.

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