To increase spatial resolution, which detector element (DEL) characteristic should be decreased?

To increase spatial resolution, which detector element (DEL) characteristic should be decreased?

• A. DEL pitch and spatial resolution are independent from one another
• B. Large DEL pitch
• C. Small DEL pitch
• D. DEL pitch is unrelated to spatial resolution

Answer: (C)

Decreasing the spacing between detector elements (DEL pitch) boosts spatial resolution. When DEL pitch is smaller, there are more detector elements per unit area, so the image is sampled with a finer grid and the effective pixel size shrinks. This finer sampling lets the system capture and distinguish finer details; two objects that are close together are more likely to be resolved as separate. In terms of frequency response, a smaller pitch increases the sampling rate, helping preserve higher spatial frequencies and reducing blur (maintaining higher image sharpness). If the pitch is large, each element covers a larger area, averaging over details and making fine structures harder to discern.

Decreasing the spacing between detector elements (DEL pitch) boosts spatial resolution. When DEL pitch is smaller, there are more detector elements per unit area, so the image is sampled with a finer grid and the effective pixel size shrinks. This finer sampling lets the system capture and distinguish finer details; two objects that are close together are more likely to be resolved as separate. In terms of frequency response, a smaller pitch increases the sampling rate, helping preserve higher spatial frequencies and reducing blur (maintaining higher image sharpness). If the pitch is large, each element covers a larger area, averaging over details and making fine structures harder to discern.