US Patent 8476595 Liquid xenon gamma ray imager

A gamma ray imager includes a chamber containing a scintillation liquid such as xenon and several mutually optically isolated interaction modules immersed in the scintillation liquid within the chamber. Multiple photodetectors optically coupled to the modules separately detect scintillation light resulting from gamma ray interactions in the modules. Charge readout devices coupled to the modules provide time projection chamber-class detection of ionization charges produced by gamma ray interactions within the modules. A signal processor connected to the multiple photodetectors and charge readout devices analyzes signals produced by gamma ray interactions within the modules and calculates from the signals gamma ray energy and gamma ray angle. The calculations use Compton scattering formula inversion and also use anti-correlation of prompt scintillation light signals from gamma ray interactions and charge signals from gamma ray interactions.