Contaminant detection using a CZT photon counting detector with TDI image reconstruction

Food x-ray inspection systems are designed to detect unwanted physical contaminants in packaged food maintain a high level of safety for consumers. Modern day often utilize line scan sensors these but limited single or dual energies. However, by using photon counting detector (PCD), new generation capable acquiring images at more than two energy bins could improve discrimination between low density contaminants. In this work, five type were embedded an acrylic phantom and imaged cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) PCD with pixel pitch 330 um. A set acquired while the was stationary, another moving mimic movement conveyor belt. Image quality assessed evaluating contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) each images. For imaging times larger 25 ms, results showed that data yielded CNR values compared stationary phantom. While conventional inspections sensors, we report contaminant detection is possible CZT system.