From Timepix4 and Medipix4 to Picopix: The Evolution and Future of Hybrid Pixel Detectors

by Xavier Llopart Cudie (Medipix4 collaboration and the Picopix design team)

Thursday Jul 10, 2025, 11:00 AM → 12:00 PM Europe/Madrid

In-Person (IFAE Seminar Room)

Hybrid pixel detectors are unique in offering noise-free, high-resolution detection with precise time tagging which is crucial for high-rate applications in particle physics, time-resolved photon science, medical imaging, and beyond. This talk explores the evolution of these detectors within the Medipix collaboration, focusing on three generations of ASICs: Timepix4, Medipix4, and the in-development Picopix.
Timepix4, designed in 65nm CMOS and released in 2022, builds on Timepix (2006), Timepix2 (2018), and Timepix3 (2013). It features a 448 × 512 pixel matrix at 55 µm pitch, supports data-driven readout with 195 ps time resolution, and achieves >99.5% active area using TSVs and 4-side buttable design.
Medipix4, introduced in 2023 (130nm CMOS), follows Medipix2 (2004)  and Medipix3RX (2011) and targets high-rate X-ray imaging. It supports energy binning, charge-sharing correction, and 4-side tiling, with pixel sizes of 75 µm or 150 µm.
Picopix, under development in 28nm CMOS, targets ultra-fast tracking with sub-40 ps RMS timing and rates up to ~4×10⁹ clusters/s. It features on-chip time calibration, clustering, and event sorting, and supports both data-driven and frame-based modes.
The seminar will highlight how each generation advances detector capabilities and broadens application scope, paving the way for future hybrid pixel systems.