Deep Detection would like to thank the PERTE Chip programme and its leaders for their funding support in the design phase of MEPhC (Order ITU/1144/2024).
Deep Detection is the first company to design and manufacture multispectral X-ray cameras specifically for high speed line inspection. These cameras work through photon counting and depend on advanced semiconductor sensors that are controlled through high speed read-out ASICs. At the deepest level of the technology stack is the pixel which has to count the photons, determine their energy and perform real time corrections for different phenomena inherent to high energy physics. Under the leadership of José Gabriel Macías (CTO) the team working on MEPhC have integrated the learnings from state of the art collaborations with CERN and results from cutting edge industrial applications.
“Just over a year ago we built a new team at the company headquarters in Spain and established a collaboration framework with two local universities to ensure we had the skills on hand to tackle major design challenges”, reflects David Ciudad, CEO.
“The MEPhC pixel is designed in a deep sub-micron CMOS technology to optimise spatial resolution, spectral discrimination, and counting rate through multiple channels in every pixel. Together with the surrounding ASIC incorporates the features that are required by the most challenging industrial applications both today and foreseen over the next 3 years. MEPhC will be at the heart of products which deliver under the most demanding operating conditions, handling the physics of X-ray imaging to deliver high spectral and spatial resolution at even the highest production speeds”, affirms José Gabriel Macías, CTO.
At its core photon counting allows better inspection through higher sensitivity and lag-free imaging. When combined with multi-spectral, effectively high colour X-ray, it enables systems to provide very high accuracy detection for a much wider range of contaminants and contexts, while simultaneously recognising materials. This latter ability means hazards are classified for immediate action and composition can be monitored.
“Our PhotonAi product range provides packaged goods manufacturers both dual and quad spectra photon counting. Contaminants that are imperceptible by other means become instantly visible through the physics of multi-spectral X-ray. Today we provide both the photon counting cameras and Edge AI to make previously complex tasks fast and simple. MEPhC will take our product range into an even broader range of applications, solving safety and separation needs in recycling for example”, highlights Colin Burnham, COO.
By converging ASIC design, detector physics and industrial needs, Deep Detection are building the stage for photon counting to become mainstream across industries. Deep Detection and their partners firmly believe that PhotonAi, powered by the company’s ERICA readout chips, already represents the new standard for X-ray inspection. Introducing multi-spectral information breaks the dependency on density upon which greyscale integrating detectors depend. That extra information is taken directly from the transmitted photon and preserved in the signal chain at the native pixel level. That means materials to be identified, low density components detected and contaminants separated with unprecedented accuracy. MEPhC takes that capability to the edge of the envelope. Future systems will count more and resolve more to deliver the benefits of spectral X-ray at the highest inspection speeds, finest resolutions and widest line formats.
As we say at Deep Detection, “Make Every Photon Count”.
Acknowledgements
This project received funding from the European Union – NextGenerationEU, through Spain’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan and the PERTE Chip programme (Order ITU/ 1144/2024) of the Ministry of Industry and Tourism.
MEPhC phase 1 has laid the technological foundations for a new generation of products that will enhance industrial efficiency, product and public safety. Deep Detection are proud to be developing new talent and strengthening Spain’s position in the European semiconductor value chain.
