An innovative X-ray inspection technology, named XSpectra (R), has been developed with the aim to improve the current state of art in the field of real-time detection of contaminants in food products on production lines. The technology architecture is based on modules equipped with a 128 pixels CdTe array detector each read-out by full-custom Front-End ASICs. A full-custom Multi-Channel-Analyzer reconstructs the radiation spectrum, which is then processed by advanced Neural Network algorithms performing both image reconstruction and foreign bodies detection. The experimental characterization of XSpectra (R) has demonstrated the sensitivity of the fully operating system to photon energies down to about 10 keV at events rates up to several millions of photons per second. A line-width of 8.5 keV FWHM has been measured, at room temperature, on the 60 keV photo-peak of a synchrotron radiation in low-rate conditions. A spectral non-linearity error within +/- 0.5% has been obtained within the energy range 25 keV -100 keV. The effective capability of XSpectra (R) to detect currently undetectable low-density contaminants inside real food products has also been proved.
XSpectra (R): an Advanced Real-Time Food Contaminants Detector
Bettelli M;Zappettini A
2019
Abstract
An innovative X-ray inspection technology, named XSpectra (R), has been developed with the aim to improve the current state of art in the field of real-time detection of contaminants in food products on production lines. The technology architecture is based on modules equipped with a 128 pixels CdTe array detector each read-out by full-custom Front-End ASICs. A full-custom Multi-Channel-Analyzer reconstructs the radiation spectrum, which is then processed by advanced Neural Network algorithms performing both image reconstruction and foreign bodies detection. The experimental characterization of XSpectra (R) has demonstrated the sensitivity of the fully operating system to photon energies down to about 10 keV at events rates up to several millions of photons per second. A line-width of 8.5 keV FWHM has been measured, at room temperature, on the 60 keV photo-peak of a synchrotron radiation in low-rate conditions. A spectral non-linearity error within +/- 0.5% has been obtained within the energy range 25 keV -100 keV. The effective capability of XSpectra (R) to detect currently undetectable low-density contaminants inside real food products has also been proved.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
