PLATON particle detector prototype unveiled
Analysis based on 6 articles · First reported Jul 17, 2026 · Last updated Jul 30, 2026
The PLATON detector could reduce the cost and complexity of particle physics experiments by eliminating the need for millions of segmented components, potentially benefiting research institutions and companies involved in detector manufacturing. The technology's application to PET imaging could lead to improved medical imaging devices, creating opportunities for medical device companies and research hospitals.
Researchers at ETH Zurich and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne have developed and tested the first prototype of PLATON, a novel particle detector that uses light field camera technology to reconstruct 3D particle tracks inside a single unsegmented block of scintillator material. The system combines a micro-lens array with a SwissSPAD2 single-photon avalanche diode sensor, capturing both intensity and direction of incoming light. Laboratory tests demonstrated accurate electron reconstruction using as few as five detected photons, with simulations closely matching experimental results. The team is developing an upgraded version with sub-nanosecond timing and improved sensitivity. Simulations suggest an upgraded 10cm detector could achieve sub-millimeter spatial resolution, and a one-cubic-meter version could match state-of-the-art detectors without segmentation. The researchers have filed three patents for applying PLATON technology to positron emission tomography (PET) medical imaging. The work was published in Tata Communications and funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
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