Extending the time-over-threshold calibration of Timepix3 for spatial-resolved ion spectroscopy

Abstract Hybrid pixel detectors have a well-established array of applications ranging from particle physics to life sciences. The small dimensions of Timepix3 as well as its relatively low energetic expenses make it an intriguing option additionally for ion detection in nuclear physics experiments, as it reveals simultaneously precise temporal, spatial and energetic properties of recorded events from nuclear reactions. Currently, a limiting factor is the electronics behavior at high input charge resulting in improper energy determination of incident heavier ions. While the low-energy per-pixel calibration of Timepix3 is normally performed with the use of photons of up to 60 keV, the characteristic linear range permits a correct extrapolation up to only 150 keV/pixel. We developed a global per-pixel energy correction method involving the use of short-ranged accelerated ions and spectroscopic alpha sources, to suitably extend the energy determination capability of Timepix3 for nuclear ion spectroscopy experiments, where spatial and temporal precision of recorded events are equally crucial. It was found that upon applying this correction, the reliable per-pixel energy range has been increased from the original 150 keV to at least 1.1 MeV, while maintaining the relative energy resolution to better than 2.5% for stopped protons of up to 1.9 MeV and better than 3.1% for α-particles of 5.5 MeV. Furthermore, to demonstrate the spatial resolution of Timepix3 detectors with silicon sensors, we present α-radiography measurements from which we extract the modulation transfer function (MTF) and produce real-world biological sample images.