Coincidence time resolution of 50 ps FWHM using a pair of multi-anode MCP-PMTs with Cherenkov radiator window

The use of time -of -flight (TOF) technology in positron emission tomography (PET) is expected to enhance the performance of clinical tasks such as lesion detection and disease staging. One critical requirement for TOF-PET is achieving lower Coincidence Time Resolution (CTR). In this manuscript, we developed a kind of multi -anode micro channel plate photomultiplier tube (MCP -PMT) specifically designed for TOF-PET applications. The direct use of Cherenkov radiator as the optical window eliminate the optical interface between the radiator and the detector, and the multi -anode structure enables a great positional resolution. Using the fast analog -to -digital converters (FADCs) technology to record the entire waveforms of the signals, the CTR measured by a pair of MCP-PMTs was analyzed offline, and the best CTR of 40.9 +/- 12.9 ps Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM), which is equivalent to a position resolution of 6.1 +/- 1.9 mm line of response (LOR) was obtained.